Far Eastern cat breed. Amur forest cat (Far Eastern leopard cat). Attitude towards a person

Order - Carnivora / Suborder - Feline / Family - Feline / Subfamily - Small cats

History of study

Amur forest cat (lat. Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus or lat. Felis bengalensis euptilura) is a subspecies of the Bengal cat. Another name is "Amur leopard cat".

Spreading

Distributed in the Far East, in the Amur River basin and along the coast Sea of Japan. Near Lake Khanka (lake), the cat was found throughout the habitable area. It lives in the Bolshekhekhtsirsky, Khankaisky, Ussuriysky, Kedrovaya Pad, Lazovsky reserves.

Appearance

Slightly larger than a domestic cat. The length of his body is 75-90 cm, tail - 35-37 cm, weight 4-6 kg. The main coat color of the upper side is light grayish-yellow or dull grayish-brown with scattered round dark red spots.

reproduction

Mating takes place in March. Pregnancy lasts 65-70 days. There are 1-2 (sometimes up to 4) blind and helpless kittens in the litter, weighing 75-80 g. Eyes open on the 10th day. The female actively protects the kittens and, in case of danger, takes them to another place. When the kittens are 45-50 days old, they begin to leave the den and explore the surrounding area. At 4-4.5 months, the weight of young cats reaches 3.2 kg, females up to 2.4 kg. At the age of 6 months (October-November), kittens leave their mother in search of their hunting ground.

Lifestyle

The habitat of the Far Eastern forest cat is dense thickets of shrubs (hazel) and copses along river and lake valleys; slopes of low mountains (where the snow cover in winter does not exceed 30-40 cm), overgrown mixed forest with rocky placers; deaf fall; reed thickets along the shores of lakes and oxbow lakes; forest clearings and edges; meadows with tall grass. It rises to the mountains up to 500-600 m above sea level. The Amur forest cat is often found near human habitation. It avoids solid forests and lands with intensive agricultural activity.

The Far Eastern forest cat leads a twilight and nocturnal lifestyle. It is shy and very cautious, it is difficult to detect it. Hunts from ambush (on the ground and trees), catches prey with one jump. V winter time migrates from mountains to river and lake valleys, hilltops covered with dense shrubs (where the snow is blown away by the wind and is well compacted). In severe frosts, it can approach human habitation and hunt synanthropic rodents in old buildings. In times of danger, it is saved in the trees. Shelter arranges in the hollows of old trees and rock crevices hidden in dense shrubs. Willingly uses the abandoned holes of foxes and badgers. The bottom of the den is lined with dry grass and foliage, wood dust. Excellent climbs on rocks and trees, swims well. The Amur forest cat has several temporary shelters on the site, which he periodically visits. In winter, it uses only one permanent and most secure lair.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat lives in pairs or alone. It is only during the breeding season that several cats come together. An individual site of one individual occupies on average 5-9 km2 and depends on the abundance of prey.

Nutrition

The basis of the diet of the Far Eastern cat is mouse-like rodents (voles) and birds and their eggs (grouse, pheasants). Actively pursues squirrels, chipmunks and Manchurian hares, hunts young roe deer and deer.

population

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the CITES Convention (Appendix II). Population size in last years started to grow. The main threats to the species: loss of habitat (fires, logging, plowing of virgin areas with tall grass, hunting), weather factors, hybridization with domestic cats. The maximum population density of the Amur cat, 3-4 individuals per 10 km2, was observed in the Pogranichny, Khankaysky and Khasansky districts of Primorsky Krai. The approximate number in Primorsky Krai is 2-2.5 thousand individuals.

Far Eastern forest cat and man

The Far Eastern cat is not commercially hunted. Obtained randomly. Not tamed. Sometimes steals poultry.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat, another name for the Amur leopard cat, is a subspecies of the Bengal cat.

Appearance

The body size of the Amur leopard cat is 75-90 centimeters, the tail is 35-37 centimeters.

The weight of the male is up to 15 kg.

