Fishing cats: interesting facts about aquatic predators

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Everyone knows that cats do not like water. But there is a wild cat living in Southeast Asia that is different in that it lives near water, catches fish, and swims well. It is called the fishing cat, or fishing cat (fishing cat), or spotted cat. Watch the video after a short description of these unusual cats to see how they catch fish.

This species is closely related to the Far Eastern forest cat and looks like it, but is larger in size. Also, in appearance, the fishing cat resembles a viverrid (viverra), from which it gets its Latin species name – viverrid cat.

The fishing cat has a sturdy build and great strength. The weight of an adult male reaches 15 kg, and the weight of a female — 7 kg. Body length is about one meter. There are webs between the toes of the front paws, which prevent the cat from retracting its claws, but help it catch fish.

These cats live mainly in forests near bodies of water, predominantly swamps, lakes, and slow rivers. Fishing cats breed year-round. After pregnancy, two or three kittens are born. They mature by 9 months of age. Males in captivity help the female care for the offspring, but it is unknown how they behave in the wild.

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Unlike most other cats, fishing cats are excellent swimmers. In search of food, they not only wait by the shore to make a precise leap at their prey, but also wade through shallow waters looking for crabs, frogs, snails, and other aquatic creatures, or dive and swim to catch fish.

The fishing cat mainly feeds on fish. While hunting, it sits on the riverbank waiting for a fish to swim by, which it strikes with its clawed paw or dives after the prey to the riverbed. It also eats frogs, snakes, snails, birds, small mammals, and carrion.

Sometimes they hunt on land for mice, birds, and insects. In exceptional cases, they hunt larger mammals the size of a lamb.

Fishing cats have a reputation for being fighters and troublemakers, but they avoid encounters with humans.

Interesting fact

There is a case where a fishing cat drove off a pack of dogs.

Also noteworthy is a true fact when a fishing cat (male), a particularly large specimen kept in a zoo, escaped from its cage and, entering the leopard's cage, killed it.

You will learn more interesting facts about fishing cats in the following videos below.

 

Fishing kittens see water for the first time

 

Fishing cat on a fishing trip

 

Fishing cat: The cat that hunts underwater