Reed cat: photo and description

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There are people who cannot live without the exotic. Some of them find it on their travels, others in their pets. The reed cat attracts with its appearance and wild habits. However, do not think that at home he will immediately become affectionate and obedient. This is an animal that you can admire, but do not torment him with cramped housing conditions.

Origin

In the old days, the reed cat was found everywhere. It is known that the ancient inhabitants of the banks of the Nile kept these cats in their homes. They took them with them to hunt for game. And this is not surprising, since the animal is able to swim to get prey from the reservoir. Apart from the Egyptians, no other people managed to tame the swamp lynx. So these cats are called for a certain resemblance to a large relative.

People massacred cats because they attacked animals in their farms. The skins of predators were in demand. In total, there are about ten subspecies of reed cats. But everythingthey are on the verge of extinction, so it is hardly possible to meet them in the reeds.

Description

Looking at the photo of the reed cat, it's easy to guess what his popularity is. Kittens become like their adults at the age of three months.

Description of an adult predator:

• massive head;
• powerful body, wide chest;
• stretched muzzle;
• large ears with tassels;
• eye color yellow or green;
• tail thin and short in relation to body;
• wool is thick, short;
• color depends on subspecies.

Males are larger than females. Their height at the withers is fifty centimeters, the length with the tail is about one hundred and twenty centimeters. The weight of a cat can reach fourteen kilograms, and females - up to ten kilograms.

Lifestyle

The jungle cat's favorite places to rest are areas near water bodies. The animal settles on the ground or in an old badger hole. As a flooring, it uses reeds or reeds. A cat does not dig holes on its own.

Predator prefers not to spawn in open areas. He moves through the bushes. He does it very quietly and imperceptibly, although he has a rather impressive weight.

He usually leads a secluded life. The exception is the breeding season. Then the predator finds a mate, and together they take care of the offspring.

Representatives of the breed perfectly swim and dive. This is how they get their own food. But even if the needs for catchingno, these animals still require daily exercise in the pond.

The reed predator has excellent hearing, largely due to its erect ears. But his eyesight and sense of smell are developed at an average level.

Hunting and food

The reed cat eats everything that moves. He will gladly eat the caught fish or bird, but he will not refuse reptiles and even insects. Living close to human households, it will encroach on domestic animals. We are talking about a bird, a muskrat.

The cat hunts in the evening and at night. If necessary, it can go out during the day. In the process of hunting, he is in no hurry. The predator moves quietly through the reeds, looking for prey. He imperceptibly approaches the intended target until a couple of jumps remain before it. And in a moment, the prey is in its paws. The cat immediately strangles her, not playing like his small relatives.

The cat does not pass by bird nests. He catches adults on the fly. This he succeeds thanks to his ability to make vertical jumps. The cat also hunts for small rodents. He is able to wait for prey at the mink for hours. How does he catch fish?

The cat gently touches the surface of the water with its paw, imitating the movements of insects. When an unsuspecting fish swims up, it extends its claws. Prey falls on them like a hook. The predator at this moment dives headlong into the water so that the prey does not escape. With such skills, he can catch not only a lizard or a fish, but also a snake.

Character

Breedreed cats are significantly different from ordinary felines. They don't like to climb trees. Of course, this does not mean that in case of danger they will not climb the highest branch.

In their natural environment, they find abandoned holes for themselves. They like to rest on the reeds, which are previously trampled down. They do not stay long in one hole.

The female builds a nest in the most inaccessible place. In the litter, she has from two to five cubs. There are usually more males among them. During mating games, which usually take place at the end of winter, males are extremely aggressive. They sort things out with each other with wild screams.

Care for offspring

Kittens appear two months after mating. One baby can weigh up to one hundred grams. Like ordinary felines, kittens are born blind. Their eyes open on the seventh or tenth day.

A mother feeds her cubs with her milk for three months. From the age of two months, she feeds them with regular food. All this time, there is also a male nearby, who helps with food production and upbringing. Kittens are considered independent from the age of five months, and at the age of eight months they already become sexually mature individuals. Then each of them goes to their own territory to lead an isolated lifestyle.

