Sand Cat (Felis margarita)

SCIENTIFIC NAME Felis margarita

NAME ORIGIN 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 about Sand Cat Description...

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.

SAND CAT - Species Spotlight by Big Cat Rescue

The Sand Cat occurs only in the desert regions of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsular and southwest Asia.

More about Sand Cat Distribution...