African Golden Cat

The Cat Survival Trust

The African Golden Cat

Felis (Profelis) aurata Temminck

Photo: Robert C. Martin
©ArtWolfe

Contents
	Description Distribution Diet Behaviour Reproduction Conservation Status Captive Breeding and African Golden Cats in Captivity Further Reading

Other names
	French:	chat doré africain
	German:	Afrikanische Goldkatze
	Spanish:	gato dorado

Description

About twice the size of a domestic cat, the African golden cat is very variable in coloration. There are two colour phases: chestnut-red/fawn and silvery/dark slate-grey, of which the grey phase is often called the silver cat. Markings of both phases are similar and there are many intermediate forms. Both red and grey phases occur in the same areas and they may be spotted or plain. A few melanistic or all black specimens have been recorded.
The fur displays a unique feature; the hair on the back of the neck, from just forward of the shoulders to the crown, is directed forwards. However, this is not present in every individual.
The backs of the small, rounded ears are blackish with a central pale area. A dark central line runs along the dorsal surface of the tail which has a few dark bands. Small white patches are visible above their eyes, especially at the inner corners. The lower parts of their cheeks are also white as are their chins and throats. Otherwise there are no obvious facial markings.
African golden cats are very sturdy, powerful animals, with fairly long legs and relatively large paws. Apparently small, the head is very rounded. Their skulls exhibit various diagnostic features, the eye sockets or orbits are nearly closed at the back, and they have very small anterior upper premolars.
The African golden cat has long been regarded as closely related to the Asian or Temminck’s golden cat, but a recent review of cat taxonomy by Wozencraft (1993) separates the two into different genera.
Two subspecies are described:

F. (P.) a. aurata	Congo to Uganda
F. (P.) a. celidogaster	West Africa

Each of the subspecies has two different characteristic coat patterns. P. a. celidogaster: Type 1 is spotted all over; Type 2 has indistinct spots on the back and neck, with a few large, clear flank spots. P. a. aurata: Type 1 has no pattern on the neck and back, but has numerous small spots on the lower flanks; Type 2 has virtually no pattern except on the belly.

Principal dimensions

	Overall	Males	Females
Head and Body lengths (cm)	61-102	74	71
Height at Shoulder (cm)	40-50
Tail lengths (cm)	16-46	31	30
Weights (Kg)	3.5-18	11-14	6.2*

* This figure is the only recorded weight of a female

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Distribution and Habitats

African golden cats are found in central Africa up to 3,600 metres in high deciduous rain forest, alpine moorland, and along water courses extending into the drier more open areas.
They occur from Senegal to the Ivory Coast and Gabon, and south to northern Angola, and through the north east Congo basin through Ruwenzori to Uganda and Kenya (the Mau forest).
They seem to prefer moist forest with dense growth.
The map shows the present distribution of African Golden Cats in grey.
The map is based on information in the Wild Cats Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan published by the IUCN/SSC Cat Speialist Group in 1996. See our Books page for more details.

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Diet

African golden cats are known to prey on poultry, rodents and small to medium sized forest ungulates as well as hyraxes, monkeys and birds.

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Behaviour

Although African golden cats are said to be solitary, Tonkin and Kohler (1978) reported that their adult male behaved like a good father. This may indicate that a couple with offspring stay together. African golden cats have extensive vocal repertoires which could be evidence for some social behaviour.
They are mostly active at night or dawn and dusk and are reported to rest in the lower branches of trees in the day. They are highly secretive and have only rarely been observed in the wild.

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Reproduction

One, two or possibly three kittens are born after a gestation period of approximately 75 to 78 days. Tonkin and Kohler’s (1978) male golden kitten weighed 235 grammes at birth, and their female 195 grammes. The kittens developed rapidly; their eyes were open by six days and after ten days they started walking. The male grew much faster than the female. After the 38th day the kittens began to eat meat. These cats can live for about 15 years in captivity.

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Conservation Status

Remarkably little is known about the population numbers of the African golden cats. It is certain however that they will be substantially affected by the extensive habitat destruction occurring all over Africa. They are not regarded as being sufficiently threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) to warrant being classified as rare or endangered.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has strictly regulated all international commerce in golden cat products by listing them in Appendix II (Conservation and Legal Status of Wild Cats. Cat News 12, 1990, p. 26).
Legal protection varies; twelve countries have banned hunting and a further three exercise controls. Even where this is not the case there appears to be little hunting of this cat.

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