Common Name(s): Sand Cat
Scientific Name: Felis margarita
Weight: 5-6 pounds
Head/Body: 20 inches
Tail: 12 inches
Subspecies: 4
Gestation: ~66 days
Status: near threatened, 1 subspecies endangered
Estimated World Population: ~11,000
The sand cat is a small cat with short legs and a very broad head with low-set ears and full cheeks. The soles of its feet are protected from hot sands by having a thick mat of fur. Its coat is a plain yellowish-brown to grayish-brown, slightly darker towards its spine and lighter underneath.
The sand cat may be found in the semi-desert regions of northern African and the Middle East, where it hunts by night and twilight, from the ground, and seeks small rodents and reptiles.