The rubiginous cat (or Indian leopard cat) lives in the Indian forest. It is recognizable by its striped head, round ears and spotted coat. It is the smallest wild cat in Asia and is as small as the black-footed cat in Africa. It weighs a maximum of 1.8 kg and is smaller than a domestic cat.

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A solitary feline

His nightlife lifestyle helps him lead a solitary existence. It sleeps all day in hollow trunks and caves, and goes out at nightfall, ready to search for prey. The rubiginous cat is not picky: it feeds on rodents, birds, reptiles, frogs and insects small enough that it can grab them between its claws. Thanks to its striped coat, it moves discreetly in the canopy of trees and goes unnoticed by large predators.

The rubiginous cat avoids predators and humans just as much as its congeners. Females tolerate males during their heat, which lasts five days. Such a short estrus is likely an evolution to ensure the safety of females, who are much more vulnerable to predator attack during the breeding season. Once the males leave, the pregnant females prepare a den to give birth – usually one or two kittens – two months later. At birth, the young have rows of black dots on the coat; Their distinctive spots appear with maturity, around 68 weeks. The color of their eyes also changes, changing from blue to gray or taking on an amber color as they grow.

A threatened feline

Since 2016, the rubiginous cat has been classified as "near threatened" by the IUCN Red List. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are the main threats to the survival of the species. As India and Sri Lanka develop and try to meet the needs of a growing population, large swathes of forest are being cut down for agriculture. Since these cats most often inhabit isolated mountain forests, the fragmentation of vegetation prevents them from finding partners to reproduce. They are also in grave danger when they venture into farms to steal chickens. Their flesh and coat are sometimes offered for sale while their hunting and marketing are prohibited. Finally, with the development of human settlement, the question of crossing with domestic cats becomes problematic.

The protection of the species is an arduous task as the animal is elusive. It is estimated that there are fewer than 10,000 rubiginous cats in the wild, but they live in areas so remote that it is almost impossible to arrive at an accurate census. The rubiginous cat is protected by law, but without accurate information about its habitat and movements, it is difficult to know where to focus conservation efforts.

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