Olfactory Marking Behavior in Wildcats

We know about our domestic cats and how they exchange scent on us by head butting and rubbing their cheeks against us.

This is usually a friendly exchange when greeting. Domestic cats also spray (especially when unneutered) to mark territorial boundaries.

The chart below shows the various ways wild cats mark territory by leaving scent and visible marks on surfaces or by simply leaving feces out in the open.

The chart comes direct from the world’s best book on the wildcats: Wild Cats Of The World by Mel and Fiona Sunquist

Please buy it. It is cheap when you consider it is the equivalent of ten average books on the subject.

Here are some associated pages on PoC:

Cat Marking Territory

The Social Organisation of Serval Cats

Domestic Cat Territory

From Olfactory Marking Behavior in Wildcats to Wild Cat Species by Size