African Golden Cat

African golden cats is a medium-sized wild cat that lives in West and Central Africa, mostly in forested areas.

CLASSIFICATION

Interesting African golden cat facts

• African golden cats live in Africa in regions near the equator.
• The cats are reclusive, small wild cats found in tropical rainforests.
• The cat’s habitat has signficantly declined due to hunting and deforestation.
• The African golden cat is twice as large as domestic cats.
• They have round, tufted ears.
• Their fur can be golden, gray, red, sometimes black, and spotted.
• African golden cats are nocturnal animals, with peak periods of activity in the early morning and evening.
• This first photograph of the African golden cat was in 2002.

More About the African Golden Cat

The African golden cat (Caracal aurata aurata) can be found from the Congo to Uganda. The African golden cat Caracal aurata celidogaster inhabits Western Africa.

Origins and history

Initially, the cat was thought to be related to the Asiatic golden cat, but additional research has determined that the cat is more closely related to the caracal.

Physical Characteristics

The body length of an African golden cat averages 31 inches, with a 12-inch tail. Male cats are typically larger than female cats. The cat has a stocky build, with a head that is considerably smaller than its body. It generally weighs between 15 and 35 lbs.

African golden cats’ fur varies from golden brown and red-brown to grey. The fur around their eyes, cheeks, chin, throat, and underside is often lighter than their coats. Many of these cats are also spotted. It has also been reported that the cat’s fur can change color due to age and environment. However, the cat’s various fur colors have been seen throughout its range.

Location and habitat

The African golden cat can be found in tropical forests, from Senegal to Kenya, and the Central African Republic to Angola.

African golden cat behavior

The African golden cat is a solitary animal that primary hunts at night. 

Hunting and prey (diet)

African golden cats hunt on the ground, but they can also climb. The cats hunt and feed on rodents, blue duikers, birds, monkeys, hogs and antelope. They are also the prey of leopards.

Reproduction and lifespan

The female gestation period is approximately 75 days. Liters consist of one to two kittens. Females reach their sexual maturity at around 11 months of age. Males reach their sexual maturity later, at 18 months of age.

No one knows how long African golden cats live in the wild, but their lifespan in captivity is around 12 years.

African golden cat conservation

Deforestation is destroying tropical rainforests and the habitat of the African golden cat. Hunting the cat is illegal in Benin, Burkina Faso, Angola, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cote d’lvoire. There are also restrictions in Togo, Liberia, and Gabon.

African golden cat research and quotes

2015 The African golden cat Caracal aurata: Africa’s least‐known felid | Bahaa-El-Din, Butynski et al. “The African golden cat Caracal aurata is endemic to tropical Africa. It is one of the world’s least‐studied felids and is considered rare in most of its geographic range..They are prone to capture by wire snares, however, and are absent in forests hunted at commercial scales.”