Civet Fisher Cat: Description, Habitat, Character, Home Maintenance, Photos, Owner Reviews

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Civet fisher cat: description of the breed, keeping at home, photos and videos

The civet cat is a unique Asian predator. Unlike its congeners, it is not only not afraid of water, but even frolics with pleasure in reservoirs, not being afraid of great depth. For this unique feature, the animal received several names at once: fisher cat, water or fish cat. For a spotted color, similar to the color of a Far Eastern cat, it is sometimes called speckled.

Content

• 1 History of origin

• 2 Appearance

  2.1 Table: description of the fishing cat

• 3 Civet fishing cat in the wild

  • 3.1 Habitat and lifestyle
  • 3.2 Reproduction and care of offspring
  • 3.3 Video: fishing cat in its natural habitat

• 4 Keeping a civet cat at home

  • 4.1 Care features

    • 4.1.1 Feeding
    • 4.1.2 Education
    • 4.1.3 Taming
  • 4.2 Where to buy a civet kitten
• 5 Owner reviews

Origin story

Civet fishermen have lived in India, Indochina, as well as on the islands of Bali, Java, Sumatra for a long time. Since their main place of residence was the impenetrable jungle, for a long time people did not suspect the existence of this breed. During the period of the development of new lands by humans, the habitat of predators has significantly decreased due to the draining of swamps, deforestation and development of territories. Their numbers have declined significantly, especially on the islands of the Malay Archipelago.

Today fishing cats are on the verge of extinction, therefore they are listed in the International Red Book. According to the convention on international trade in species of wild flora and fauna (CITES), hunting for them is strictly prohibited.

Appearance

The civet cat received its Latin specific name Prionailurus viverrinus due to its external resemblance to predatory mammals, civets (civets). A distinctive feature of the animals is black spots and stripes placed in a row along the body. This color allows excellent camouflage in the bushes.

Due to its unique color, the predator is fluent in the art of camouflage

Table: description of the fishing cat

Parameter	Characteristic
Weight	Cat - 6-7 kg, cat - 11-15 kg
Body length	96.5-119.3cm
Height at withers	38.1-40.6 cm
Wool	Hard, short.
Color	Olive gray with dark stripes and dots. White spots are present behind black-colored ears. They show the aggression of the animal when the ears are pinned back.
Muzzle	Short and broad, with a powerful jaw.
Ears	Small, round, set low on the sides of the head.
Eyes	Round, yellow-green.
Limbs	The legs are powerful and short. The tail is also short, thick at the base, devoid of muscles. This allows the predator to maintain balance when jumping and running.

Fishing cats have 2 unique anatomical features that set them apart from many other breeds:

1. The absence of the bridge of the nose in the presence of a wide and large nose, which allows the animal to be under water for a long time and hold its breath.
2. The presence of webbing between the toes of the front paws makes it difficult to retract the claws, but it helps to dive, swim and fish with ease.

Fishing civet cat in the wild

Fishing civet cats belong to the family of oriental cats, therefore they live exclusively in Asia. Here, in tropical latitudes, they feel as comfortable as possible due to the presence of a large number of reservoirs, high air humidity, an abundance of precipitation, and small seasonal temperature fluctuations. Life expectancy in the wild is 13 years or more.

Habitat and lifestyle

Water cats live separately from other animals, in every possible way avoid meeting people. They can be found in the jungle, especially in mangrove forests, which are a buffer zone between sea and land. The unique natural ecosystem creates favorable conditions for the habitation of predators, primarily because the territory is almost impassable for humans due to dense thickets of bushes, the abundance of swamps and rivers.

The mangrove forest is the main habitat of fishing cats

Civet cats are distinguished by their cocky character, therefore they do not get along well not only with other predators, but even with their relatives. They spend most of their time frolicking in a reservoir or walking in shallow water. Climbing trees is problematic for them because of their massive body. At night they are awake, and during the day they prefer to rest in shelter.

The favorite pastime of water cats is hunting for fish. They can sit for a long time on the shore of a reservoir in anticipation, and then with one well-aimed jump or blow of a clawed paw, they can get the desired prey. Sometimes predators use a little trick: by touching the paw to the surface of the water, they imitate the movement of insects, while the body remains motionless. A fish swimming by, interested in bait, quickly becomes a victim of a civet cat. In search of food, the animal is able to dive deep in order to get fish.

