Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae

Wildcat

Felis silvestris

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its greatest conservation threat is neither hunting nor habitat loss, but genetic hybridisation with feral domestic cats.

Weight

3.2 kg – 8 kg

Size

up to 65 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

Easy

Temperate forestCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Feline Temperate forest Mammal

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Fun facts

Its greatest threat is not hunting but genetic hybridisation with feral domestic cats.
It feeds mainly on small rodents.
It lives in the deciduous and mixed woodland of continental Europe and Scotland.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Broadleaf and mixed woodland across much of continental Europe, Scotland, Turkey and the Caucasus
Birth weight: Born blind and helpless
Size at birth: Tiny at birth
Sexual maturity: 10-11 months
Gestation / incubation: 60-71 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 7 kittens per litter
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 20+ years

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; ISEC Canada; Britannica; Animal Diversity Web; Know Your Mammals; Animalia.bio; The Animal Facts; Wikipedia (European wildcat); IUCN CatSG