The African Wild Cat does not look very different from your average house cat. They are very nervous creatures, being solitary like leopard, although spotting an African Wild Cat is much rarer and as such very special – even though it does not usually last long. These animals are active mainly at night and during the day they rest, concealed in a bush or shrub. The easiest way to spot one of these little cats at night is to catch the eyes reflecting back at your spotlight. But if you get too close they will bolt into the brush and you will struggle to find them again. They feed mainly on small rodents in the bush but hares and birds do make up a small part of their diet as well. They are territorial animals and a male’s territory will usually overlap with the territories of 3 females. So if you ever spot a cat out on a game drive, no it is not a lost house cat, you are just extremely lucky to be seeing an African Wild Cat!
