One of the 14 cats on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae
Black-footed Cat
Felis nigripes
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The black-footed cat, known in Spanish as gato patinegro, gato de pies negros or gato de patas negras, is a species of wild cat, sturdy in build and with spotted fur. Its name comes from the colour of the soles of its feet, which are covered in black hairs that protect it from the heat of the desert. Weighing between 1.5 and 2.75 kg, it is one of the smallest cats in the world and the smallest in Africa.
Weight
1 kg – 2.5 kg
Size
36 cm – 52 cm
Lifespan
13 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- GeneralThe smallest cat in Africa and one of the most effective hunters anywhere: it makes a kill every 50 minutes.
- It is probably the deadliest cat in the world in terms of effectiveness: around 60% of its hunting attempts end in a kill, far above the 20-25% of a lion, and it can kill more than a dozen animals in a single night.
- It never needs to drink: it gets all its water from its prey and survives on plains where there is no permanent water at all.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Arid savannah, Karoo semi-desert and the Kalahari
- Sexual maturity
- 14.6 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 2.2 months
- Litter / clutch size
- 2
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felis_nigripes
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Black-footed Cat — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
VulnerableLeopard
Panthera pardus
VulnerableLion
Panthera leo
VulnerableCheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Least ConcernCaracal
Caracal caracal
VulnerableAfrican Leopard
Panthera pardus pardus
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri
How to help
The black-footed cat is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 7 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about black-footed cat.
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