It's not a true Scottish wild cat, simply because it's tail tip is pointed. A common trait for domestic cats is a pointed tail whereas wild cats have rounded tips. Sorry to dissapoint and also they are very shy creatures and would probably not venture so close to your home.
that's is a Scottish wild cat notice the widely separated stripes on the tail and the big blunt tail tip ruffled tiger stripe flanks and no white patches all signs of a Scottish wildcat (:
Thank you to everyone for your insightful comments regarding George. Unfortunately I haven't seen George since the Winter. Another stray cat has took up residency instead. In response to fizzgog... maybe you could come round so that I can have a practise!
@fizzgog As a hunter myself (only for food) I think that would be very irrisponsible (like this post... Very irrisponsible and imature). Although this cat is deffinatley a hybrid wouldn't it be better to keep some alive. Afterall it is rare too see a pure breed wildcat nowerdays so we should preserve whatever is reminant of our last feline predator. Also any responsible hunter (meaning I can't vouj for everone) will only take "pest" speices/cull animals e.g. Rabbit's, crow ect...
I am sorry but it is just an ordinary big house cat. I think it isn;t even a hybrid. Both hybrid and pure European(Scottish)Wildcat have a white stigma on the chest under the head, fluffy tail and symmetrical strips. However It may have a European Wildcat blood but only a little. It's a pitty that there is almost no big wild animals in the UK apart from deers. You have so much beautiful wild territories so you should reintroduce the ones used to be there asEuropean(Scottish)Wildcat, Lynx,Wolves
@BevanieRobinson S/he's a big feline either way! Nice visitor to have. Send the footage into Springwatch on the Beeb when it's next on, they might be able to help.
I used to be the official studbook keeper for the Scottish wildcat, raising wildcats for the captive breeding and release programme. My job was to advise zoos and wildlife parks which were the best wildcats to use for breeding.
Your cat has more than it's fair share of wildcat ancestry. The spots on the side and the skinny tail point to some domestic cat influence too.
I've inspected most of the captive wildcats in the UK, and back in 2000 this cat would have been better than most on display!
he looks like a wildcat hybrid but he could also be a pedigree british short hair, they are big stocky cats with dense coats, to me he doesnt really have any wildcat features apart from size but british short hairs are a very large breed of cat for example the british blue.
no its not a true wildcat but ill say this its pretty f kin close just that slight point on the tail lets it down apart from the fact that its in somebodys back garden but unless its owned by somebody i would say even a hybrid like this would not be seen here. baffling!!!!!!
It's got the right colouring, but something looks.... Off about it. Like finnrosa said, it's probably a hybrid between a stray housecat and a true Scottish Wildcat.
The only time I've heard of a wild cat wilfully approaching human habitation is when a family friend living in Wester Ross had a breeding persian queen which came into heat, escaped and attracted a mate she hadn't bargained on!
They had quite a time trying to shepherd it back out of the cat flap.
True story!
This nice looking cat does look like it has wild somewhere along the line though - so (s)he's probably a hybrid.
has black striped tail like a wildcat and the black stripes off the eyes so its more wildcat than domestic any day of the week,the fact its so near human occupation may suggest a tad of domestic cat as id think a 100% one would avoid human habitation at all costs but im no expert so...
My cat is part wild cat and looks similar to this cat but has a thicker tail, with the muscles they have on their legs and wide faces, this cat is probably part wild cat by the look of it.
From his looks, it is most likely a hybrid feral/wildcat. The face is too wide and the build too stocky to be a pure domestic, and he's got the tail pattern (striped to a black tip) and build of a wildcat.
Looks like it could be a wildcat or a hybrid. One of my boys is a feral / wildcat hybrid but if you get their trust they can be just as soft as any other cats. Eventually. : D I've got the scars to prove it.
i think it is but it seems very tame. Wildcats would never comev out in the open like that unless they were desperatley hungry. he dosent look thin. in some way or form its a domesticated one i think
we had one in the house before renovation of the property. it stayed around because we fed it also they will be quite tame if they get to know you and you treat them well.
we encored him to stay due to the fact we had no rats as he killed them all
This is not a true wildcat, probably a hybrid. The tail is too thin but most imp ortantly, a wildcat would not eat, what i presume is, cat food i.e. cooked food unless it was very hungry indeed. This lovely cat looks in good shape. However, at the end of the day, the pure versus hybrid argument is, in my opinion, superfluous. If it walks and talks like a wildcat and survives; it is a wildcat. Nature has its own way of weeding out the imposters
If you look at this cat from the standpoint of the domestic cat, it positively does not look like a domestic cat. It also looks like the wildcat. On that basis it is either a Scottish wildcat or a hybrid of the wildcat. It has that cobby (stocky) appearance that is not typical of a tabby domestic cat and the fur looks very dense. The facial expression has that wild look too.
