Scottish wildcats (Felis silvestris grampia) may look similar to a pet cat, but has some differences. The wide, flat head, ears pointing more sideways, a bushy blunt-ended tail encircled with dark rings, and a distinctly striped coat all distinguish the true wildcat from feral cats. Research has also revealed differences in their genetic make-up, blood type and skull features. Found in upland forest, moorland, scrub and hill ground where they can lie up during the day. The wildcat is a useful predator of pests such as rabbits and rodents and will also eat birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects, they may also scavenge fresh road casualties. Solitary and territorial, the wildcat is active at night particularly around dawn and dusk.

Scottish wildcats are now one of Britain's rarest mammals due to many threats with the biggest being interbreeding with domestic cats. The Scottish wildcat is currently listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered as it is thought that there may be as few as 400 left - making them rarer than the Amur tiger!

Our Scottish wildcats are part of the European Studbook Programme.