The African golden cat is of medium size. It is often mistaken by African people as the offspring of a leopard, because they have always believed that the African golden cat is always accompanied by a leopard. It is a ferocious cat and people are full of fear about it. The African golden cat has become an iconic image in many regions. This cat is often found in the tropical rain forests of West and Central Africa. It mainly feeds on rodents, reptiles and mammals, and occasionally hunts poultry, but this is rare!

1. Physical characteristics of African golden cats

Body - The African golden cat is of medium size and belongs to the wild cat family. The male cat weighs 11 to 14kg, while the female cat is relatively lighter, usually around 6kg!

Color - There are many colors of African golden cat hair, most of which are light brown and reddish brown, and occasionally there are one or two black or gray variants. There is a saying that the African golden cat and the Asian golden cat are very similar. Later I learned that this is the result of evolution. Its lifespan is generally 15 years! Although its name is golden cat, it is not always Gold, as well as silver gray and slate gray, cats of this color are also called silver cats. The hair on its chin and face is white, with some spots on its limbs and abdomen. Some African golden cats even have spots all over their bodies. Its eyes are green or beautiful brown, its nose and mouth are wide and prominent, the hair behind the ears is black, and there are some black hairs on the ear tips. The tails of African golden cats are half the body length, and there is a dark ring on the tail!

2. Living habits of African golden cats

1. Social form

Most people don’t actually know about the African golden cat. It is not a social animal. This cat is similar to other cats. Female cats and male cats pass messages through smell, paws and feces. For example, it will not cover up its feces, but will let it be discovered and tracked to ensure the information is transmitted. Sustainability!

　2. Predation habits

The African golden cats distributed in the mountainous areas mainly prey on African fur rats, lake rats, hyraxes, etc. These captured animals are all animals that live on land. The staple food of cats in other areas is mainly duikers, monkeys, and rodents. If you observe its daily life carefully, you will find that it will subconsciously avoid some medium-sized prey when hunting. It is not surprising that it will sneak attack on chicken coops or sheep pens. Once given the appropriate opportunity, it will attack Guinea fowl, quail and other ground-dwelling birds hunt wildly, and they are very intelligent cats!

3. Reproduction

Experts have recorded that when the African golden cat is 11 months old,They begin to go into estrus at a young age, and male cats mate at 18 months of age. After more than a month of pregnancy, the female African golden cat gave birth to two kittens in a cave in the woods. Their colors were dark gray and grayish brown. Kittens can open their eyes a week after birth, and then they develop rapidly. Compared with other small cats, African golden cats give birth to cubs that are more responsive, but they generally do not reach sexual maturity until they are two years old!

3. Distribution areas of African golden cats

African golden cats are mostly distributed in tropical jungles, followed by Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Liberia in the west, through the Central African Republic, to Congo, Uganda, Kenya and other places in the east. Of course, it is not limited to the above distribution areas. There may also be traces of it in other places, but people have not discovered it yet!