Jungle Cat Physical Characteristics
Size
The Jungle Cat is about twice the size of a domestic cat. Males are larger than females.
Body
The Jungle Cat is similar in stature to the African Wildcat however it is much larger and taller. The tail is relatively short compared to its body length.
Coat
The short haired coat is plain and can vary from sandy yellow or reddish to grey. The fur can look speckled due to the fine black tips on the guard hairs. Adults have pale stripes on their legs and rings on the black tipped tail. The throat and undersides are paler than the rest of the body.
Kittens may have have spots or stripes but lose most of their markings as they mature.
Black and melanistic Jungle Cats also occur.
Jungle Cat Facial Characteristics
Head
The pointed face of the Jungle Cat has a white muzzle and white lines around the eyes. The nose is pink with a black outline.
Ears
The rounded ears of the Jungle Cat are reddish brown on the back and are tipped with small tufts of black hairs.
Jungle Cat Identification
When catching a glimpse of wildlife in the bush it is often difficult to identify an animal, especially if lighting is poor, or you do not see the full animal. Here are some pointers to help you confirm whether what you saw was a Jungle Cat.
In Africa, Jungle Cats only occur in a very small part of northern Egypt, their primary range is in the Middle East and into Asia. So the only other small wild cat in the same range would be the African Wildcat. Both these cats look similar to domestic tabby cats however the Jungle Cat is twice the size of an African Wildcat, which is about as large as a housecat. Jungle Cats also have a distinct white muzzle and small tufts on their ears.
