Wildcats?

[nurseangel]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me exactly what a "wild cat" is?  I've heard people who live in my area of NC talk about them.  Do they mean a feral cat or a mountain lion or something else entirely?  I know this seems like a dumb question, but I'm curious.  The feral we feed looks like a regular cat, and I don't think anybody could mistake him for anything else.  However, from the descriptions I've heard about wild cats, they are big and muscular, with long tails and large paws. 

 

[speakhandsforme]

I think it depends on the context. I assume the part of NC you live in, people have a Southern accent/dialect? Like if someone lives out in the woods and they say "A wildcat came into my yard last night" and they're Southern my guess is they probably mean a bobcat. Or maybe a mountain lion, although those are more rare.

But if not, then a feral cat.

I think your best bet is to just ask.

 

[speakhandsforme]

Oh -- and if your feral was an adult before you TNR'd him (assuming you have), then he will probably be bigger than other male domestic cats you see. Large heads and paws, thick skin, and more muscle are all characteristics of a male domestic cat that reached adulthood before he got neutered.

 

[motoko9]

Like if someone lives out in the woods and they say "A wildcat came into my yard last night" and they're Southern my guess is they probably mean a bobcat.

I thought of a bobcat as well; I believe that's the only species of wild cat native to NC. 

In my area, people sometimes talk about "fisher cats," but they aren't cats at all!
 

 

[nurseangel]

Oh -- and if your feral was an adult before you TNR'd him (assuming you have), then he will probably be bigger than other male domestic cats you see. Large heads and paws, thick skin, and more muscle are all characteristics of a male domestic cat that reached adulthood before he got neutered.

Thanks for the information.  I bet this is what they mean. 

I thought of a bobcat as well; I believe that's the only species of wild cat native to NC. 

In my area, people sometimes talk about "fisher cats," but they aren't cats at all!
 

Oh, dear.  A "fisher cat" would really confuse me. 

 

 

[binkyhoo]

A wildcat?  That is Binky when I try to give her a pill. 

 

[jcat]

I'd assume they mean a bobcat in that region.

There are actual "wildcats" (Felis silvestris) in Europe that look like your run-of-the-mill brown tabbies, except for their tails. Those are shorter than a domestic cat's and much thicker. Since they're not castrated, the males have the typical chubby cheeks. They can breed with domestic cats, but the kittens are supposedly next to impossible to tame.

 

[nurseangel]

A wildcat?  That is Binky when I try to give her a pill. 

I'd assume they mean a bobcat in that region.
There are actual "wildcats" (Felis silvestris) in Europe that look like your run-of-the-mill brown tabbies, except for their tails. Those are shorter than a domestic cat's and much thicker. Since they're not castrated, the males have the typical chubby cheeks. They can breed with domestic cats, but the kittens are supposedly next to impossible to tame.

We do have bobcats around here.  I've never seen one, except for stuffed. 

One interesting thing is that if you go in my backyard at a certain time, you can here something cat-like growling in the woods.  (I guess whatever it is is still out there; I don't spend that much time outdoors since it's gotten cold.)  When I first heard it, I was excited and told DH.  He was very casual about it, and said "yeah, it does that every night."  I'm glad my cats stay indoors. 

  Between that and the coyotes and goodness knows what or who else, there are perils around here. 

I work in a prison, and one of the inmates who does a work release at animal control mentioned that someone had brought in this cat.  Actually, I think it was probably trapped, because the way he talks it is extremely aggressive and much larger than the average cat.  The brick layers who built my fireplace also started an (unwelcome) conversation with me about cats.  They are hunters and also described very large cats that they see when rabbit hunting.     
 

 

[cat person]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me exactly what a "wild cat" is?  I've heard people who live in my area of NC talk about them.  Do they mean a feral cat or a mountain lion or something else entirely?  I know this seems like a dumb question, but I'm curious.  The feral we feed looks like a regular cat, and I don't think anybody could mistake him for anything else.  However, from the descriptions I've heard about wild cats, they are big and muscular, with long tails and large paws. 

I think, as other people said, it depends on the context. It might be someones discarded pure exotic cat, which is a major

! I have also seen on other websites, message boards, and so on about many discarded exotic cat hybrids, such as: Savannahs, Chausies and Bengals.  They could also be talking about a Cougar, but I agree it would be very hard to confuse that with feral domestic cat.

So really I

, but could you ask for a photo of the cat. Or a photo of the paw print. That would help me greatly.

Originally Posted by jcat  

I'd assume they mean a bobcat in that region.
There are actual "wildcats" (Felis silvestris) in Europe that look like your run-of-the-mill brown tabbies, except for their tails. Those are shorter than a domestic cat's and much thicker. Since they're not castrated, the males have the typical chubby cheeks. They can breed with domestic cats, but the kittens are supposedly next to impossible to tame.

A bobcat does not have a long tail.  So, I am inclined to say no.  This is what a bobcat looks like: http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures/gallery/exotics/all-by-photo/bobcats/bobcat-0019/, http://www.thevlm.org/bobcat.aspx and http://fw.ky.gov/gifs/bobcat-800.jpg.

