Author Topic: What kind of cat?? (Read 1127 times)

ihuntbucks · « **on:** February 14, 2004, 07:36:03 PM »

Several years ago I was "tree rat" hunting along a creek.I had walked up onto a ridge and was walkig back down it on a little trail.When I saw a "tree rat run onto the trail and stop.I'm about 75 or 80 yrds away so I raised rifle(.22) and looked thru scope,when I see a big cat over to the right.I brought down rifle to look.It was colored like a Seal-point Siemeese.I thought,that's the biggest Siameese cat I have ever seen.All of a sudden the cat jumped a grabbed the squirrel and jumped over a little mound of dirt.Oh'well he needed it worse than I did,so started walking on down the trail toward the house cat that had caught his lunch.I could see the back of the cat,his tail hanging over the little hill.Being about 25 yrds or so from him now,he stood up and stepped brodsided to me stepped onto trail and turned to look at me with his prey hanging in his mouth.Good God,that's not a house cat.I threw up rifle to look thru scope.This cat,as I said before was colored like a seal-point,had a very long tail that touched the ground,had pointed ears and tuffs like a bobcat.After several seconds I decieded to shoot.I shot,the cat jumped straight up about 4 feet into air,dropped his lunch,and took off up the hillside into some thick cover.I went down,picked up the squirell and headed up hill after him.But I thought are you crazy"No blood at all.So I went back to truck;I wasn't about to go after him with just a .22;cuz he probably had a bad attitude after being shot.Now, my question is what kind of cat was this? Rick

persistentprogrammer · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2004, 03:25:36 PM »

Try looking up the Caracal, it seems to resemble the animal you describe. I hate the thought of someone shooting an animal just because they've never seen it before, seems like waste. However, we do need to get rid of feral and imported animals, unless they're on a game ranch they seem to cause more trouble than they're worth. I think it was probably an exotic that was let loose, there are a few small wild cats in New Mexico and S. America, but I doubt they'd make as far North as you.

Gratman · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:40:02 AM »

Could you tell what color this cat was? The caracal has a sandy rediish coloration........the Siamese you speak of is gray......?

detritus · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:17:46 AM »

Gratman....

that depends on the siamese, the seal point sitting on my monitor right now has a sort of sandy tan coloration to the "light" portion of his coat (though as a kitten his basecoat was almost white).
the basecoat color is one of those things that can vary greatly in siamese.

I too almost imeadiately had the image of a caracal (and another, larger, cat that i can not dredge the name of at the moment) come to mind, though the pics i've seem of them they don't tend to have as much of a "Mask" as a siamese type cat, though as with all things that very well could be something that varies with individuals

but dark pointing + ear tufts points toward "might be a caracal" to me.

how big was this thing about the size of a Labrador? larger? smaller?

detritus · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:28:55 AM »

another thought...

if this unknown feline was truly one the "OMG that's NOT a large house cat, that's HUGE" end of teh scale it COULD have been some form of odd colored Puma/panther, or if as has been suggest a escapee from an exotics ranch there is no telling at all, as some of those places will sometimes cross certain types JUST TO make some odd looking critter.

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:45:40 PM »

Cat was dark on top going to lighter as you go down the body.But it had tuffs and pointed ears like a bobcat.Also had very long tail.Smaller than a Lab;but not by much. Rick

detritus · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:59:42 PM »

sounds like an escapee or "oops better let him/her go before animal control find out" Exotic probably a Caracal or caracal hybrid. it's the right size and within an acceptable coloration range for that type of cat.

know of any "trophy ranches" :evil: (i hate that there is a market for those places) or other likely sources of an accidental release of an exotic cat in the area where you spotted this critter?

and the darker upper body shading to lighter is typical of individual examples of caracals and similar species of cat, when that individual lives in heavily wooded areas/brushy hunting situation. it helps with concealment.

BTW if you haven't checked out on the web, normally the caracal is more of a desert cat, thus why MOST are a lighter sandy color rather than having to dark to light you descibe.

Varminter · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2004, 11:33:46 AM »

Is this what the cat looked like
www.kznwildlife.com/images/TheCaracal2.jpg

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2004, 06:03:49 PM »

Yes,except the cat had tuffs like a bobcat...Rick

Big Game Hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2004, 10:11:21 AM »

Could it be a speckle bellied whistle cat?

Really though, it sounds like it could be a jaguarundi from South America and Mexico.

I don't know of anyone that raises caracal's in our area. There was a guy that raised them and other small wild cats in Alexandria several years ago?

ihuntbucks · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2004, 04:29:41 PM »

BGH,This has been probably 20+ years ago on south of Talladega in a section called Germany Mts. off of Talladega Creek.Don't know....guess I should have bagged it and we wouldn't have to wonder any more :lol: Rick