Flat-Headed
Cat - Prionailurus planiceps
By: C.M.Shorter
The Flat Headed Cat is a very dark reddish brown and most
unusual with a long narrow head and flattened forehead.
So named for their flat head they are just slightly larger
in body than our domestic felines measuring just up to
2 ft in length. They occupy much of the same territory
as the Fishing Cat ranging also throughout Southeast Asia
living deep in the forest scrub close to rivers and tidal
basins. Flat Headed cats are well suited to take up residence
in the Palm Oil Plantations of Malaysia thriving in the
thick jungle wetland environment also preying on abundant
rodents species.
|
|
Like the Fishing Cat, the Flat Headed cat has an elongated body
with markings in appearance that gives them strong resemblance
to the civet which is not a cat, but a member of the Viverridae
family. This semi-aquatic carnivore has long narrow jaws with sharp
teeth, pointing backward and inward which is an adaptation for
them to catch and hold onto wet slippery prey such as fish and
frogs. The Flat Headed cat paws also have some webbing between
digits. This brings us to another physical characteristic they
share with both the Fishing Cat and the Cheetah, and Geoffrey's
Cat found in the Americas in that their claws are not fully retractable
and can be seen at all times.
Take
Free Snapshots
LIVE
ANIMAL WEB CAMS |
Fishing cats are well adapted to a life
of piscivory (fish-eating) with its well developed anterior
molars and its feet are actually more webbed than those of
the Fishing Cat! Flat Headed cats have paws that are long and
narrow, similar
to the Bornean
Bay Cat and have been observed fishing along
riverbanks. Ears are unusually small and rounded with large,
close set eyes to provide maximum binocular vision for this
nocturnal and crepuscular hunter. These cats have thick, soft
fur reddish brown in color, lighter undersides with the tops
of their head a darker shade of red. Facial marking are white
streaks along the sides of the nose and they have a very short
tail usually only 25-30% of the body length. Flat Headed cats
are one of the smallest of our Wild Cats with average weight
being only 3 to 5 lbs although well adapted for life in its
tropical rainforest home bordering streams and rivers. Its
prey consists mainly of fish and various aquatic mammals, as
well as birds and small rodents. Very obscure, little is really
known about the Flat Headed cats lives in the wild. Rarely
observed in the wild, data to establish density of population
is not sufficient but it is considered Endangered throughout
most of its range and has been listed since 1975 on CITES Appendix
I.
TigerHomes' offers the best in animal information
available on the internet today through our continuing Educational
Series. Please be sure to check back often for
coming attractions! You can be part of the beautiful world
of nature and learn
about these magnificent creatures just by logging on to the
TigerHomes Animal
website. As always, we hope you
will take a moment to visit our Free
Animal Web Cams featuring
White
Tigers, Golden
Tigers, Bengal
Tigers, Siberian
Tigers,
African Lions and Lemurs in naturalistic habitats complete
with State-of-the-Art Viewer Snapshots. Enter your own Snapshot
into our Viewer Gallery for a chance to win one of our Monthly
Prizes or email your photo to a friend to Spread the Word about
TigerHomes Sanctuary. Be sure to visit our TigerHomes Forum,
voice your opinion and join in the fun! We hope you keep watching,
listening & learning!
Click
Here Now to Adopt a Sanctuary Animal for your Very Own!
Scientific Name: Prionailurus viverrinus
Common Name(s): Fishing Cat
Range: Southwest Asia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and
Java
Average Weight: 6 - 12 kg (13 - 26 lbs)
Length: 38 - 40 cm (15 - 16")
Diet: Carnivorous. Fish! Frogs, toads, crustaceans, snails, small
birds, reptiles, snakes and domestic livestock.
Gestation Period: 65 - 72 Days
Cub Maturity: 6 - 8 Months
Cubs Per Litter: 1 - 4 Kittens. (2-3 Kittens average per litter)
Lifespan: 10 - 12 years. Recorded to have lived up to 12 years
in captivity.
Predators: Man. Largest single threat is significant loss of
habitat.
Social Structure: Solitary. Polyestrous year round. Wild males
known to help rear young.
Territory Size: 34 - 51 km (20-30 miles)
Conservation Status: CITES Appendix II. IUCN listed as Lower
Risk/Near Threatened. SSP Captive Breeding Program.
Login
Cams
Gallery 
Gift Shop
Sitemap
Education Center
Forum
About