He alth and disease

Wild reed cat, whose photo fascinates with its wildness, has no hereditary diseases. This is its huge plus. They are not subjectdepression, have strong immunity.

In the wild, cats live for about fourteen years. They will live the same amount together with a person with good attention from the owner. They need a balanced diet, sunlight, a lot of freedom. Then diseases will not shorten his life cycle.

Pet owners should pay attention to their joints. Due to the large weight, the load on the entire skeleton can be very impressive. Vaccinations are an important element of prevention. They should not be forgotten, since there are quite a few cat diseases.

Caucasian subspecies

There is a Caucasian reed cat in Russia. Its habitat is the Caspian coast, the delta of the Volga and Terek rivers.

The color of the Caucasian subspecies is its distinguishing feature:

• hair on the back of a grayish-brown tone;
• Whitish ocher belly coat.

Of course, he has the notorious tassels on his ears. It is thanks to them that this species is sometimes called the marsh lynx.

Each individual in the wild protects its site. They are poorly adapted to life in low temperatures, so they insulate their burrows with dry grass and wool. The main threat to them are large predators and people. The Caucasian cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

The subspecies is on the verge of extinction due to human activities. So, in the eighties of the last century, these animals disappeared from the territory of the Astrakhan Reserve. People exterminate the remaining individuals due to the fact that theythreaten their farms. Another cause of extinction was the reduction of wetlands. Cats have nowhere to raise their offspring.

Wild animals are hard to tame. An individual can recognize a host in a person only on the condition that he will raise it from the age of one month. It also requires a lot of effort to educate her. But if this succeeds, then the person will receive the perfect pet, which will combine the skills of a hunting dog and a dexterous cat. Dogs will be afraid of just looking at him.

For those who want to get a cat that will resemble a reed only in appearance and ability to swim, you should pay attention to chausi. The name is due to the fact that from Latin it is translated as "reed".

Chausi

When it became clear what a jungle cat looks like, it is worth learning more about its hybrid variant, which is commonly called chausi. Breeders have developed a friendlier breed by crossing a wild animal with a domestic short-haired pet.

A person can get it at home without fear of the appearance of predatory instincts. However, this does not mean that the pet does not need to be given a lot of attention. These animals love to play and swim. If there are more pets in the family, more attention should be paid to the reed predator. Otherwise, he may harm his neighbors.

At home, the reed species must be fed once a day. As the main food, beef or other lean meat is fine. It must be fresh and raw. Diversify the dietIt is possible with the help of rats and mice. Young chickens or quails are also suitable. Fish should be given once a week. So that the pet does not gain extra pounds, once a week he should arrange a hungry day. Living at home, he does not spend enough energy, so you need to protect him from obesity. Since the pet will not be able to get its own food, it needs to add fresh herbs and vitamins to the menu. Porridge cannot be offered!

Domesticated individuals are complaisant and graceful. So that the cat does not accumulate a lot of excess energy that can escape at the most inopportune moment, it is worth exhausting it with various games.

Cost of pets

It is almost impossible to buy a purebred reed predator. There are a lot of advertisements for the sale of kittens, but it is impossible to verify their belonging to the wild breed. Therefore, it is better not to make a purchase from dubious people.

On the black market, a reed specimen will be sold for about 10 thousand euros (687 thousand rubles). Hybrids cost about 200 thousand rubles. Why are they so expensive?

This is due to the fact that only a part of the litter has the appropriate wild appearance. The rest are born similar to ordinary domestic cats. In addition, every third born male is not able to give offspring. And the photos of the jungle cat are so beautiful that there are quite a lot of people who want to get an unusual pet.

Conclusion about the breed

Summarizing information, it is worth weighing everything well. Photos of domestic reed cat look great. But there will be little pleasure from keeping such a pet. The animal will constantly spoil furniture and walls. That is why it is better to keep a cat in a private house by building a separate enclosure for him.

A hybrid of reed and Abyssinian breeds is considered an acceptable option. In the fourth generation, such animals become domesticated. It is worth paying attention to such individuals so as not to regret having a new pet.