Wildcats and domestication
African Wildcat vs European Wildcat
They look similar, they were long treated as one species, and only one of them is the ancestor of the domestic cat.
At a glance
- The european wildcat averages about 1.2 times the body mass of the african wildcat.
- Both species use semi-arid scrub and agricultural mosaic.
- Their ranges both include Asia.
- Both are currently listed as Least Concern on the Red List.
The ancestry question
Genetic evidence points clearly to the African wildcat, and specifically to Near Eastern populations, as the ancestor of every domestic cat. The European wildcat contributed nothing to that lineage, despite living alongside farming communities for just as long.
The two were treated as subspecies of a single species for much of the twentieth century. Current taxonomy recognises them separately, with the African wildcat as Felis lybica and the European wildcat as Felis silvestris.
How to tell them apart
European wildcats are bulkier, with denser fur, a broader head and a short thick tail ending in a blunt black tip. African wildcats are lighter and longer-legged, with a tapering tail, rusty-backed ears and a characteristic upright sitting posture.
Habitat differs too: European wildcats are woodland animals, while African wildcats occupy savanna, scrub, semi-desert and farmland across a far larger range.
The same modern threat
Both species face the same central problem: interbreeding with free-ranging domestic cats. Hybrids can look entirely wild, so conservation programmes now depend on genetic screening. In Scotland the wild population declined to the point where conservation breeding and release became the principal recovery tool.
What to take away
- The domestic cat descends from the African wildcat, not the European one.
- Tail shape and body build are the most useful field distinctions.
- Hybridisation with domestic cats is the leading threat to both species.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
European Wildcat
Felis silvestris
African Wildcat
Felis
European Wildcat
Felis
African Wildcat
Domestic cat lineage
European Wildcat
Domestic cat lineage
African Wildcat
Small cats
European Wildcat
Small cats
African Wildcat
Near Eastern wildcat, Asiatic wildcat
European Wildcat
Forest wildcat, Scottish wildcat
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
African Wildcat
18 in – 2 ft 6 in (45–75 cm)
European Wildcat
19 in – 2 ft 7 in (47–80 cm) Longer
African Wildcat
10 in – 15 in (25–38 cm)
European Wildcat
10 in – 15 in (26–37 cm)
African Wildcat
13 in – 15 in (32–38 cm)
European Wildcat
14 in – 16 in (35–40 cm) Taller
African Wildcat
6.6–14 lb (3–6.5 kg)
Males average about a kilogram heavier than females.
European Wildcat
6.6–18 lb (3–8 kg) Heavier
Males commonly 4–8 kg, females 3–5 kg; weight varies seasonally.
African Wildcat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
European Wildcat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
African Wildcat
8–12 years Longer
European Wildcat
7–10 years
African Wildcat
15–17 years
European Wildcat
15–18 years Longer
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
African Wildcat
savanna, semi-arid scrub, dry forest, grassland, agricultural mosaic
Almost every habitat in Africa except rainforest interior and the driest sand seas, plus scrub and steppe across the Middle East and Central Asia.
European Wildcat
temperate forest, montane forest, agricultural mosaic, semi-arid scrub
Deciduous and mixed woodland with dense understorey, forest edge, scrub and riparian corridors, generally below the winter snowline.
African Wildcat
Africa, Asia
Across Africa outside the Congo rainforest, and through the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Central Asia and into western India and China.
European Wildcat
Europe, Asia
Fragmented populations across Iberia, France, Italy, Germany, the Carpathians, the Balkans and Scotland, extending east into Turkey and the Caucasus.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
African Wildcat
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Rodents form the great majority of the diet, with birds, lizards and insects making up the remainder.
European Wildcat
small mammals, hares, birds, reptiles
Voles, mice and rabbits dominate; birds, frogs and insects are taken when rodents are scarce.
African Wildcat
Solitary
Solitary and territorial, though tolerant of human settlement — the same trait that started the domestication process.
European Wildcat
Solitary and territorial
Adults hold woodland ranges marked with scent and claw marks, and avoid open ground where possible.
African Wildcat
Nocturnal and crepuscular
Mostly active from dusk to dawn, resting by day in burrows, thickets and rock crevices.
European Wildcat
Nocturnal and crepuscular
Primarily night active, with more daytime movement in undisturbed forest and during cold weather.
African Wildcat
Stalk and pounce on rodents
Hunts by walking slowly through cover, freezing at sounds and finishing with a short rush.
European Wildcat
Stalk and pounce along cover edges
Works woodland margins, hedgerows and clearings, listening for rodents in ground vegetation.
African Wildcat
Strong
Climbs well and uses trees for escape and rest.
European Wildcat
Strong
Climbs confidently and dens in hollow trees and root cavities.
African Wildcat
Very limited
Avoids water, in common with most arid-country cats.
European Wildcat
Limited More developed
Avoids water and swims only when necessary.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
African Wildcat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2022
European Wildcat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2022
African Wildcat
Decreasing
European Wildcat
Decreasing
African Wildcat
Hybridisation with domestic cats, Disease transmitted by domestic cats, Habitat conversion, Persecution near poultry, Road mortality
The species remains widespread, but genetic mixing with free-ranging domestic cats is eroding wild populations, particularly near settlements. Pure wild-type populations are increasingly restricted to remote areas.
European Wildcat
Hybridisation with feral domestic cats, Disease from domestic cats, Woodland fragmentation, Road mortality, Accidental trapping
Listed as Least Concern overall, but several regional populations are in serious trouble. The Scottish population reached the point where conservation breeding and release became the main recovery tool.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
African Wildcat
- All domestic cats descend from this species, not from the European wildcat.
- Wild individuals sit with a distinctly upright posture that helps separate them from feral tabbies.
- Genetic screening is now a standard part of conservation work, since appearance alone cannot confirm a pure wild animal.
European Wildcat
- The tail is the most reliable field mark: thick, blunt-ended and marked with distinct dark rings.
- Hybridisation is now measured genetically, since intermediate animals can look entirely wild.
- Reinforcement releases have been used in Scotland after the wild population declined to a critical level.
Sources used for this comparison
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Global assessment categories, population trends and documented threats.
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group Species accounts, distribution notes and Cat News reporting for every wild felid.
- Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation Dedicated research and field reporting on the lesser-known felids.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.
- National Geographic — Animals General natural-history reference for behaviour, range and ecology.
- World Wildlife Fund Range descriptions, threat summaries and conservation programme reporting.