Iriomote cat Facts
Iriomote cat Facts
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Interesting Iriomote cat Facts: |
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Iriomote cat can reach 22 to 24 inches in length and 6.5 to 10 pounds of weight. Tail is usually 9 inches long. Males are larger than females. |
Iriomote cat has grey or light brown fur covered with dark spots and stripes. Bottom parts of the body are lighter in color. |
Iriomote cat has rounded ears, elongated torso with muscular shoulders, long body, short legs and thick tail. |
Unlike other species of cats, Iriomote cat lacks one pair of premolars (it has 28 teeth in total). Also, its scent glands are located around anus and not inside it. |
Iriomote cat is excellent swimmer and climber, but it spends most of the time on the ground (terrestrial animal). |
Iriomote cat is nocturnal animal (active during the night). It sleeps inside the hollow logs or in the caves during the day. |
Iriomote cat is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on birds, rats, bats, insects, reptiles and fish. |
Unlike other wild cats, Iriomote cat doesn't kill its prey quickly, by breaking the spinal cord. Instead, it will hold the prey in the mouth until it stops moving. |
Iriomote cat occupies territory of 0.39 to 2.7 square miles and uses urine and feces to mark it. Territory of one male often overlaps with territories of two nearby females. |
Iriomote cat is solitary animal except during the breeding season. It produces meowing and howling sounds for communication. |
Mating season takes place from February to March and from September to October. Males often fight with each other to establish dominance and get opportunity to mate. |
Pregnancy in females lasts around 60 days and ends with 1 to 4 kittens. Babies are usually born in the crevices of rock. They depend on the mother's milk during the first 2 to 3 months of their life. Young Iriomote cats stay with their mother until the age of 11 months. |
Iriomote cat reach sexual maturity at the age of 12 months. |
Iriomote cats can interbreed with domestic cats. This is one of the factors that decrease number of (genetically pure) Iriomote cats in the wild. |
Iriomote cat can survive 7 to 8 years in the wild and 8 to 9 years in the captivity. |
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