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Leopard Cat
Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis

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WILD STATUS
Least Concern.

DISTRIBUTION
India to Indo-China and Yunnan.

SIZE
Weighs from 3-7 kg (6.6-15.5 lbs).

HABITAT
Leopard Cats live in a variety of habitats such as scrub, semi-desert, secondary vegetation and agricultural areas.

REPRODUCTION
1 to 4 kittens are born after a gestation period of 65-72 days.

DIET
The Leopard Cat feeds on hares, rodents, reptiles, birds and fish.

INTERESTING TIDBITS
  • Leopard Cats are found close to villages. They are used for rodent control.
  • They hunt from the ground and in trees.
  • They are very good swimmers.
  • They are also persecuted for the fur trade.
  • The main threat to Leopard Cats is pet breeders, indiscriminately breeding a domestic cat with the Leopard Cat to produce a new breed of domestic cat called a "Bengal Cat". This is diluting the gene pool and removing potential breeding cats from conservation programs.
HABITAT RANGE
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ANIMAL FACT SHEET
To download this page and also get a full page photo of the Leopard Cat click here for a PDF.

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