He has relatively long legs, small head, thin tail. The hairline is lush, thick, soft. The length of the guide guard hairs on the back reaches 49 millimeters. The main coat color of the upper side is light grayish-yellow or dull grayish-brown with scattered rounded dark red spots of a blurry or clear outline. The back of the Far Eastern forest cat is slightly darker than the sides. The sides gradually lighten downwards. Three brown stripes stretch along the back of the leopard cat, these stripes are formed by elongated narrow spots. It happens that all three bands are vague and merge into one wide belt. There are four to five rusty-brown transverse stripes on the cat's throat, rows of spots also form transverse stripes on the front legs. The belly is off-white with a yellow tint. The Chinese call this species the "money cat" because the spots on its fur resemble ancient Chinese coins. From internal corners two white stripes run parallel up the forehead and further along the crown of the eye, between which there is a reddish-brown stripe running from the nose through the forehead and crown to the neck. The tail is dark gray, sometimes one-color, more often it has up to seven black-gray incomplete rings. The tip of the tail is pure black or dark grey.

Habitat

This kind wild cats distributed in the Far East, along the coast of the Sea of Japan and in the Amur River basin. The range of the Far Eastern forest cat extends through all of China, west to Hindustan and south to the Malay Archipelago.

The Far Eastern forest cat inhabits deaf mountain forests, partly thickets of shrubs.

Lifestyle, nutrition

In winter, it migrates from the mountains to river and lake valleys, hilltops covered with dense shrubs (where the snow is blown away by the wind and is well compacted).

In severe frosts, it can approach human habitation and hunt synanthropic rodents in old buildings. In times of danger, it is saved in the trees.

Shelter arranges in the hollows of old trees and rock crevices hidden in dense shrubs. Willingly uses the abandoned holes of foxes and badgers. The bottom of the den is lined with dry grass and foliage, wood dust.

Excellent climbs on rocks and trees, swims well.

The Amur forest cat has several temporary shelters on the site, which he periodically visits. In winter, it uses only one permanent and most secure lair.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat lives in pairs or alone. It is only during the breeding season that several cats come together.

An individual site of one individual occupies on average 5-9 km 2 and depends on the abundance of prey.

Life expectancy in nature is 15-18 years.

It feeds on small rodents: voles, mice, squirrels, also catches birds, sometimes attacks hares, young roe deer. The diet is often supplemented with herbs, eggs, birds and aquatic prey.

In snowy winters, the Amur leopard cat is forced to stay close to human habitation.

Reproduction and lifespanFar Eastern forest cat

Mating in Far Eastern cats occurs in early spring- in March.

Pregnancy in females lasts 65-70 days. Usually kittens appear in the second half of May. There are 1-2 (sometimes up to 4) blind and helpless kittens in the litter, weighing 75-80 g. Eyes open on the 10th day. The female actively protects the kittens and, in case of danger, takes them to another place. When the kittens are 45-50 days old, they begin to leave the den and explore the surrounding area. At 4-4.5 months, the weight of young cats reaches 3.2 kg, females up to 2.4 kg. At the age of 6 months (October-November), kittens leave their mother in search of their hunting ground. According to some data, puberty occurs at 8-10 months, according to others only by 18 months.

The cat-father also takes part in the upbringing of kittens.

Far Eastern forest cat in captivity

The forest Far Eastern cat can be kept both directly in the house as a pet, and as an open-air animal in an open-air cage.

For home maintenance, it is better to choose a kitten up to 3 months old, grown in home-type nurseries. But even in this case, upon reaching puberty, the cat can become uncontrollable.

Amur leopard cat is quite well tamed to the tray. Usually a cat gets used to certain family members, and shuns other people.

When keeping an aviary, a cat needs to build an aviary with a minimum size of 1.5x3x1.5m. Cell size from 15x15 to 50x50 mm. The floor must be either wood or concrete (wood is preferred in cold season). Sometimes a layer of earth or sand is poured onto concrete in outdoor enclosures.

To maintain cleanliness in the aviary, it is advisable to use behavioral features cats - the creation of a "latrine", under which, in the conditions of an aviary, they fit a tray with sand or sawdust. A shelter must be installed in the aviary. It can be a wooden booth with bedding inside (straw, or rags).

