Sand Cat

The sand cat (with the genus and species name Felis margarita) is a small cat that is wild and it lives in the Asian and African deserts. The size of a sand cat is approximately 50 cm in length and has a 30 cm tail which is long for a cat. A subspecies of the wildcat is a "desert cat" which would be a good way to describe the sand cat. However the sand cat is different from the desert cat. The habitat fro the sand cat is an arid environment that is too dry and hot for the desert cat such as the Arabian Desert, the Sahara and the deserts that are to be found in Pakistan and Iran.

Images of a sand cat show that they have heads that are very broad giving them more of a wild look than a domesticated cat look. Pictures of sand cats found in books and over the Internet also show that the Arabian sand cat, the Pakistan sand cat and other versions of cats have big ears and ears that are pointed in nature. The sand cat has fur the color of a sandy yellow and it has pallid bars, which are not always easy to see. It is the African subspecies of sand cat or sand kitten that have the most visible bars. A sand cat has a tail with a tip that is black. The paws of the sand cat are covered with long hairs and these long hairs are beneficial for protecting the sand cat's skin from the heat of the sand. Facts about sand cats will yield the truth that most of these cats can reach a lifespan of 13 years.

Sand cats are able to adapt to different circumstances although they are cats that live in hot climates. During the heat of the day a sand cat hides under rocks and once the sun sets it comes out to hunt for food, such as insects, lizards and rodents. The behavior and patterns of the sand cat are such that he does not need to drink very much water because he obtains his water supply from consuming his prey. There are six subspecies of sand cat, which includes the Felis margarita margarita (Sahara), the Felis margarita airensis, the Felis margarita harrisoni (Arabia), the Felis margarita meinertzhageni, the Felis margarita thinobia (Iran) and the Felis margarita scheffeli or Pakistan sand cat (Pakistan). The sand is not on the endangered list yet but it is getting there- at the present time it is considered to be near threatened (IUCN).