A slap across the face may seem like a uniquely human rebuke but this video proves otherwise. Here we see a wild cat defending its family and home from a python. Wild cats have several defensive techniques and sharp teeth and claws but this one chooses a good old swipe across the face. It’s not proving too effective though because the snake keeps coming back for more!
©iStock.com/wrangel
Different Types of Wild Cat
Of course, we’ve all heard of the domestic cat and many of us share our homes with them, but did you know that there are also wild cats? We don’t mean the big wild cats, such as lions and tigers, these are much smaller but can be just as fierce.
There are actually at least 40 different species of wild cat. They are all stealthy hunters but live in very different environments ranging from wet to dry habitats. The clip here was recorded in a dry, sandy environment.
It looks as if there is a kitten watching events unfold and there is a hollow in the bank behind the cat that it may be using for shelter. This kitty is defending both its home and family so no wonder it is being so brave.
Pythons Hunting for Prey
The danger here is that pythons are perfectly happy to take on animals that are bigger than they are. Pythons are not venomous but they have other skills! They constrict their prey to cause heart failure. They are similar to wild cats in that there are many (over 40) species of python and they can live in a variety of habitats depending on the species. This includes damp environments such as swamps and rainforests but also includes grasslands, woodlands, deserts and rocky terrain like the one in this clip.
If the python can get close enough to this wild cat, it will grab it with its sharp teeth, wrap its coils around the cat and squeeze until the cat’s heart stops. The clip ends quickly so we never get to find out what happened!
Next up:
Watch a House Cat and Wiley Fox in a Backyard Standoff
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