What is your favourite small cat species ?

Thank you for your comment @Neva !

You mention an educational project, that sounds interesting, are you an environmental educator at a zoo in Poland or perhaps a school teacher ?

I agree with you that there is a risk of bad amphromorphic narration in storytelling with animals but ultimately I do think storytelling helps people and children in particular to have a greater empathy for endangered animals.

In fact conservation NGO'S often produce / create / sell childrens illustrated story books featuring their focal species exactly for this purpose which I think is a wonderful idea.

The fishing cat is an amazing species and very charismatic indeed and the rusty spotted cat is incredible and particularly due to its tiny size.

Where did this encounter with the Geoffroy's cat that you mention occur ? was it in a zoo ?

 

Not sure if I already mentioned this in this thread but my favourite small cat species would have to be the pampas cat.

I'm very fond of this species which is really quite neglected in terms of research and conservation (if I was to be involved in research or conervation with any small cat species it would undoubtedly be this one).

Their golden / reddish brown pelt (they are called the "gato palheiro" in Portuguese meaning the "straw cat" because of its long grass habitat and the colour of its pelt) is a gorgeous colour and contrasts with their "black socks" / black fur on their legs and the fierce green eyes are also stunning.

In terms of their temperament they nearly always show quite a propensity for fierceness despite their small size ( but I've known individuals in captivity that are quite the opposite and quite tame).

While many other neotropical small cats seem to have their predatory instinct dulled by captivity the pampas cat never does and always seems on the lookout for prey.

 

Well, I would say that I'm a "free-lancer" in my projects. Just since childhood interested in zoology and showing people amazing world of animals, I love doing this, always trying to improve and studying communication management helps a lot. Maybe one day I would be a true educator in the field .

I agree that's a wonderful idea! Storytelling, illustrated books for children are great tools. Maybe still idealistically I believe that there isn't boring stuff (like less known species) but only boring, inaccurate communication.
I think that there is often too much pressure on "what we will say?" and too less on "how will we do this?/who will listen?".

Prionailurus genus is in fact also very varied and full of inspiring characters!

I really regret that the Pampas cat is absent here in Europe! Not only in zoos, I mean it's hard to find anything about this species, meet it anywhere, no matter what kind of facet. So it's again very interesting to know thoughts of someone who feel that 'connection'. Thank you. How often/many times you were able to meet this species?

Yes, it took place in my home zoo, Warsaw. I think that if I hadn't had that chance (they wouldn't be anywhere in Poland/Europe), they would never have occupied so much of my heart. It's almost impossible to find something more about them. Would be similar to Pampas cat, I wouldn't have a chance to meet and fall in love.

 

I really like ocelots, servals, black-footed cats, and Iberian lynxes. Small cats don’t get enough love in the zoo world!

 

You sound like you have a great passion and drive to be an educator @Neva and I hope you achieve this goal as we have a huge need for innovative and passionate educators within this field.

I used to be able to see the pampas cat everyday at one point and I would often have my lunch and watch them and when the job allowed see them up close within their indoor quarters behind the scenes.

The last time I actually saw a pampas cat in captivity was around March at a private captive breeding facility and there had been a cub born to the breeding pair.

It was an adorable looking little kitten but as most pampas cats are it was still very fierce.

 

I also had know Idea what this was, so I looked it up. Apparently its a supposed color morph of the tiger that is------
Blue. Yeah, sounds VERY unlikely to me (sorry for caps I know it annoys some members), A blue tiger? What? Just doesn't seem-real. But hey, who knows?

 

I'm not particularly keen on any of the tigers, blue or normal stripey / orange coloured.

 

It's a cryptid.

 

Yeah, I actually just realized that, as I have a book a-z of Cryptozoology. I just got my information from Wikipedia, which I understand is not that reliable. It was supposedly a report of a "blue tiger" in the early 1900s, found in china, the original region where the South china tiger lived.

 

One of the best exhibits I've seen was the collection of South American cats at Chester Zoo in 1980. That was one of only two zoos where I've seen pampas cats (the other was Kilverstone). None of the pampas cats I saw seemed to be fierce

 

I knew that you had them in the UK up until the 90's but I never knew they were once at Chester too.

That is interesting, I wonder why this could be.

All of the pampas cat that I've seen with the exception of the male individual at Sorocaba zoo (who is a very good natured animal) tend to be really quite fierce and prone to hissing and displaying aggression quite readily.

 

Controversial pick here. Domestecated House cats. They are just so cute. Who is daddys little cudle tiger. Yes you are dadys little cudle tiger

 

Controversial choice indeed.

Daddys little ecocidal butcherer of biodiversity.

 

I have to say though, I do love my domestic cats, I have 2, and I love them very dearly.

 

I'm a sucker for the neotropical cats like the ocelot and margay

 

Yes, me too, I find them to be the most interesting. My favourite of all of them though is the pampas cat.

 

Nothing inherently wrong with that but I do hope you keep them inside as domestic cats have an awful toll on biodiversity around the world.

 

As a conservation and animal nerd, of course I keep them inside, for the welfare of my cats, and for the wildlife around me. I have never kept cats outdoors my entire life, and they like it inside. Can't tell you how many times they look at squirrels outside the window though.

 

The instinct towards hunting prey can never be curbed with the domestic cat unfortunately.

Glad to hear that you keep them inside and that they are house cats.

Believe me, if local biodiversity could speak it would thank you for that.

 

The local biodiversity around my neighborhood and especially my yard is very great, mainly because of very few outdoor pet owners where I live, and the non use of pesticides to make my yard look, "clean". I am super glad lots of wildlife is around me. I am collecting my camera trap in my yard and will most likely see more awesome mammals, I have a pond in my backyard full of waterfowl, frogs, and turtles, and more outdoor birds that you can count. Also, As I side note I can do some very good impressions of bird sounds.

EDIT: I am a big domestic cat owner though, and I do want to make clear that I do not want my relationship between my cats to be tarnished.