From the study of M. Beaumont and other recent genetic studies you can learn that in Scotland there is a lot of crossbreeding and «introgression». So there are no absolute method of identification without molecular analyses, as «hybrids» and backcrosses can be almost the same as true wildcats in external appearance.
Hi, Bevanie. Apparently 3 of 5 things used to identify wildcat are
1 Does central back-stripe stop at the rump or continue to the tail? (Wildcat's stops)
2. Spots in that rump area = domestic: stripes=wildcat
3. Bushy tail with blunt end. = wildcat
From the bushy tail that seems to end in a point + ?spots? near the hips, maybe feral domestic or a hybridised domestic/wildcat? You can google "Genetic Diversity and Introgression in the Scottish Wildcat" by M.Beaumont; see illustration on p5.
It definitely has some wild cat features, but the pointed tail and the shape of its face seem to indicate either a domestic cat or a hybrid.
weelittledragon 1 week ago
It's not a true Scottish wild cat, simply because it's tail tip is pointed. A common trait for domestic cats is a pointed tail whereas wild cats have rounded tips. Sorry to dissapoint and also they are very shy creatures and would probably not venture so close to your home.
DunhillX1 1 month ago
wide face , looks like a hybrid.
1Nayla1 2 months ago
I thought that looked alot like a hybrid or a feral cat. But I'm no expert.
RoyalBlueMersey 2 months ago
it looks like a wild cat to me
bramblettvaughan 3 months ago
awww
i dunno whether its a wildcat or not but its so cute!
Popstar350ofcp 4 months ago
That looks just like my cat rosie
RosieDcat 4 months ago
Why feed the cat? Based on his rotund figure I'd say he get s enough to eat on his own.
Sherpaful 4 months ago
that's is a Scottish wild cat notice the widely separated stripes on the tail and the big blunt tail tip ruffled tiger stripe flanks and no white patches all signs of a Scottish wildcat (:
gizzod678 4 months ago
Thank you to everyone for your insightful comments regarding George. Unfortunately I haven't seen George since the Winter. Another stray cat has took up residency instead. In response to fizzgog... maybe you could come round so that I can have a practise!
BevanieRobinson 7 months ago
@BevanieRobinson maybe this is what people are seeing in england?
5tonyvvvv 3 months ago
Shoot it
fizzgog 7 months ago
@fizzgog shoot you
markdawson1982 5 months ago
@fizzgog As a hunter myself (only for food) I think that would be very irrisponsible (like this post... Very irrisponsible and imature). Although this cat is deffinatley a hybrid wouldn't it be better to keep some alive. Afterall it is rare too see a pure breed wildcat nowerdays so we should preserve whatever is reminant of our last feline predator. Also any responsible hunter (meaning I can't vouj for everone) will only take "pest" speices/cull animals e.g. Rabbit's, crow ect...
MacDonaldSeumas 3 weeks ago
I think he's just a lovely big tabby cat. Some of them are really greedy. Adorable!
lanksareit 8 months ago
I am sorry but it is just an ordinary big house cat. I think it isn;t even a hybrid. Both hybrid and pure European(Scottish)Wildcat have a white stigma on the chest under the head, fluffy tail and symmetrical strips. However It may have a European Wildcat blood but only a little. It's a pitty that there is almost no big wild animals in the UK apart from deers. You have so much beautiful wild territories so you should reintroduce the ones used to be there asEuropean(Scottish)Wildcat, Lynx,Wolves
adriank9 1 year ago
This cat looks like a wildcat hybrid. Or put it this way, this cat does not look like a typical domestic cat. The face is too wild looking.
broadsurf 1 year ago
@BevanieRobinson S/he's a big feline either way! Nice visitor to have. Send the footage into Springwatch on the Beeb when it's next on, they might be able to help.
richievegas01 1 year ago
I used to be the official studbook keeper for the Scottish wildcat, raising wildcats for the captive breeding and release programme. My job was to advise zoos and wildlife parks which were the best wildcats to use for breeding.
Your cat has more than it's fair share of wildcat ancestry. The spots on the side and the skinny tail point to some domestic cat influence too.
I've inspected most of the captive wildcats in the UK, and back in 2000 this cat would have been better than most on display!
handshifterAl 1 year ago
wow...i agree it is probaly a hybrid by the look of it it looks male
fuzzflip 1 year ago
he looks like a wildcat hybrid but he could also be a pedigree british short hair, they are big stocky cats with dense coats, to me he doesnt really have any wildcat features apart from size but british short hairs are a very large breed of cat for example the british blue.
