The Highland wildcat, often called the ‘Highland Tiger’, is Britain’s only remaining native feline and one of its rarest mammals. This elusive inhabitant of the Scottish Highlands, known scientifically as Felis silvestris silvestris, represents a wildness that has vanished from most of the island. Its secretive nature and dwindling numbers make sightings exceptionally rare, contributing to its legendary status.
Physical Characteristics of the True Highland Wildcat
A true Highland wildcat possesses a distinct physicality that sets it apart from any domestic cat. It has a powerful, stocky build with long legs and a muscular frame, supporting a larger and flatter head with ears that point more sideways. Males can weigh up to 7 kilograms, and this sturdy physique is an adaptation for surviving in a challenging landscape.
The coat and tail are the most definitive features for identification. The fur is thick, with a base colour of grey-brown, overlaid with a pattern of clear, solid black stripes. A marker is the single, unbroken dorsal stripe that runs down the back but stops at the root of the tail. The tail is thick and bushy with a blunt, black tip and has several distinct, complete black rings.
Habitat and Behaviour in the Wild
The Highland wildcat inhabits the rugged landscapes of northern and eastern Scotland. Its preferred habitats are a mosaic of woodlands, moorlands, and rough grazing lands, often concentrating its activities along habitat edges. Within these territories, they establish dens in secure locations like rock piles, hollowed tree roots, or abandoned badger setts.
Primarily solitary and most active at dawn and dusk, the wildcat is a stealthy hunter. Its diet consists mainly of rabbits and small rodents like field voles, which it stalks. This diet can be supplemented with birds, reptiles, and even insects. The cat’s exceptional senses, including keen eyesight and sensitive whiskers, are adapted for hunting in the low light of its crepuscular world.
The Crucial Distinction from Feral Cats
The primary threat to the Highland wildcat is hybridization with feral domestic cats (Felis catus). This interbreeding dilutes the wildcat’s unique genetic identity, threatening genetic extinction. While domestic cats were introduced to Britain thousands of years ago, the intensity of interbreeding has escalated as wildcat populations have become smaller and more fragmented.
Experts use a pelage scoring system to visually assess an individual’s purity, focusing on traits like the tail’s shape and markings. Genetically, the European wildcat is distinct from the African wildcat, from which domestic cats are descended. However, they are closely related enough to produce fertile offspring, creating a “hybrid swarm” that complicates conservation efforts.
Conservation Challenges and Future Outlook
The Highland wildcat is classified as critically endangered, with a population that is no longer considered viable on its own. Beyond the primary threat of hybridization, the wildcat faces dangers from habitat loss, accidental killing in traps, road accidents, and diseases transmitted by feral cats.
In response, a conservation effort is underway, led by the “Saving Wildcats” partnership. This project involves a comprehensive strategy that includes captive breeding of genetically screened wildcats for release into the wild. The first of these releases took place in the Cairngorms National Park, with the animals being tracked via GPS collars to monitor their progress. Alongside this, programs to Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) feral cats in priority areas aim to reduce the risk of further hybridization and disease spread.