
	SIZE The Sand Cat is the second smallest of the small African wild cats, weighing up to 3kgs, about the size of a very small domestic cat. NAME The Sand Cat was discovered in 1858 and was named after the French expedition leader General Margueritte. The other common name is the 'sand dune cat'. IDENTIFICATION The diminutive Sand Cat is stocky with short legs and a long tail. The light brown coat has greyish fur on the back and paler fur below, with a few stripes on the limbs and tail. More... To adapt to desert conditions the cat has large triangular ears to detect underground vibrations made by prey, and thick fur on their foot pads to protect them from the extreme temperatures.


	Highlights Inhabits deserts Large triangular ears *Thick furred pads


	Sand Cat Pages on the Web IUCN Cat Specialist Group Big Cats Online International Society for Endangered Cats


	DISTRIBUTION The Sand Cat occurs only in the desert regions of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsular, Iran, Turkmenistan and Pakistan. BEHAVIOUR The solitary Sand Cat feeds mainly on small desert rodents, hares, birds, reptiles and insects. They rarely drink water and obtain sufficient moisture from their prey. The cats dig burrows or extend other animals' burrows where they live to escape the harsh desert conditions. Watch a video...