Civetrers love to hunt fish

In addition to fish, the predator eats:

• crabs;
• snails;
• frogs;
• snakes;
• birds;
• mice;
• insects.

Reproduction and care of offspring

Puberty occurs in civet cats at the age of 2–3 years. Animals breed all year round, but the main mating time falls in autumn. Pregnancy lasts 63–70 days, so the offspring usually appear in January – February. 2-3 kittens are born immediately. Vision comes to them in the second week of life, they fully mature and become independent by 9 months.

Speckled cat takes care of its offspring

Video: fishing cat in its natural habitat

Keeping a civet cat at home

In captivity, fishing cats live on average 15–20 years, but only with proper care, maintenance and diet. For home living, it is better to take a female, since she is less aggressive than the male (cats tend to dominate and become uncontrollable during puberty). It is advisable that the pet lived with the owners, and not in a separate aviary on the personal plot. Otherwise, he will not be able to socialize and will forever remain a wild predator.

From the first days of the appearance of a kitten in the house, it should be surrounded by affection, care and attention. In order for him to quickly get used to the household and adapt to the new environment, at first he should be hand-fed. Over time, the pet will not only begin to trust people, but will also be able to make friends with other pets (cats, dogs).

Due to the wayward nature of the fishing cat, conflicts with other pets are not excluded, so the owner needs to be on the lookout

The civet cat is a poorly studied and wild breed, therefore, for beginners who have no experience of dealing with predators, I strongly advise against starting such a pet. It will not be possible to fully domesticate and tame the animal: sooner or later instincts will prevail. A powerful and strong pet, twice the size of an ordinary domestic cat, can injure or injure household members, and in the worst case scenario, even take life.

Care features

The peculiarities of caring for a civet cat are not much different from the maintenance of an ordinary domestic cat: they also comb out their fur, if necessary, cut their claws. The pet should be taught to trim the claws from the first months of life, so that he has time to get used to the procedure. If the right moment is missed, then it is undesirable to subject an adult to such manipulations: being frightened, the animal can injure the owner. It is not worth provoking aggression in a predator, since this is fraught with sad consequences.

Caring for the coat does not cause much trouble, since in a fishing cat it is quite tough, short, almost does not shed. Particular attention should be paid to water procedures: the exotic predator is very fond of swimming, so it is advisable to equip a small pool for it in the backyard (if possible). Sometimes you can run live fish into the tank so that the pet can at least partially satisfy its hunting instincts. If the animal lives in an apartment, the best solution would be to take a bath with the civet. It is recommended to throw toys (for example, plastic fish) into the water to make it more fun and interesting for the cat to carry out water procedures.

The fishing cat is very fond of regular water procedures.

Despite the fact that the exotic predator has good immunity by nature, it needs to be vaccinated regularly: vaccinate twice with a complex vaccine until the teeth are completely changed, and then repeat the vaccination annually. Males can be castrated only up to eight months of age.

Feeding

In the first months of life, a civeter kitten should be fed exclusively with live food - dry ready-made food (even premium class) can cause irreparable harm to health. The body of a growing baby is very susceptible, so only an experienced specialist can make up the right diet.

The main diet of an adult is fish and raw meat with bones (beef and poultry are suitable). The pet eats 0.5-1.4 kg of food per day. It is impossible to replace natural food with dry counterparts for ordinary domestic cats, since they do not contain enough nutrients necessary for a predator.

The main part of the water cat's diet is fish

Since a speckled cat is very rare in the house, there is very little reliable information about its nutrition on the Internet. From personal experience, I can say that predators often need to be given live food to improve the functioning of the digestive system. Unfortunately, not all owners of exotic animals can withstand such a spectacle, so they are in a hurry to replace the necessary food with frozen carcasses or feed from manufacturers. This is very harmful to the health of the pet and reduces its lifespan.

Upbringing

From the first months of life, the water cat must be trained to use the litter box. A small pet tray is suitable for a baby, and a 60 x 100 cm container for an adult. Wood filler is recommended. If the pet went to the toilet in the wrong place, you need to point him to the correct tray, but do not beat or punish: just verbally scold him.

