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Jungle Cat

Cat of the Month ~ May 2015


a jungle cat just sits and ponders

Male Jungle Cat looking very dog like
at Pont-Scorff Zoo (Nr Lorient, France)
Photo: Pont-Scorff Zoo

The Jungle Cat or ‘Felis Chaus’ of Asia is known as the ‘reed cat’ or ‘swamp cat’ in Africa. This is probably a more accurate name for this feline, as it rarely strays into jungle regions.

Preferred habitat is anywhere where there is water. Lake margins or riversides which often border dense ground cover are an excellent environment in which to hunt and breed. However the extent of habitation is much wider than this; ranging from desert (where it is found near oases or along dry riverbeds) to grassland, shrubby woodland and dry deciduous forest, as well as cleared areas of forest. They have been observed from sea level up to altitudes of 8,000 ft or more. Jungle cats are distributed throughout Asia, Sri Lanka and India. They are also found in Egypt.

Jungle cats are tenacious and adaptable moving into regions reclaimed by humans , where irrigation and cultivation have been carried out. However the jungle cat is prone to loosing its habitat due to the very same human intervention.


a jungle cat on a log

Jungle Cat in motion
Photo: wildwings.co.uk

Similar in build to the Serval and the African Wildcat and once thought to be related to the Lynx, Jungle cats are actually a very close relative of the domestic cat. They have long legs and a sleek build but they can grow to quite a hefty 14 Kilograms in weight standing up to 40 cms tall with a length of almost 100 cms. Tails are short though at 20 to 30 cms, with faint rings, and bearing a black tip. A jungle cats coat can range through sandy-brown, reddish or gray, and is unpatterned except for some brown striping on the legs. The ears are tall and rounded and are reddish with short, wide tufts on the tips.

Jungle cats feed mainly on small mammals, principally rodents, (a study in India’s Sariska reserve estimated that jungle cats catch and eat three to five rodent per day). Birds rank second in importance, but in southern Russia waterfowl are the mainstay of jungle cat diet in the winter. With overwintering populations of waterfowl congregating in large numbers on unfrozen rivers and marshes, the jungle cat hunts among reed beds and along edges of wetlands, searching for injured or weakened birds. Other prey species are taken more opportunistically, including hares, nutria, lizards, snakes, frogs, insects, and fish.

Credits:

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Lion Cub

Cat of the Month ~ October 2014


lion cub photo by sperka

Lion Cub at Play
Photograph: Christian Sperka

Christian Sperka was born in Germany in 1962 is a professional photographer and photography teacher based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Over the last 10 years, Christian has traveled the world ( living in Germany, Switzerland and the USA) photographing mainly animals in wild game preserves of South Africa, the jungles of Costa Rica, as well as zoos in Switzerland and across the United States. His work has been featured in wildlife magazines, books and promotional campaigns for Nashville Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo and Zurich Zoo in Switzerland.

In June 2010, Christian opened his Animal Art Photography gallery at the Arcade in Nashville. Since January 2011 he is the Offical Nashville Zoo Photographer and Photography Teacher.

Visit Christian Sperka’s Website to view photographs of animals of all kinds.

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Serval Cat of Africa

Cat of the Month ~ March 2011


The Serval Cat

The Stately Serval, A highly intelligent Cat
Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

The Serval (Leptailurus Serval), is a medium-sized African wild cat which has lion and cheetah ancestors. (It is the cheetah which is thought to have descended from ancient Servals).

The serval is native to Africa, where it widely distributed south of the Sahara.
Its main habitat is the savanna, although the light coloured (melanistic) strain of this animal are more usually found in mountainous areas at elevations up to 3,000 Metres or 10,000 ft

The Serval needs rivers and streams within its territory, so it does not live in semi-deserts or dry steppes. Servals also avoid dense equatorial jungles, although they may be found along forest fringes. They are able to climb and swim, but seldom do so.

Servals are nocturnal, and so hunt mostly at night, unless disturbed by human activity or the presence of larger nocturnal predators. Although the serval is specialized for catching rodents, it is an opportunistic predator whose diet also includes birds and small mammals, fish, and frogs. It has also been seen feeding on larger animals, such as deer, gazelle, and springbok. The Serval eats very quickly, sometimes too quickly, causing it to gag and regurgitate due to clogging in the throat. Small prey are though devoured whole. Like many cats, Servals are able to purr. The Serval also has a high-pitched call, and can hiss, cackle, growl and meow.

As part of its adaptations for hunting in the savannas, the Serval has extremely long legs (the longest of all cats, relative to body size) for jumping, which also help it achieve a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph).
The long legs (and neck) also allow the Serval to see over tall grasses, while its very large ears are used to detect prey, even those burrowing underground. Servals have been known to dig into burrows in search of underground prey, and to leap 2 to 3.6 metres into the air to grab birds in flight or to pounce on ground prey. While hunting, the Serval may pause for up to 15 minutes at a time to listen with eyes closed.


