Wildcat is a small, wild member of the cat family. The wildcat resembles in appearance and size the domestic (also called house cat). In fact, scientists think that a kind of wildcat was the ancestor of domestic cats. But wildcats are generally larger and stronger than domestic cats. The wildcat has yellowish to dark brown or grayish fur, often with dark markings around the body, legs, and tail. The tail may be bushier and more blunt-ended than that of a domestic cat.
The wildcat lives in deserts, forests, swamps, and other habitats in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Unlike the domestic cat, the wildcat usually lives alone and is difficult to approach. It eats mainly small mammals. It may also eat birds, fruits, insects, and other foods. Wildcats are threatened by habitat destruction, hunting, and interbreeding (mating) with domestic cats. Laws protect wildcats in many of the countries where they live.
People sometimes informally use the term wildcat to refer to other wild members of the cat family, such as bobcats. They may also use the term wildcat to refer to feral cats—that is, domestic cats that have returned to the wild.
