Description: The skull is broad and the ears are large. The pupils contract to a slit and the soles of their feet are hairy. Coat: Light brown with dark spots on the body and black patches on the underside of the feet. The legs have wide black rings on the upper parts.
Size: Head and body length 27-43cm, tail length 13-20cm.
Weight: 1-2kg.
Senses: Hearing extremly good, sight very good, smell moderate.
Habitat: Steppe and savanna.
Range: Holds home ranges of several sq km.
Distribution: S Africa, Botswana and Namibia.
Status:
Daily Rhythm: Emerges 2-3 hours after dark.
Voice: Cannot roar as big cats do, they hiss and growl to show their fear or to threaten. Other calls inculde meows and puring.
Enemies: Poisonous snakes, jackals and large owls.
Prey: Small mammals, typically gerbils and bush rats with some elephant shrews recorded. Also lizards, small birds, eggs and insects (spiders included). New grass is sometimes taken. They can live without water as they obtain enough fluid from their prey.
Food and Feeding: Usually kill their own prey, only occasionally taking carrion when they come across it. Sometimes they will dig to get at prey. They usually hunt in open, sandy country, keeping close to thickets, or clumps of grass which they can retreat to.
Grouping: Solitary.
Breeding: The breeding season is likly to occur between November and December. Females come into heats that last 5-10 hours, during which they mate several times. When mating the female cat sits.
Gestation: 63-68 days.
Litter Size: 2-3.
Young Description: Young weigh 60-88 g at birth and by one week they weigh 155g. At six months of age male weigh 2500g, and female weigh 1500g. They open their eyes at 6-9 days. Young have darker coats due to denser spotting.
Nest: The nest is made in a burrow or similar hiding place.
Young Care: The kittens take their first solid food at 34-35 days of age and are cared for by their mother only. They start to capture their own food at 43-44 days. They become independent at about 3 months of age.
Sexual Maturity:
Longevity: 13 years in captivity.

Geographical Variations:
Felis nigripes nigripes
Distribution: Kalahari.
Description: Coat: Paler spots than nominate race.

Felis nigripes thomasi
Distribution: South Karoo.
Description: Coat: Spots darker black.

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