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802 Featured Specimen
Sand cat

Details

Sand cat

Felis margarita

Size
39–52 cm · 1.3–3.4 kg
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Sociality
Solitary
Lifespan

Sand cat is a small desert cat with fur-covered soles for moving over hot sand. Despite its appealing appearance, it is a wide-ranging desert predator rather than a pet animal.

Range

Habitat range map
Native range Occasional / Transient
PalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticPalearcticAfrotropicalAfrotropicalAfrotropicalAfrotropicalIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayan

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It inhabits sandy and stony deserts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Main habitat types in this guide are desert.

Appearance

Typical length 39-52 cm, weight 1.3 kg-3.4 kg. Pale sandy fur, broad ears, and short legs help it blend into dry terrain.

Behavior

It is nocturnal and usually solitary. It rests in burrows by day and ranges widely at night.

Feeding

It is carnivorous. Rodents, small birds, reptiles, and insects provide both food and moisture.

Reproduction

Females raise kittens in burrows before the young begin following and learning to hunt.

Notes

Although still widespread in places, it remains sensitive to habitat change. Despite its appealing appearance, it is a wide-ranging desert predator rather than a pet animal.