Wildcats of Three Continents

Wildcats of Three Continents. It is interesting to set out the distribution of the world's wildcats. We notice that all the cats are found on three continents; Asia (southeast), South America and Africa. Below is set out in tables where the various wildcats are found and their weights. Followed by average minimum and maximum weights. The weights of the wildcats are similar for Southeast Asia and Africa, while in South America they are approximately half the weight. Cats in colder, usually more northern climates are usually heavier than those in warmer climates (src: Understanding Cat Behavior By Roger Tabor). This is probably an adaptation to combat cold. There is significant weight difference in the jaguar population that is said to be due to availability of prey. it is probable that the mean temperature in South America is lower than that for either Africa or Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia

Wildcat	Weight kg
Tiger	75-320
Leopard	29-70
Clouded Leopard	12-23
Asiatic Golden Cat	8-16
Fishing Cat	5-12
Jungle Cat	3-10
Bay Cat	3-4
Leopard Cat	2-4
Marbled Cat	2-5
Flat Headed Cat	1.5-2.2

South America

Wildcat	Weight kg
Jaguar	31-121
Puma	25-80
Ocelot	6.6-16
Jaguarundi	3.5-7
Geoffroy's Cat	2.6-6.5
Andean Mountain Cat	4-5
Margay	3-4
Pampas Cat	1.7-3.7
kodkod	1.5-2.8
Oncilla	1.5-2.8

Africa

Wildcat	Weight kg
Lion	90-216
Leopard	17-70
Cheetah	21-65
Caracal	6-20
Serval	7-14
African Golden Cat	5-12
African Wildcat	2.4-6.4
Sand Cat	1.3-3.4
Black-footed Cat	1.0-2.4

Average of minimum and maximum weights by Continent

Average	Southeast Asia	South America	Africa
Minimum weight	14.05	8.04	16.74
Maximum weigh	46.62	24.8	45.5

Wildcats of Three Continents - Source: Wild Cats Of The World.

Wildcats of Three Continents to Wild Cat Species