Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777

Taxonomy

The European wildcat, with the scientific name Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777, has fur that ranges in color from brownish to grey, with paler outer contour hairs.

Forehead and Head Markings

It has five broken stripes across the forehead that split into small spots; four well-developed dark bands on the top of the head and forehead also split into small spots. Two short, narrow stripes usually appear on the shoulders, in front of the main dorsal stripe.

Dorsal Stripe

A narrow dark dorsal stripe begins behind the shoulders and runs along the back all the way to the base of the tail. Its sides have irregular dark stripes that break up into a blotched pattern on the hind legs.

Ventral Spotting

Some individuals have a small number of light spots on the throat, between the forelegs, or in the inguinal region.

Facial and Neck Coloration

The dorsal surfaces of the neck and head match the trunk’s color, while the areas around the eyes, lips, cheeks, and chin are lighter grey. A slight ochreous tint can be seen on the undersides of the flanks.

Summer Coat Characteristics

In some individuals, the summer coat is ashen-colored; head and neck patterning is as well-developed as tail patterning, but flank patterning is almost imperceptible.

Hair Length Measurements

Hair length measurements differ between winter and summer coats: in winter, guard hairs are 7 cm (3 in) long, tip hairs are 5.5–6 cm (2+1⁄8–2+3⁄8 in) long, and underfur is 11–14 cm (4+1⁄2–5+1⁄2 in) long; in summer, corresponding measurements are 5–6.7 cm (2–2+5⁄8 in), 4.5–6 cm (1+3⁄4–2+1⁄4 in), and 5.3 cm (2+1⁄8 in).

Tail Morphology

Its tail is bushy, marked with two to three black transverse rings, and rounded at a solid black tip.

Comparison to Domestic Cats

On average, the European wildcat is larger and stouter than the domestic cat, with longer fur and a shorter, non-tapering bushy tail, striped fur, and a dark dorsal band.

Weight Statistics

Average weights range from 5 kg (11 lb) up to 8 kg (18 lb) for males, and 3.5 kg (8 lb) for females; individual weight can fluctuate seasonally by as much as 2.5 kg (6 lb).

Spanish Wildcat Measurements

Large males in Spain reach 65 cm (26 in) in body length, with a 34.5 cm (13+1⁄2 in) long tail, and weigh up to 7.5 kg (17 lb).

Spanish Wildcat Traits and Diet

Spanish wildcats also have a less diffuse stripe pattern and proportionally larger teeth, and feed on rabbits more often than wildcats living north of the Douro-Ebro, which rely more heavily on small rodents.

Comparison to African Wildcats

Compared to African wildcats, European wildcats have proportionately shorter cheek tooth rows, smaller teeth, and a broader muzzle.

Hybrid Identification Challenges

Because European wildcats and domestic cats interbreed opportunistically, it is difficult to correctly distinguish pure wildcats from striped hybrids using only morphological characteristics.

General Habitat Preferences

European wildcats primarily live in broad-leaved and mixed forests, and avoid intensively cultivated areas and human settlements.

UK Distribution

The northernmost population resides in northern and eastern Scotland; the species has been extirpated in England and Wales.

Ireland Population History

In Ireland, wildcats were first recorded around 3500 BC, and died out by the 19th century AD due to deforestation and competition from domestic cats.

French Populations

There are two disconnected populations in France: one in the northeastern Ardennes that extends into Luxembourg, Germany, and Belgium, and a second in southern France that may connect via the Pyrenees to populations in Spain and Portugal.

Netherlands Sightings

In the Netherlands, European wildcats were recorded near Nijmegen in 1999 and in North Brabant in 2004; these individuals likely dispersed from Germany.

Germany Population Barriers

In Germany, the Rhine acts as a major barrier between the population in the Eifel and Hunsrück mountains west of the river and populations east of the river, where a six-lane highway further blocks dispersal.

Schleswig-Holstein Sighting

In 2025, an individual was observed in Schleswig-Holstein that is thought to have crossed the Elbe, which had previously acted as a natural barrier for populations further north.

Switzerland Distribution

In Switzerland, European wildcats live in the Jura Mountains.

Italy Populations

Italy holds three fragmented populations: one in central and southern Italy, one in the eastern Alps that may connect to populations in Slovenia and Croatia, and a population in Sicily.

Sicilian Population Status

The Sicilian population is the only non-introduced Mediterranean insular population.

Carpathian Population Range

The population in the Polish Carpathian Mountains extends into northern Slovakia and western Ukraine.

Activity Patterns

In France and Italy, the European wildcat is primarily active at night; it will also be active during the day in undisturbed habitats.

Longevity Record

In Sicily, one individual was photographed in 2009 and again in 2018 at roughly the same location, and was probably at least 10 years old when it was recaptured.