Shelves are installed in enclosures at different heights or vertically and horizontally cut trees of the appropriate diameter. At large area enclosures and its height of at least five meters for cats arrange wooden or stone terraces at the back wall.

Feeding in captivity

The main food of the Far Eastern forest cat in captivity is lean meats, such as beef, but without live food - rats, mice, day-old chickens and quails, it is difficult to maintain normal physiological activity and reproduction of animals, especially since the behavioral characteristics of the predator become dull, which leads to " obsessive movements, boredom of the animal. In addition, the animal eats not only fresh meat, but also the contents of the intestines, the brain, part of the skin with wool (feather) of "live" feed. It is believed that for the completeness of protein metabolism, it is advisable to offer fish once a week. But not all the time. An excess of fish in the diet can lead to calcium leaching from the animal's body and, accordingly, to associated diseases such as rickets.

For daily feeding of the Far Eastern forest cat, 2 mice are enough, or one rat and about 200g. lean meat. They feed once a day.

An equally important component of feeding is the weekly unloading or “hungry” day, when the animal (except for lactating females and kittens up to six months of age) is not given meat and live food. However, some experts, once a week, in addition to the “hungry” day, also arrange a “half-starved” day, when the norm of meat or live feed is given out at half the norm. This is important because in captivity, cats do not expend as much energy as they do in the wild, and therefore often get fat, get sick, and even die.

When keeping cats indoors, in good weather they need to be walked outside from time to time. On the street, the cat receives natural ultraviolet light (which is essential for the production of vitamin D, which in turn has a positive effect on health), feeds on meadow grass (looking for the right herbs for the body), and gets acquainted with new smells. Walking "domestic" cats is important for the full physical and psycho-emotional development of the animal.

Life expectancy in captivity is 20 years.

Population status and protection

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the CITES Convention (Appendix II). The population has been growing in recent years.

The main threats to the species are: loss of habitat (fires, logging, plowing of virgin lands with tall grass, hunting), weather factors, hybridization with domestic cats.

Amur forest cats are the smallest among Asian cats, they are only slightly larger than domestic cats. The size of the body together with the tail is about 90 centimeters, while the tail is long - about 40 centimeters. Females weigh 2.5-3 kilograms, while males are larger - 3-4 kilograms.

Amur forest cat (Felis euptilura, Prionailurus euptilura) lives in Russia: In the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. They also live in China, Japan, Nepal, Burma, the Korean Peninsula, Sumatra, Pakistan, Bali, Java and Borneo. More Amur forest cats called Amur cats, Far Eastern forest cats, leopard cats of Tsushima and Amur leopard cats. And scientifically, this animal is considered a subspecies (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus).

It has relatively long legs, a small head, and a thin tail. The hairline is lush, thick, soft. The length of the guide guard hairs on the back reaches 49 millimeters. The main coat color of the upper side is light grayish-yellow or dull grayish-brown with scattered rounded dark red spots of a blurry or clear outline. The back of the Far Eastern forest cat is slightly darker than the sides. The sides gradually lighten downwards. Three brown stripes stretch along the back of the leopard cat, these stripes are formed by elongated narrow spots. It happens that all three bands are vague and merge into one wide belt. There are four to five rusty-brown transverse stripes on the cat's throat, rows of spots also form transverse stripes on the front legs. The belly is off-white with a yellow tint. The Chinese call this species "money cat", because the spots on his fur are reminiscent of ancient Chinese coins. From the inner corners of the eyes, up the forehead and further along the crown, two white stripes run parallel, between which there is a reddish-brown stripe running from the nose through the forehead and crown to the neck. The tail is dark gray, sometimes one-color, more often it has up to seven black-gray incomplete rings. The tip of the tail is pure black or dark grey.

This species of wild cats is common in the Far East, along the coast of the Sea of Japan and in the Amur River basin. The range of the Far Eastern forest cat extends through all of China, west to Hindustan and south to the Malay Archipelago.

The Far Eastern forest cat inhabits deaf mountain forests, partly thickets of shrubs.

