Wildcat Answers
- Describe the "tools" that make cats great hunters.
- The cougar is the biggest wildcat in Minnesota. What is the biggest wildcat in the world?
- The fastest-running animal in the world is a wildcat. What kind is it and how fast can it run?
- Five continents have native wildcats. Which two continents do not?
- If you have a cat at home, watch what it does. What does your cat's behavior tell you about wildcats?
Cats' eyes look straight forward, as ours do. That means they can focus on small, moving objects - such as a running rabbit - and judge its speed and distance. Also, a cat's eyes are designed to see in the dark - good for hunting at night.
Sharp claws enable a cat to grab and hold small animals.
Strong jaws and sharp teeth - especially big canine teeth - help a cat kill its prey.
The world's biggest cat is the tiger, which lives in Asia. It can weigh 600 pounds. That's three times as heavy as a mountain lion or about 60 times heavier than a house cat.
The fastest cat is called a cheetah. It lives in Africa and western Asia. It can run 80 miles an hour for short distances. That's faster than cars traveling on the freeway!
Australia and Antarctica are the only continents without native wildcats.
Like house cats, wildcats practice their hunting skills by playing. Kittens bat objects around and pounce on their brothers and sisters.
Just as house cats bury their poop in a litter box, wildcats cover their feces with dirt. They do it by instinct. Why? Maybe they are trying to cover their trail so no one can tell where they've been.
Watch a cat scratch the furniture or rub against your leg. The scratch marks and the scent left by rubbing are meant to tell other cats to stay away.