The wildcat has a large geographic range, and varies locally in appearance.  In general, from north to south there is a graduation of coat thickness, intensity of ground colour, and amount of tabby markings.  There are 26 sub species of the African wildcat, one being the shorthaired domestic cat.  This sub species occurred when the African wildcat was domesticated by the ancient egyptians back in 2500 bc and was transported by the Crusaders to Europe where it interbred with the indigenous smaller widcats.
		The African wildcat is very similar in size and appearance to the domestic cat, and the two can be difficult to distinguish in the field.  In South Africa males weigh between 8 - 14lb (3.7 - 6.4kg) and females between 7 - 12lb (3.2 - 5.4kg). Wildcats are primarily nocturnal, especially in very hot environments or in proximity to settled areas, but are also active in early morning and late afternoon.  Their prey ranges from birds, reptiles, mammals including antelope and insects. The African wildcat will have one litter each year and will normally have between 2 and 6 kittens.  The average life span of an African wildcat is approximately 15 years.
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