In winter, it migrates from the mountains to river and lake valleys, hilltops covered with dense shrubs (where the snow is blown away by the wind and is well compacted).

In severe frosts, it can approach human habitation and hunt synanthropic rodents in old buildings. In times of danger, it is saved in the trees.

Excellent climbs on rocks and trees, swims well.

The Amur forest cat has several temporary shelters on the site, which he periodically visits. In winter, it uses only one permanent and most secure lair.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat lives in pairs or alone. It is only during the breeding season that several cats come together.

An individual site of one individual occupies on average 5-9 km2 and depends on the abundance of prey.

Life expectancy in nature is 15-18 years.

It feeds on small rodents: voles, mice, squirrels, also catches birds, sometimes attacks hares, young roe deer. The diet is often supplemented with herbs, eggs, birds and aquatic prey.

In snowy winters, the Amur leopard cat is forced to stay close to human habitation.

Mating in Far Eastern cats occurs in early spring - in March.

The cat-father also takes part in the upbringing of kittens.

The forest Far Eastern cat can be kept both directly in the house as a pet, and as an open-air animal in an open-air cage.

For home maintenance, it is better to choose a kitten up to 3 months old, grown in home-type nurseries. But even in this case, upon reaching puberty, the cat can become uncontrollable.

Amur leopard cat is quite well tamed to the tray. Usually a cat gets used to certain family members, and shuns other people.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the CITES Convention (Appendix II). The population has been growing in recent years.

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is one of the northernmost representatives of the cat family living in Central Asia. Scientists attribute it to Asian small cats; this numerous genus is often called "leopard", for the characteristic coat color common to all representatives.

Appearance

Unlike their distant relatives, lynxes and Bengal cats, the Amur Far Eastern forest cat looks very similar to an ordinary domestic cat, although it belongs to a completely different subspecies. In length, it reaches 90 - 95 cm, and almost half (about 40 cm) is a flexible narrow tail.

Weight can vary from 2.5 to 4 kg in females and 4 to 8 kg in males. Among small Asian cats, the Amur forest cat is the smallest.
The body of this cautious predator is elongated, very flexible and muscular.
Powerful paws and vibrissae longer than those of pets make it a rather dangerous opponent on the hunt.
A small, elongated head is crowned with rounded ears without any hint of tassels: this feature makes it easy to distinguish a Far Eastern cat that is safe for humans from its more dangerous relatives.
An important distinguishing feature: the eyes of Amur cats are located close to each other and are distinguished by a deep landing.
In the middle of the nose, you can see a wide strip on which the hair is completely absent.
The fangs of these forest hunters are long and thick, and the claws, on the contrary, are rather short, but strong.

The tracks left by the Far Eastern forest cat in the snow are often confused with the tracks of domestic cats, since they differ mainly only in size.

The color of the "leopard" cat

The "leopard" cat has a very soft hairline, with a dense thick undercoat. The color of the skin can vary from grayish-sand to yellow-brown, with reddish oval spots scattered throughout the body. Because of these spots, reminiscent of ancient coins, the Chinese nicknamed the predator "Money Cat".

On the back, dark speckles merge into three black-brown stripes. The same stripes, only transverse, can be seen on the paws and throat of the cat. In young animals, the leopard coloration is more pronounced, with age, the color becomes more even.

On the belly of all representatives of this species, the hair is lighter than on the ridge (in the area of \u200b\u200bthe chest and throat it approaches off-white). But the tail, on the contrary, is almost always monophonic, reddish-gray or brown. The tip is painted in dark gray or black. Sometimes on it you can see dark stripes ringing it.

The head of the forest cat is decorated with two lighter stripes running from the inner corners of each eye. Between them, from the reddish-gray nose through the top of the head, a brown stripe stretches to the neck. The chin of the animal is almost white, but the tips of the ears, on the contrary, are painted black. In general, the brown-striped color serves as an excellent protection for Amur cats, making it almost invisible both on the branches of a tree and on the ground powdered with leaves.

habitats

Amur forest cat, like many other inhabitants Far East, endemic. It is not found anywhere else. This predator settles along the entire length of the Amur, on the coast of the Sea of Japan, in the area of lakes Khanka and Khasan, on the Hindustan Peninsula, and also in almost the entire territory of China up to the Malay Islands.