 

[feralvr]

If you could see rincess: Perla when Wendall looks at her or even dares to try to play with her - that is a wild cat - oh her face and eyes...

I assume when people talk about "wildcats" they do mean Bobcats :nod:.....

 

[speakhandsforme]

But maybe if you really live out in the woods, it could be a mountain lion. This would be really something, as the cat is rare nearly to the point of extinction.

Aka cougar/puma/catamount, depending on who you talk to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Cougar

 

[speakhandsforme]

If you could see rincess: Perla when Wendall looks at her or even dares to try to play with her - that is a wild cat - oh her face and eyes...

Perla sure sounds like she is the queen of the house!!

 

[aimerlee]

I haven't heard of any wildcats in Cary or Wilmington, but I guess those are pretty populated areas. My boyfriend grew up in NC and knows all of the weird southern dialect 

 so I can ask him tomorrow!

 

[cat person]

..
I assume when people talk about "wildcats" they do mean Bobcats

.....

I would have to disagree, number one a bobcat is not huge. But, maybe to the general public it is

.  However, check the post above, it shows photo's of a bobcat. They do not have a long tail. Those photo's clearly show, they have a SHORTER tail then then a domestic cat.
 

But maybe if you really live out in the woods, it could be a mountain lion. This would be really something, as the cat is rare nearly to the point of extinction.
Aka cougar/puma/catamount, depending on who you talk to.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Cougar

When I lived on over a  hundred anchors of land, I saw Cougar fairly frequently. I always saw tracks in my "yard" (it was a mowed  field, surrounded by my land, which was mostly woods). However, I was only 40 minutes from a VERY populated area of that state. I also went to college in a different state that had Cougars as well. On the college grounds, you could see tracks.

So, the point is this, you do not have to be that far in the woods to see a Cougar. Here are some links for you to all look at: http://www.felineconservation.org/feline_species/cougar.htm, http://www.felineconservation.org/cougar/eastern_cougar.htm, and http://www.felineconservation.org/cougar/mid_west_mountain_lions.htm.

 

[Willowy]

But maybe if you really live out in the woods, it could be a mountain lion. This would be really something, as the cat is rare nearly to the point of extinction.

Aka cougar/puma/catamount, depending on who you talk to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Cougar

Huh, they have a hunting season for cougars here. Around 50 a year are killed. Which seems irresponsible if they're "critically endangered". Maybe they're only endangered in the Eastern states?

Anyway, I saw one earlier this year (they're rare in this half of the state, they mostly stay in the Black Hills). I wasn't sure if I really saw what I thought I saw (LOL), but not too long afterward, a hunter caught one on his deer camera. So I guess I really did!

 

[speakhandsforme]

Yeah, they're almost extinct out here in the east. In fact, the largest known population, I think, is down here in Florida (called the Florida panther here).

I think the scientific community is a bit divided over whether there should be an eastern and western subspecies. But yeah, out here, they're nearly extinct. Not so out west.

 

[cat person]

The rarest and smallest population of the Cougar is, the Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi). Here are some websites for you to look at: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/panther.php, http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=A008, http://www.floridapanther.org/panther_facts.html and http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/florida_panther.asp.

 

[calico2222]

We have cougars (mountain lions, panthers, whatever you want to call them) around here in West Virginia, and when they scream at night it makes your blood run cold. The first time I heard it was the spring we moved out here to the middle of nowhere. It was night and I was bringing groceries in the house and I heard this god awful scream. I thought some woman was being murdered. I ran into the house to tell DH (who was calmly sitting at the computer) to call 911 and he says "naw, it's just a panther". I was like, WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[nurseangel]

We have cougars (mountain lions, panthers, whatever you want to call them) around here in West Virginia, and when they scream at night it makes your blood run cold. The first time I heard it was the spring we moved out here to the middle of nowhere. It was night and I was bringing groceries in the house and I heard this god awful scream. I thought some woman was being murdered. I ran into the house to tell DH (who was calmly sitting at the computer) to call 911 and he says "naw, it's just a panther". I was like, WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yeah, my good friend is from WV.  I don't remember the name of the town but she said they had to drive about 70 miles to War to buy groceries.  She used to hear them. 

Occasionally we get something interesting wandering down from the mountains, mostly bears.  They get sighted quickly and then it makes the news.  My friend even made national news after filming a black bear eating his chicken feed.  One of the local stations came out and interviewed his wife, then CNN picked up the footage.   (My friend was surprised to get a call from a relative in Colorado asking about the bear in his yard...he didn't know the story had gone national until then.)

Another totally off topic thing that I am fascinated with is that I once heard a wildlife official discussing how a man had a zoo in our area a number of years ago.  The zoo went bankrupt and according to this wildlife guy, the owner turned the animals loose.  Supposedly, they are still out there somewhere.  Now I don't think this story is true, because if there was a lion or something around, someone would have noticed him before now.  However, from this wildlife man's description of a horrible incident on a local pig farm, there is something very large in the area.  I figure it must have been a bear and probably not related to the zoo story at all.