MrMattscheibe 1 year ago
no its not a true wildcat but ill say this its pretty f kin close just that slight point on the tail lets it down apart from the fact that its in somebodys back garden but unless its owned by somebody i would say even a hybrid like this would not be seen here. baffling!!!!!!
jissjass1800 1 year ago
It's got the right colouring, but something looks.... Off about it. Like finnrosa said, it's probably a hybrid between a stray housecat and a true Scottish Wildcat.
Versudan 1 year ago
yes,it is i can tell by the lines.
sarimk99 1 year ago
The only time I've heard of a wild cat wilfully approaching human habitation is when a family friend living in Wester Ross had a breeding persian queen which came into heat, escaped and attracted a mate she hadn't bargained on!
They had quite a time trying to shepherd it back out of the cat flap.
True story!
This nice looking cat does look like it has wild somewhere along the line though - so (s)he's probably a hybrid.
halifaxtanning 1 year ago
has black striped tail like a wildcat and the black stripes off the eyes so its more wildcat than domestic any day of the week,the fact its so near human occupation may suggest a tad of domestic cat as id think a 100% one would avoid human habitation at all costs but im no expert so...
MrGreenwizard 1 year ago
My cat is part wild cat and looks similar to this cat but has a thicker tail, with the muscles they have on their legs and wide faces, this cat is probably part wild cat by the look of it.
Gwenall 1 year ago
I''m not an expert, but the stocky build, wide face and thick tail are Scottish Wildcat traits. My guess - yes, or at the very least a hybrid.
jannaberet 1 year ago
From his looks, it is most likely a hybrid feral/wildcat. The face is too wide and the build too stocky to be a pure domestic, and he's got the tail pattern (striped to a black tip) and build of a wildcat.
tomatoloaf 1 year ago
Looks like it could be a wildcat or a hybrid. One of my boys is a feral / wildcat hybrid but if you get their trust they can be just as soft as any other cats. Eventually. : D I've got the scars to prove it.
scientist76 2 years ago
I would not approach this cat at all if there is any doubt it is wild.
saraj12 2 years ago
why ?
asdop 2 years ago
think its just a tabby. Its not the right shape or build but it could (and likely does) have scottish wildcat genes in it
philstew123 2 years ago
its a stray
snekcid98 2 years ago
i think it is but it seems very tame. Wildcats would never comev out in the open like that unless they were desperatley hungry. he dosent look thin. in some way or form its a domesticated one i think
Nissan4l4 2 years ago
we had one in the house before renovation of the property. it stayed around because we fed it also they will be quite tame if they get to know you and you treat them well.
we encored him to stay due to the fact we had no rats as he killed them all
thuggie1 2 years ago
This is not a true wildcat, probably a hybrid. The tail is too thin but most imp ortantly, a wildcat would not eat, what i presume is, cat food i.e. cooked food unless it was very hungry indeed. This lovely cat looks in good shape. However, at the end of the day, the pure versus hybrid argument is, in my opinion, superfluous. If it walks and talks like a wildcat and survives; it is a wildcat. Nature has its own way of weeding out the imposters
finnrosa 2 years ago 9
If you look at this cat from the standpoint of the domestic cat, it positively does not look like a domestic cat. It also looks like the wildcat. On that basis it is either a Scottish wildcat or a hybrid of the wildcat. It has that cobby (stocky) appearance that is not typical of a tabby domestic cat and the fur looks very dense. The facial expression has that wild look too.
broadsurf 2 years ago
well its a lovely wee beastie keep geing it chow be it wild or not
tickle989 2 years ago
Anyway, you can be proud of your beautiful visitor, be it a «true» wilcat or not. Enjoy it and take care of it.
waladghazali 2 years ago 10
From the study of M. Beaumont and other recent genetic studies you can learn that in Scotland there is a lot of crossbreeding and «introgression». So there are no absolute method of identification without molecular analyses, as «hybrids» and backcrosses can be almost the same as true wildcats in external appearance.
waladghazali 2 years ago
Hi, Bevanie. Apparently 3 of 5 things used to identify wildcat are
1 Does central back-stripe stop at the rump or continue to the tail? (Wildcat's stops)
2. Spots in that rump area = domestic: stripes=wildcat
3. Bushy tail with blunt end. = wildcat
From the bushy tail that seems to end in a point + ?spots? near the hips, maybe feral domestic or a hybridised domestic/wildcat? You can google "Genetic Diversity and Introgression in the Scottish Wildcat" by M.Beaumont; see illustration on p5.
dunnonuffink 2 years ago