Serval

A Serval looking from the rear.
The eyespot markings or ocellus are used to signal
to Serval kittens when hunting.
Photograph: Creative Commons Attribution 2.5

The Serval then is an proficient killer, catching prey on an average of 50% of attempts (with a 67% success rate at night), compared to around one in ten attempts for most species of cat.

Servals are extremely intelligent, and demonstrate remarkable problem-solving ability, making them notorious for getting into mischief, as well as easily outwitting their prey, and eluding other predators. The Serval will often play with its captured prey for several minutes, before consuming it (where have we seen that before, Ed.). In most situations, Servals will ferociously defend their food against attempted theft by others. Males can be more aggressive than females.

Continue reading “Serval Cat of Africa”

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Cat Cartoons

Cat Cartoons! Here’s a selection of Cat cartoons and animations, a few of which I’ve tuned into over the years. Anyone got any others to add?… there must be thousands!, Ed.

Topcat

Topcat (US/UK TV Program)
Garfield Cartoon Cat

Garfield (Cartoon / TV Series)
Walt Disney Aristocats

The Aristocats( A Walt Disney Cartoon & Movie)
Bagpuss

Bagpuss (UK TV Program)

A list of just a few more cat cartoons. The original list was compiled by the
pictures-of-cats.org website. I’m updating it to include new cartoons (I’m finding on the www) and some details of the cartoon release dates and authors/creators too (get a life comes to mind!). Lets see if we can get just a few more cartoon images posted soon.

Stage and Screen Cats

Cat [Appeared In] [Series/Comic/Film] [First Shown] [Created By]
□ Alley-Kat-Abra [ Zoo Crew ] [DC Comics] [February 1982] [Roy Thomas-Scott Shaw]
□ The Robber Kitten [ Silly Symphonies ] [from 1929] [Walt Disney]
□ Attila [ Mother Goose and Grimm ] [2004] [2004] [Mike Peters]
□ Aunt Evelyn [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Aunt Reba [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Autocat [ Motormouse and Autocat ][TV][1969][Hanna-Barbera-Bourne]
□ Azrael [Smurfs] [TV] [1958] [Johan & Peewit]
□ Babbit and Catstello [A Tale of Two Kitties ] [1942] [Bob Clampett]
□ Bad Cat [ Augie Doggie ] [Animation] [1959] [Michael Maltese]
□ Baggypants [Baggy Pants and the Nitwits] [US TV] [1977] [NBC]
□ Bat Cats [ Mighty Mouse ] [Animation] [1942] [Izzy Klein]
□ Bella [ Otto ]
□ Benny the Ball [ Top Cat ]
□ Bette Noir [ Poosy Gato ]
□ Beverly [ Fumbles ]
□ Big Bertha [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Bill the Cat
□ Black Cat [ Courageous Cat ]
□ Blue the Cat [ Orson the Piglet ]
□ Boo
□ Boom Boom Pussini [ Heathcliff ]
□ Boopsie Meow [ Kamikaze cat ]
□ Captain Amerikat [ Spider-Ham ]
□ Captain Jack
□ Casual T. Cat
□ Catfather, The [ Heathcliff ]
□ Cat Gut [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Cattanooga Cats
□ Cattenstein [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Catula [ Count Duckula ]
□ Charlemange [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Chester Cheetah
□ Chops the Cat [ Augie Doggie ]
□ Chuck [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Cinderkitty [ Count Duckula ]
□ Claude Cat
□ Comet Cat [ Spirit ]
□ Cool Cat
□ Corporal Bruiser [ Heathcliff ]
□ Count Gatto [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Creepy Cat
□ Cuffy Cat [ Supermouse ]
□ Delbert [ Smilin’ Ed Smiley ]
□ Della Pussywillow [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Delroy [ Maxwell ]
□ Desdemona
□ Doc [ Mr Jinks ]
□ Douglas [ Supermouse ]
□ Dark Batfang [ Hot Dog ]
□ Erma Felna
□ Fancy Fancy [ Top Cat ]
□ Fat Cat [ Rescue Rangers ]
□ Fat Freddie’s Cat
□ Fatkat
□ Feline Faust [ Zoo Crew ]
□ Felis [ Defiants ]
□ Fencer [ Foofur ]
□ Figaro
□ Firkin [ Maxwell ]
□ Flop
□ Fluffy [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Fraidy Cat
□ Frankenstein’s Cat [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Furrball [ Hamton ]
□ Gabrielle [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Gertie [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Gideon [ J. Worthington Foulfellow ]
□ Goldie [ Top Cat ]
□ Guido [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis ]
□ Hairball [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Heathcliff [ Heathcliff ] [comic] [1973] [ George Gately ]
□ Henry [ Heathcliff ] [comic] [1973] [ George Gately ]
□ Henry’s Cat [ Henry’s Cat ] [UK TV] [1983] [ Bob Godfrey ]
□ Horse [ Dog[2] ]
□ Inky and Dinky [ Felix the Cat ]
□ Jane Feline
□ Jaune-Tom [ Mewsette ]
□ Jenny [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Joey [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Julius the Cat
□ Kamikaze Cat
□ Kat Karson
□ Katnip [ Herman the Mouse ]
□ Kirby Cat [ Mr. Wild Wolf ]
□ Kitty
□ Kitty [ Dagmar ]
□ Kitty [ Doctor Whoot ]
□ Kittycat [ Barfy ]
□ Kitty Cuddles [ Buzzy the Crow ]
□ Kitz ‘n’ Katz
□ Klondike Kat
□ Korky the Cat [ Homeless Hector ]
□ Kosmo W. Kat
□ Kosy [ Kitz ‘n’ Katz ]
□ Krazy Kat
□ Kyle [ Tom and Jerry ]
□ Lionheart
□ Lola [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Lucifer
□ Madame Rubens-Chatte [ Mewsette ]
□ Manx [ Fred ]
□ Maxwell
□ Mehitabel [ Mewsette ]
□ Meowrice [ Mewsette ]
□ Mewsette