He is especially comfortable in nature reserves: Khanka, Ussuri, Lazovsky, Kedrovaya Pad. This is explained not so much by safety (the Amur cat has never been hunted on an industrial scale), but by the remoteness from human settlements.

This predator is also found on some of Japanese islands. Actually, this is where one of its names came from: “Tsushima Leopard Cat”.

It lives mainly in grassy floodplains, in deciduous or mixed forests. It is less common in the taiga, although its spotted skin can also be seen there. In Pomorie, its main habitat is shrubs and reed lowlands along the banks of oxbow lakes and lakes. In these places, you can often find the name "reed cat": it is not entirely correct, since a completely different representative of the cat family has the same name, but it well reflects the lifestyle of the Amur predator.

The Far Eastern cat feels quite confident on the rocks, although it does not climb high into the mountains. The reason for this is the snow that accumulates between stones in winter (the maximum depth of snow cover at which a predator can hunt is 30-40 cm).

With the onset of winter, the cat hides in the nest, and does not leave it until a solid frozen crust forms on the surface of the snow, capable of supporting the weight of the animal. The only exceptions are cats that feed their cubs, and those of their cats who were unlucky in hunting before a snowstorm.

Habits and lifestyle

The forest cat is very cautious, even shy. It is not easy to notice him. Moreover, he is afraid of people and tries not to catch the eye.

In the crevices of rocks, old hollows, abandoned badger holes, he arranges a nest for himself. Like other predators of the feline family, the forest cat leads a predominantly twilight and nocturnal lifestyle. During the day it sleeps in the den, and after dark it goes hunting.

It feeds on small warm-blooded animals. First of all, these are, of course, rodents of all kinds. However, more large inhabitants forests - such as hares, squirrels, muskrats - can also easily become prey for this predator.

There are cases when the Amur cat attacked young roe deer and emerged victorious. Even representatives of the weasel family, ferrets and weasels, can get caught on his tooth. True, they themselves are serious opponents of the forest cat, so the outcome of such a fight is not known in advance. And, of course, birds: they form an important part of the diet of this predator. Thanks to his claws, he easily climbs trees, so it doesn’t cost him anything to catch a careless jay or ruin a nest.

Amur forest cats do not like direct collisions. They prefer to hunt from an ambush, often using tree branches as such. However, despite their stealth and small size, they do not hesitate to engage in open combat when necessary, even with an enemy that is superior in size.

Courage and wild disposition make them a serious adversary. So, near human habitation, the "Money Cat" often attacks pasyukov rats. With these aggressive and deadly rodents, even dogs that are several times larger than them do not always cope, but the Far Eastern forest cat usually emerges victorious from such a fight. And many of the Pomeranian hunters admit that they would prefer to meet in the forest with a larger lynx than with this cute fluffy cat.

reproduction

The Far Eastern Forest Cat is a rare individualist. He lives and hunts alone, and only in early spring, in March, does he find a mate. At this time, the forest resounds with loud jerky cries, with which the males call their girlfriends. Pregnancy in females lasts 65 - 70 days.

By the end of May, the cat brings kittens: usually one or two. The maximum number of cubs in a litter is 4. They are born blind, open their eyes only on the 10th day, and weigh no more than 80 grams. Only after one and a half to two months they leave the lair to explore their territory. All this time, the cat mother jealously takes care of them, dragging the kittens to another place at the slightest danger.

The father also participates in the upbringing of the offspring. By 6 months, the animals become completely independent and leave the nest to find their own hunting ground. Maturity in these predators occurs, according to various sources, at 12-18 months. In general, the life span is 8-15 years.

population

It may seem strange, but there is no exact data on the number of the Amur forest cat. They are so secretive that even an approximate calculation is not possible. However, in currently they are listed in the Red Book as a species under threat of extinction.

