The African Wild Cat (Felis lybica) is a small feline that closely resembles a large domestic cat. It has a sandy coat with pale stripes and spots, large ears, and preys on mice, birds, lizards, and insects. Occasionally, it may also hunt larger rodents, young domestic livestock like sheep and goats, and small antelopes. In fact, this species is the ancestor of the domestic cat. There are several recognized subspecies of the African Wild Cat, grouped geographically into Asiatic, Near Eastern, and South African populations. The African subspecies in particular are legally hunted in certain countries like Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The African wildcat’s range extends across Africa, into the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of India. In Africa, it occurs throughout the continent, including the Arabian Peninsula and most of Iran in the Middle East. Its range continues northeast into Central Asia along the Caspian Sea shores and through Kazakhstan, reaching as far east as Xinjiang. The African wildcat inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from deserts like the Sahara to tropical grasslands and savannas south of the Sahara. It is present in lower densities in deserts, preferring rugged terrain, and is absent only from the dense Congo Basin rainforests. Overall, the African wildcat occurs in every country in East and Southern Africa.

African wildcat hunting is generally conducted at night with spot and stalk methods. Typically these hunts are added onto a safari and not the purpose of a hunting trip itself. Yet, they’re fun critters to chase and a key ingredient to completing the Cat Hunter quest.

The biggest African Wild Cat hunted measured 8 4/16 inches or 21cm according to Rowland Ward, Ltd.

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