The African Wildcat is the direct ancestor of our domestic cats.

The wildcat is widely distributed in Africa, being absent only from true desert and tropical forest areas.

The backs of the wildcat’s ears are characteristically a rich red-brown. Long legs and high shoulder blades give them a distinctive action; they move more like a cheetah that a domestic cat.

The wildcat weighs 8 to 14 pounds, and has a long, thin, tail that is 50% to 60% of the cat’s head and body length.