You also need to tame the civet to the collar and leash. At first, put on a weakened collar, each time tightening it slightly. Soon the pet will stop paying attention to the strange object and will perceive it adequately. This will allow you to safely walk your exotic cat outside. It should be remembered that the animal loves space very much and in the warm season it will gladly rest with its owner in the fresh air. A collar with a leash will guarantee that your pet will not run away anywhere.

I strongly advise against letting your pet off the leash even in a seemingly safe area (outside the city, in nature, away from people). Even the most docile and obedient animal can lose control from overexcitement and stop obeying the owner. The predator's natural hunting instincts are activated, which certainly turns into an escape. This advice applies not only to exotic cats, but also to dogs (especially fighting breeds).

In the house, it is advisable to equip the civet with a place to rest (chair, bedding, couch, etc.). You can train him to use a scratching post to preserve furniture and walls, but regular walks will be more effective than any household tools. The fact is that on the street the cat grinds its claws on the asphalt or trees, so the need to do such manipulations at home will disappear by itself.

The pet should have a private resting place in the house.

Games are an essential element in raising a pet. The civet should have enough toys so that he does not get bored at his leisure and directs his irrepressible energy in the right direction. The owner should never be allowed to play with his hand or leg. While the pet is small, the abrasions will be insignificant, while an adult can inadvertently hurt a person badly without calculating the strength.

Taming

The civet cat has a high intelligence and an extraordinary mind, so it can be tamed as well as a dog. However, certain difficulties in upbringing arise because of the hierarchical ladder that the pet builds for itself: a new family for him is a "flock", and the owner is a "leader". If the owner can become the authority for the civet, he will obey unquestioningly, but exclusively to him alone. The predator will stubbornly ignore the demands and requests of other household members.

In the family, the civet cat builds a hierarchy, like in a flock

With the onset of puberty, the male begins to actively mark the territory, leaving "scent marks". At this time, he seeks to defend the leadership in the "pack" and competes with the owner, becoming incredibly aggressive and wayward.

In general, it is easy to find a common language with the civet, but you need to remember that he is jealous and touchy. If the owner pays him enough attention, surrounds him with affection, care and at the same time shows who is in charge of the house, problems will not arise. In no case should a pet be punished for offense by using physical force. It must be remembered that at this moment the animal loses control over itself and thinks only about how to protect itself with the help of claws. It is enough to strictly say "No" or blow in the face for the cat to realize the guilt. Another effective method is to close the pet alone in the room. A smart animal will understand that the owner is offended by him.

Where to buy a civet kitten

Before buying a civet kitten, you must obtain a special permit, since the animal has been listed in the International Red Book since 2008. In many countries, keeping a predator of this breed in captivity is punishable by law, but Russia is not yet one of them. The fashion for exotic cats is growing, so the number of catteries is increasing every year. It is highly recommended to contact verified breeders who have official registration and provide the necessary accompanying package of documents.

Civet cats are listed in the International Red Book

From personal experience, I can say with confidence that you can safely trust nurseries that advertise on the Internet and have their own website. Their price for animals is an order of magnitude higher than that of individuals, but there is an exact guarantee that the acquired pet will suddenly not have rare diseases, and it will not die the next day. The breeder provides comprehensive information about the pedigree and gives detailed advice on the care and maintenance of a water cat.

It is recommended to purchase a kitten not older than two months, with the necessary vaccinations. Give preference to the healthiest and most active baby in the litter. If the kitten is lethargic, passive, inert, it is better to refuse to buy, since such symptoms may indicate the presence of serious diseases.

The cost of a civet kitten starts at 300,000 rubles.

Owner reviews

Details about the life of his civet cat John Davis were written by his owner in his blog. Here you can also find many interesting and cute photographs of an exotic predator at different periods of life, during walks, fishing, hunting, etc.

The civet cat is an incredibly charismatic, quick-witted, but wild animal driven by instincts. Living with him can turn into a tragedy for beginners who do not have the skills to communicate and tame such representatives of the fauna. Before you buy an exotic pet, you need to measure not only your moral, but also material capabilities, since keeping a cat requires large investments.