The life cycle of Sand Cats (Felis margarita) can be summarised as follows:
Sand Cat Gestation: 59 - 67 days
Sand Cat Litter Size: 2 - 4 kittens (max 8)
Sand Cat Sub-Adult: 4 months
Sand Cat Sexual Maturity:
Females and Males 9 - 14 months
Sand Cat Lifespan:
Unknown in the wild - 14 years in captivity
Sand Cat facts reference: Wild Cats of the World by Luke Hunter (2015) based on the latest scientific research.
Sand Cat Reproduction
There have been few studies of Sand Cats in the wild and so most information is from captive cats.
Sand cats are believed to reproduce seasonally with mating during winter and births during spring (Northern Hemisphere).
Gestation (pregnancy) is around two months and on average two to four kittens are born per litter.
Sand Cat kittens become independent from four months.
Sand Cat Adults
Male and female Sand Cat sub-adults become sexually mature between nine and fourteen months.
Mortality in the wild is suspected to be mostly by raptors as there are few other mammal predators in their desert habitat. Starvation can occur during extended winters in the central Asian desert when prey numbers remain low.
The lifespan of Sand Cats in the wild is not known, but cats in captivity have survived up to fourteen years.
