The
Chinese call this cat species, "money cat" (錢貓 - chinch'ien mao)
because the spots look like coins. The leopard cat is relatively slim
in build. Its size and coloring varies substantially. The Asian leopard
cat, as it is sometimes called, is about the same size as a domestic
cat although over its
range of sizes, on average, it would be similar in size to a small
domestic cat. In addition, the leopard cat's head is relatively small.
The larger individuals of this species inhabit northern China and the
Amur region of Russia. The smallest are found in Southeast Asia.
Weights are also seasonal: higher in winter than in summer.
The leopard cats in the northern regions are "pale silvery gray". Those
in the south are darker - "ochre yellow brownish". The photographs
clearly show the tawny upper parts of the body and the white underparts.
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The
muzzle is short but about average for a domestic cat and its eyes
large and dark. The ears are standard sized and rounded with the
classic ocelli light spot on the back of the ear flap. The tail is
about half the length of the head and body and spotted with faint rings
near the black tip.
The black spots are high contrast and vary in size and shape. The face
has the highest contrast markings. The twin, parallel, dark, lines that
run across each cheek forming a sandwich with white between then,
mirrors the pattern design of the
rusty-spotted and black-footed
cats. The whisker pads and the areas around the nose and eyes are white. There
are two high contrast lines running from the inside of each eye to the
back of the head, which encompass broken lines and some lighter fur
that follow the same path. Sometimes the leopard cat is mistaken for
the fishing cat because of the similar facial
patterns but the latter is much larger. Notwithstanding that, both love
water.
Sometimes the black spots join up to form lines. Along the back there
are 2-4 rows of black spots.
Leopard cat description -- resources: Flickr for the photos forming the
montage (under creative commons license) and Wild Cats Of The World
page 226 - ISBN-13:978-0-226-77999-7.
From
Leopard cat description to wild cat species
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