The reason for this was not hunting, as it might seem, but the loss of places suitable for habitation. Every year there are less and less secluded forests or lowlands not plowed for fields. great danger to forest dwellers They also represent the annually held "burnings" - burning out last year's foliage and fallen branches.

The Far Eastern forest cat is not dangerous to humans, but in the USSR for half a century it was listed among the "enemies", along with the lynx and the wolf. Because of this harmless cat, they were often killed for no reason, solely for the sake of an insignificant reward from the village council.

Fortunately for the Far Eastern cat, he cannot boast of particularly valuable fur, and in Russia he has never been hunted as a fur animal. But in China, the "Money" predator for a long time killed just for the sake of furs. Now hunting for him is prohibited, and he is included in the list of animals protected by law.

Life in captivity

An inexperienced eye can easily confuse this resident of the taiga with a feral pet. Due to the “familiar” coloring, which makes the Amur forest cat look like an affectionate “Murka”, they have repeatedly tried to tame the predator. These attempts were not crowned with success: at home, he does not live long, he treats his owners with suspicion, and his wild temper makes him a rather dangerous pet. Adult cats, even when taken to people immediately after birth, tend to go back to the forest.

When trying to cross the Far Eastern forest cats with their domesticated relatives, a curious fact turned out: the males that appeared from such parents were sterile, only cats could have offspring.

But the study of Amur cats is carried out regularly. For this, a trap cage is used, in which a piece of meat is placed. When the cat enters the cage to take the bait, it is caught, euthanized and put on a special collar with a beacon around its neck. This is how information about the life of these cautious and cunning inhabitants of the Amur and Pomorye was collected.

Far Eastern, or Amur forest cat - an inhabitant of the same places as the famous Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards. But this neighbor and "younger brother" of the mustachioed giants is much less studied and popular. What's to blame? Most likely, modest size (even the largest males weigh no more than seven kilograms) and discreet appearance. Although, like all cats, wild Far Eastern cats are absolutely irresistible!

Color and appearance of the Amur forest cat

Sometimes Far Eastern cats are called leopard cats for their spotted color. The Chinese called them money, because the spots on the cat's skin remind them of coins. And many ordinary cat lovers say that this wild cat looks like Vaska from neighboring yard. But not every Vaska has wool - five centimeters long, and an Amur cat cannot live without such a fur coat.

Light and dark longitudinal stripes on the forehead of the Amur forest cat are his distinctive sign. By the pattern of these stripes, wild cats can be identified in the same way as people can be identified by fingerprints.

Amur forest cat: description of habits

The longest-legged among all small wild cats is the Amur forest cat, the photo demonstrates this perfectly. However, this did not help him "make friends" with deep snow. During heavy snowfalls, the animal can hide in a shelter for weeks, waiting for a crust to form.

But this cat climbs trees just fine. It is there that he usually hides when he sees a person. Although the main "menu" of the Amur cat includes mouse-like rodents and birds, sometimes small predators manage to overwhelm even a young roe deer.

A skilled and successful hunter, the Far Eastern wild cat almost never shows aggression towards people. There is no information about the attack of such cats on humans. On the contrary, he leads a secretive and, moreover, twilight way of life, trying not to attract too much attention to himself.

Severe predator with the appearance of a plush toy

They say that local hunters prefer not to meet the Amur cat in the forest - in case of danger, he defends himself fiercely. And there is something to defend yourself - just look at what teeth this grin shows!

However, in moments of rest, this mustachioed muzzle looks very cute. Round eyes, a “snub-nosed” nose and small rounded ears - in some photos, the Amur forest cat really looks like a plush toy, and not like a harsh predator.

It is best to admire this animal in zoos, where, however, they also behave very wary. But Far Eastern cats breed well in captivity and show themselves to be very caring parents, both cats and cats. Up to four spotted kittens are born in the litter, which become independent by one and a half years.

By the way, the Amur forest cat went down in history - it is depicted on a silver coin of the Red Book series worth 1 ruble, issued in 2004. I think he deserved it. We hope that thanks to the protection of the state and the attention of scientists, we will learn even more about him and see many new beautiful photographs of the mustachioed Far Eastern miracle.

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