The European Wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is a subspecies of the wildcat that inhabits forests of Western, Central and Eastern Europe as well as Scotland and Turkey; it has been extirpated from Scandinavia, England, and Wales. Its physical appearance is much bulkier than that of the African Wildcat and the Domestic Cat. The thick fur and size are distinguishing traits; the Wildcat normally would not be mistaken for the Domestic Cat altho...
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The European Wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is a subspecies of the wildcat that inhabits forests of Western, Central and Eastern Europe as well as Scotland and Turkey; it has been extirpated from Scandinavia, England, and Wales. Its physical appearance is much bulkier than that of the African Wildcat and the Domestic Cat. The thick fur and size are distinguishing traits; the Wildcat normally would not be mistaken for the Domestic Cat although in practice it is less clear whether the two are correctly distinguished (one study showed an error rate of 39%). In contrast to the Domestic Cat, it is most active in the daytime.
Wildcats were common in the European Pleistocene era; when the ice vanished, they became adapted to a life in dense forests. In most European countries they have become very rare. Although legally protected, they are still shot by hunters mistaking them for domestic cats. In the Scottish Highlands, where approximately 400 are thought to be remaining in the wild,...
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