Once this feline lived in the Israeli dunes, but today it is practically destroyed, so when in 2010 the sandy (dune) cat Felice Margarit had offspring in the country's zoo, hope was born for the revival of the breed.
Sand cat at first glance is very similar to an ordinary domestic cat. But there is one significant difference - a much wider head and back. The animal has wide, large, pointed ears - during the hunt, the cat presses them horizontally or pulls them down. This interesting feline is longer than an ordinary cat - it reaches 60 centimeters, weight is from 1.5 to 3.5 kg. The animal has a soft and thick coat, the color of which can be varied - from pale yellow to grayish brown. Darker shades are located on the back, and lighter ones on the stomach. The tip of the long tail is also dark.
The sandy cat has short paws, on the pads of which there is a dense hairline. Thus, nature has taken care that the animal does not get burned in the arid climatic regions where it lives. Basically, these are the deserts of the SouthWestern Asia and North Africa. The cat has adapted well to very dry terrain. Interestingly, despite its wide distribution, the breed was not mentioned in scientific publications until 1858.
For the first time this interesting animal was described by the French naturalist Victor Losch. He is considered the "discoverer" of the dune cat, which he discovered while exploring the fauna and flora of the Northern Sahara. The new variety was named "Felice Marguerite", in honor of the outstanding French general Jean-Auguste Marguerite. After the first description of a cat from Algeria, several more varieties of this animal were discovered that lived in different areas.
The sand cat, whose photo you can see in this article, prefers to settle in desert areas with sparse vegetation, he loves rocky and flat surfaces. The animal easily tolerates temperatures from -5 оС to +52 оС.
The Sand Cat enjoys drinking water when it is available, but can easily go without it for a month. He has enough of the water that he receives from food. The dune cat is a good hunter that catches rodents, reptiles, birds, and sometimes small hares. Especially active at night. In addition, he is an excellent "builder" - he digs deep underground holes, where he spends especially hot daytime hours.
Pregnancy of a dune cat lasts from 59 to 63 days. As a result, no more than four kittens are born with a birth weight of about 39 g.
Currently a sand cat, more preciselyits Pakistani subspecies is threatened with extinction. Due to the fact that animals pose a threat to poultry, they are often destroyed. In captivity, the animal can live up to thirteen years, but at home it is extremely rare. This is largely due to its incredibly high cost - only a few people around the world can afford it. Agree, the sand cat, the price of which reaches $6,000, is not available to everyone.
