Once this feline representative lived in the Israeli dunes, but today it is almost destroyed, so when in 2010 in the zoo of the country a sand (dune) cat Felis Margarit had offspring, the hope arose of the revival of the breed.
The sand cat at first glance is very similar to an ordinary domestic cat. But there is one significant difference - a much wider head and back. The animal has wide, large, pointed ears - during the hunt, the cat presses them horizontally or pulls them down. This interesting feline is longer than a regular cat - it reaches 60 centimeters, weight from 1.5 to 3.5 kg. The animal has a soft and thick coat, the color of which can be varied - from pale yellow to grayish brown. Darker shades are located on the back, and light on the stomach. The tip of the long tail is also dark in color.
The sand cat has short legs, on the pads of which a dense hair. Thus, nature has ensured that the animal does not get burned in the arid climatic regions where it lives. Basically, these are the deserts of Southwest Asia and North Africa. The cat adapted well to very arid areas. Interestingly, despite its wide distribution, the breed was not mentioned in scientific publications until 1858.
This interesting animal was first described by the French naturalist Victor Lauch. He is considered the "discoverer" of the dune cat, which he discovered while exploring the fauna and flora of Northern Sahara. The new variety was named "Felice Margarit", in honor of the outstanding general from France, Jean-August Margherit. After the first description of the cat from Algeria, several more species of this animal were found that lived in different areas.
The sand cat, a photo of which you can see in this article, prefers to settle in desert areas with sparse vegetation, he loves rocky and flat surfaces. The animal easily tolerates temperatures from –5 to +52 .
A sand cat drinks water with pleasure when it is available, but can easily do without it for a month. He has enough of the water that he receives from food. Barkhan cat is a good hunter who catches rodents, reptiles, birds, sometimes small hares. It is especially active at night. In addition, he is an excellent “builder” - he digs deep underground holes, where he spends especially hot daytime hours.
Pregnancy of a sand dune cat lasts from 59 to 63 days. As a result, no more than four kittens are born with a birth weight of about 39 g.
Currently, the sand cat, or rather its Pakistan subspecies, is in danger of destruction. Due to the fact that animals pose a threat to poultry, quite often they are destroyed. In captivity, the animal can live up to thirteen years, but is extremely rare at home. This is largely due to its incredibly high cost - only a few people can afford it all over the world. You must admit that a sand cat, the price of which reaches $ 6,000, is not accessible to everyone.