See a Wild Cat Get Way Up In the Air and Snag a Bird

What a master of hunting this African wild cat is! Not only does it show superb patience and camouflage skills, but it is also able to launch itself several feet in the air to grab its target. This cat knew exactly where to wait – close to a watering hole. It knew that thirsty animals would eventually turn up here looking for a drink. A flock of birds provides the perfect hunting opportunity. As the clip at the bottom of this page shows, the cat didn’t even wait until the birds had landed before it struck. Scroll down to see a masterclass in feline hunting skills.

Where Do African Wild Cats Normally Live?

African wild cats (Felis lybica) look very similar to domestic cats in many ways. However, they have longer legs which gives them a more upright posture and their ears are slightly larger. There are also domestic cat-wild cat hybrids, but they usually have gray or black ears.

The wild cats are widely distributed throughout most of Africa as well as through southwest and central Asia. Some populations extend into India, China, and Mongolia.

This particular clip was filmed in Africa where they are found in all east and southern African countries. In North Africa, they are found from Morocco through Libya and into Egypt. Their distribution in West Africa extends from Mauritania through to Ethiopia.

In terms of habitat, they can tolerate a very wide range of environmental conditions. Therefore, they are found in deserts, semi-deserts, savannas, grasslands, and forests. The only environment that they can’t seem to cope with is tropical rainforests.

What Do African Wild Cats Normally Eat?

African wild cats hunt alone but have been seen in temporary large groups made up of a female with her offspring from several litters. They usually hunt at night or in the early mornings or late evenings. Even though they are very good at climbing trees, they tend to hunt on the ground.

We get to see the typical hunting technique here, which is to stalk their prey and then make a sudden attack. They mainly target rodent species such as mice, voles, and rats. However, they are also able to hunt hares, rabbits, insects, and frogs. As you can see here, they are pretty expert at hunting birds. These wild cats have also been seen targeting young antelopes and will scavenge kills caught by other animals.

Watch the Incredible Clip Below

The photo featured at the top of this post is © EcoPrint/Shutterstock.com