Black-footed Cat Information and Facts ~ Felis nigripes ~ Cats For Africa

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The Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) is the second smallest cat species in the world and the smallest African cat, weighing a maximum of only 2.5 kgs. The coat is covered with small dark spots and the cat has a short face similar to domestic cats.

The Black-footed Cat is named after the black undersides of its feet and it is also called the Small Spotted Cat after its tiny size and spotted coat.

In Afrikaans (South Africa) the cat is called a miershooptier, which means "Anthill Tiger", as it often makes its den in abandoned termite mounds (ant hills) and has a ferocious demeanour.

The Black-footed Cat lives in the semi-arid regions of southern Africa and obtains all its moisture from its food, requiring minimal to no drinking water.

‘Anthill tiger’: Putting one of Africa’s rarest wildcats on the radar ~ Mongabay

6-week-old Black-footed cat kitten — A 6-week-old captive black-footed cat kitten honing its stalking skills. Image by Alex Sliwa.

Summary:

Black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) are the smallest and also one of the rarest wildcat species in Africa. They’re very reclusive, extremely hard to find, and are among the least-studied nocturnal mammals on the continent.
Data-scarce species like the black-footed cat are difficult to conserve because the most basic knowledge — of their home ranges, territories, habitat, and reproductive, dietary and other behaviors — is often lacking. Without these many life-cycle details, the targeting of effective preservation strategies is near impossible.
German ecologist Alexander Sliwa has made it his life’s mission to research the elusive black-footed cat. Establishing and working with a small team, he eventually led the way to the formation of the Black-footed Cat Working Group. Thanks largely to those efforts, a substantial database on Felis nigripes now exists.
This work led to the black-footed cat being listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Though the species’ survival remains far from secure, the design and implementation of conservation strategies will no longer have to start from scratch, and can be built on valuable, already accumulated baseline data.

“It is impossible to provide a prognosis for the species’ survival: “Nobody knows,” Sliwa says. Global warming, new diseases or more intensive use or other impacts on their rangelands are only some of the factors that can cause the species to “slip quietly into extinction.” Despite more media attention, including a feature by the BBC, people are still not very aware of the small cat, he says, and funding to continue the research is a constant battle — as is the case with most small wildcat species.”

Read the full article at:

‘Anthill tiger’: Putting one of Africa’s rarest wildcats on the radar (mongabay.com)

by Petro Kotzé - science journalist, South Africa

Adorable but deadly little wildcat may be inbreeding at 'alarming' rates, study finds ~ Live Science

9 Fascinating facts about black-footed cats ~ Africa Geographic

Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) Information and Facts

Black-footed Cat

Black-Footed Cat (Felis nigripes) Fact Sheet

NAME & STATUS

IDENTIFICATION

SIZE

DISTRIBUTION

LIFE CYCLE

DIET / PREY

BEHAVIOUR

TAXONOMY

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Further Information

Articles about Black-footed Cats

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