The leopard cat is a small wild cat species found in Asia. This picture is interesting for the fact that the species is the wild half of the most popular wild cat hybrid, the Bengal cat. Here we see how tough life can be for small wild cats in Asia.
I had thought that this cat had died on the roads which is pretty common anywhere, but no. They think the cat died because of cold weather and starvation. Although the cat does not look starved his stomach was empty. They decided the cat was about four-months-of-age and he weighed 1.3 kilograms. The cat was uninjured. He was alone without his mother and had not eaten for a long time. Blood sugar levels were low and there had been recent cold weather.
The picture was taken in Miaoli County, Taiwan on 1st Jan 2020 by a Miaoli County Government official. The cat was found near ‘the athletic track of a primary school in Sanyi Township’. It is a sad photograph. The Bengal cat owes its super coat to this cat plus selective breeding.
Habitat loss threatens the survival of the leopard cat in Taiwan.
Location
SOME MORE ON THE ASIAN LEOPARD CAT:
