Although their appearance may be similar, wildcats are different animals from those felines that reign in homes and calmly enjoy their feed bowl and their corner on the sofa. In fact, it is worth clarifying that this is not a breed of cat or similar, but rather two different species. Wild cats, known by the scientific name Felis Silvestris, do not coexist with humans, their habitat is in nature, isolated from urban centers, although they are found throughout the Iberian Peninsula. An interesting animal that is sometimes confused with the Iberian lynx, this being its main rival, and that is gradually becoming more threatened by the expansion of agriculture and urbanization.
Wild cats do not usually come into contact with domestic cats, except in some cases. These encounters occur mainly in rural environments, close to their natural habitat, in wooded areas. On these occasions it is possible that crosses between the two occur and hybridization occurs. In fact, a study carried out on the European population of wildcats and domestic cats indicates that this is increasingly common.
The physical differences between domestic cats and wild cats are easy to identify, and can be a good clue if you want to find out if a feline is a hybrid between these two species. One of the clearest variations has to do with size, larger and more corpulent. Wildcats can weigh between 4 and 12 kilos, while their height is up to 125 centimeters. In the case of the domestic cat, its characteristics are between 2.3 to 9 kilos in weight and about 71 centimeters in height.
These tend to be more stylized and slender, while the wild ones are differentiated by their muscular appearance and their very thick and longer fur. Another way to distinguish them is to look at their tail. The hair of domestic cats is usually long and thin. Quite the opposite of its wild relatives, as it is shorter and thicker. One more way to identify a feline that was born through a crossing of both.
Although one of the clearest distinctions between both animals has to do with their behavior. Since wild cats are much more aggressive, because their territorial instinct is more developed. In fact, this is something that can be observed when they are hunting. Furthermore, this is one of the reasons why hybridization between the two is not as common as it could be due to its genetic possibility.
