Andean mountain cat (2022)

Habitat – Ecology – Appearance

This wild cat is found in arid and sparse land (note the photograph above). The high Andes has no forest. The terrain is rocky and steep. This cat is thought to be solitary but can be seen in pairs. This cat is mainly crepuscular, it seems (active at dusk and dawn and night – in line with domestic cats). This is because its main prey is also crepuscular, the Mountain Vizcacha. As the terrain is sparse and poor in regards to supporting wildlife, the range is probably large (estimated home range of 65.5 km²).

The Andean cat is medium sized, similar in size to the domestic cat. Appearance is as follows:

 

Physical FeatureFigures
Adult length740 to 850 mm
Sub-adult577 to 600 mm
Adult Tail length410 to 485 mm
TailVery long (66 – 75% of the head and body length). It is thick and cylindrical, fluffy and with 6 to 9 wide dark brown to black rings. A long tail helps with balance (see also Clouded Leopard)
Adult female weight4.5 kg
FurAsh grey with brown-yellowish blotches that are distributed as vertical lines at both sides of the body.
JuvenilesLighter color with smaller blotches and more of them.

5 thoughts on “Andean mountain cat (2022)”

  1. I think that’s actually a pampas cat in the first picture. I see them get confused with Andean mountain cats alot.

  2. Sincere apologies for the typo. Working at speed is the problem. I have corrected it and thanks for allowing me to use it. Copyright is dead on the internet in my view because Pinterest and Google Images destroyed it as a legal concept.

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