Fishing cat

Prionailurus viverrinus

A fish cat lying on a rock and looking at the camera. IUCN Red List endangerment category: Vulnerable
Family
Cats (Felidae) (Felidae)
Weight
6 – 12 kg
Habitat
Wetlands with tropical and subtropical rainforest, inland waters, mangrove forests

This cat is a water rat

The fishing cat’s diet includes small birds, rodents, reptiles and insects, but as the name suggests their absolute favourite food is fish. Unlike most feline species, fishing cats love the water and are excellent swimmers and divers. Their water-resistant fur and partially webbed feet enable them to power through the water and catch fish.

On the decline

Little is known about the life of the fishing cat in the wild. This is mainly due to the increasing rarity of the species as its habitat continuously shrinks. The primary threats to this atrisk species are the draining of wetlands and deforestation for commercial use or new settlements. Overfishing is also a problem, because it reduces the fishing cat’s food supply.

The fishing cat has a short, flattened tail that it uses like a boat rudder to steer itself in the water.

Distribution

Distribution