NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



When brought to bay the Wild Cat fights fiercely 

 and is game to the last. When pursued, and if no 

 trees are within reach, it takes refuge in rock crevices 

 and down the burrows of the ant-eater. This 

 cat is extremely strong and active for its size, 

 and attacks the young of the smaller antelopes, 

 and easily overpowers adult Blue Duikers. Hares, 

 Bush Dassies, Klip Dassies, game birds, bush birds 

 and their nestlings, rats, mice, and a host of other 

 creatures fall a prey to it. 



The Wild Cat is a pest to the stock and poultry- 

 keeper. If one of these cats is in the vicinity, and 

 should it discover the roosting-place of the fowls, 

 it pays nightly visits to them until all are devoured. 



A Dutch farmer friend in Natal possessed a 

 specially fine lot of turkeys which roosted at night 

 in a tree near the homestead. One morning he 

 found three lying dead at the foot of the tree; 

 choice morsels having been eaten out of each. 

 Removing two, he baited a steel spring trap with 

 the third, and succeeded in capturing a large male 

 Wild Cat. 



These cats do not confine their attention to 

 poultry only. Young ostriches, lambs, and kids 

 are also killed and devoured by them. In cap- 

 tivity the Wild Cat prefers fresh untainted meat, 

 indicating that in the wild state it hunts and kills 

 its own food, and does not relish carrion. 



Should a Wild Cat be in the neighbourhood of 

 a farm, and if it has started to interfere with poultry 



148 



