Saturday 15 June Wildcat (Felis silvestris) Wildcat fact file -
Find out more - Print factsheet The wild ancestor of the
domestic cat, the wildcat (Felis silvestris) bears a striking
resemblance to its tame relatives. In fact, domesticated cats
have undergone few changes since their ancestral split from the
wildcat, causing problems in distinguishing this species and its
many different subspecies. The wildcat is hugely variable in
appearance across its large range and, consequently, it has been
the subject of much taxonomic debate (6). However, there is
currently thought to be at least five different subspecies: the
European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), the African
wildcat (F. s. lybica), the Southern African wildcat (F. s.
cafra), the Asian wildcat (F. s. ornata), and the Chinese alpine
steppe cat (F. s. biete) (1) (7). The domestic cat is sometimes
considered an additional subspecies with the name Felis
silvestris catus (7) (8). Displaying the appearance of an
oversized, muscular tabby, the Europe