Mewsette

Mewsette ~ Character in the Animated Film musical ‘Gay Purr-ee'(released by Warner Bros. in 1962)

□ Milton
□ Miss Kitty [ Porky Pig ]
□ Miss Lil
□ Mr Jack
□ Mr Jinks
□ Mrs Kat [ Krazy Cat ]
□ Mostly [ Bitsy ]
□ Motley the Cat
□ Ms Arda Chevious [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Muffie [ Miss Lil ]
□ Naif the Waif [ Urban Gorilla ]
□ Nermal [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Oil Can Harry [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Oliver the Cat
□ Oliver Wendell McDuffy [ Bulldog Drumhead ]
□ Ollie the Merry Mouser [ Toby the Badger ]
□ Omaha the Cat Dancer
□ O’Malley the Alley Cat [ Aristocats ]
□ Percy [ Little Roquefort ] [TV Cartoon] [1950] [TerryToon 20thCF]
□ Pete [Pete the Cat] [Childrens cartoon story] [Various sources]
□ Pierre [ Top Cat ]
□ Punkin Puss [ Punkin’ Puss & Mushmouse ] [Animation/TV] [1963] [Hanna-Barbera]
□ Pussyfoot [Pussyfoot] [Animation] [1952] [Chuck Jones]
□ Pussy Willow [ Kosmo W. Cat ]
□ Puttypuss [ Houndcats ]
□ Robespierre [ Mewsette ]
□ Radio Catts [ Kid’s Cat ]
□ Reddy [ Ruff and Reddy ]
□ Sad Cat [ Possible Possum ]
□ Salem
□ Scat Cat [ Aristocats ]
□ Scratch [ Biskitts ]
□ Sebastian [ 1 ]
□ Seymour [ Rude Dog ]
□ Shadow [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Shelley [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Siamese Twins, The [ Heathcliff ]
□ Si and Am [ Lady and the Tramp ]
□ Silver Dollar Dan [ Kat Karson ]
□ Snowball [ Tom and Jerry ]
□ Soapy [ Neil the Horse ]
□ Sonja [ Heathcliff ]
□ Sourpuss [ Gandy Goose ]
□ Spook [ Top Cat ]
□ Spooky
□ Spot [ Hong Kong Phooey ]
□ Steaky the Super-Cat
□ “Stupid Cat” [ Snoopy ]
□ Stutz [ Houndcats ]
□ Super Snooper
□ Terrible Tom [ Supermouse ]
□ Three Little Kittens [ Three Bears ]
□ Tibs [ Pongo and Perdita ]
□ Tiger [ Feivel Mousekowitz ]
□ Tuffy the Cat [ Mervin ]
□ Tuffy the Cat [ Supermouse ]
□ Uncle Barney, aka Aunt Bernice [ Garfield ] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Arno [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Berle [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Bernie [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Bob [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Great Uncle Buchanan [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Rodger [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Ed [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Victoria [ Jane Feline ]
□ Vocal [ Cyborg Gerbils ]
□ Waldo Kitty
□ Waldo the Cat [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Whizzy [ Streaky the Super-Cat ]
□ Winston [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Wizard of Paws [ Count Duckula ]
□ Zipper [ Care Bears ]

…. And for good measure a list of fictional cat references from many sources and genres (provided once again by Wikipedia.org)

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