Ambassador Max - African Wildcat

Max – African wild cat R.I.P.

June 2015 Max arrived at our project on a “loan” to see if he could get on well with our girls Sid and Louise. He like the other two was born at Cat Conservation Trust, Clifton/Eastern Cape. Max sadly is prone to a stuffed nose caused by some allergy, and at times it does get a bit worse. As he is good friends with Sid and Louise, we still wanted to keep him at our project, so since October 21st, 2015 he officially is our new male ambassador for his species, the African wild cat. Needless to say our three ancestors of the domestic cats all three have pure genes and aren’t hybrids. As mixing with feral cats or domestic cats is one of the biggest threats to the healthy bloodline of the African wildcat, we decided it is badly needed to have a conservation project for them as well. Hopefully they will start breeding too, to be able to donate some back to nature, but if not we still love keeping them for educational purposes.

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Adopt Max / All about African wild cats

Max:

Captive born

12-Sep-13, Clifton, Eastern Cape

Mother – Cleo
Felis libyca cafra
Female
25-Sep-03
F.l.griselda x cafra “Dani” captive born, Johannesburg Zoo, Eastern Cape
F.l.cafra “Manuel” captive born Pretoria Nat Zoo

Father – Eddie
Felis Silvestris lybica
Male
Unknown ~ May ’98

Captive born Wild care

African wildcat kittens born, Wednesday December 23rd 2015

As a special present for Christmas, one of our African wildcat females, Louise, gave birth to 2 healthy kittens. The kittens are very welcome and very important for conservation of their species. 1070575a

Our African wildcats Louise & Max (the parents), as well as Sid, are purely bred wildcats important for conservation of the species, much under threat also by inbreeding with domestic cats. Yesterday (Wednesday, 231215) Louise gave birth to 2 healthy kittens, which came as a lovely Christmas surprise to all at Wild Cats World. African wildcats are ancestors of the domestic cats as we know them, and though there’s much resemblance, they clearly aren’t pettable, not ours for sure. 1070557a

Louise (like our leopard Feline and caracal Lea) chose to give birth in her safe nighthouse (“den”) and while both Feline and Lea did everything to wipe away the luzerne, Louise makes use of it to hide herself and the kittens, as you can see on the one photo. Max and Sid are also in the same area (only separated with feeding time) but they respect Louise, as yesterday they both stand in the opening of the den to see what was going on, but Louise clearly showed to be a protective mom, and the other two did the smart thing not to enter.

For now all goes well…kittens are drinking, so for the coming time growing up and staying healthy is first priority. Purely bred African wildcats can be released in reserves, so who knows what the future brings…..

Update 29/12/2015: African wildcat female Louise and kittens

All goes well with the African wildcat kittens, they seem full so Louise has enough milk. Since the second morning Louise allows him in with her and the kittens in the nighthouse she moved them to. She is very mobile, so the kittens go from one place to the other, depending on temperatures. But Louise is a very protective mommy. Female Sid, usually the most assertive one, doesn’t dare to come too close, after a warning of Louise.

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Update 19.02.2017

“Best thing to show you my love, was to let you go!!!”
Another (young) victim to the horrible kidney failure. R.i.p. dear daddy Max, we will miss you terribly.

We are grateful what you meant to us and you were an incredible ambassador to your species, leaving a legacy of 2 pretty daughters and 1 handsome son, and your female Louise who will miss you a lot, already is.

Your spirit will always be with us my boy, and with every mouse or rat we feed your family you will be in our thoughts.