The Scottish Wildcat - on the verge of extinction

[Nathan]

Over the last few decades the awareness of such issues has steadily risen here in Scotland, though it is probably not widely known just how critically endangered the wildcat is. Hopefully the tide is turning however, and I sincerely hope that this beautiful animal can be pulled back from the brink.

As an aside, I once owned a cat that I always suspected was at least in part a wildcat hybrid. He was the offspring of a farm cat mother and an unknown father. He had most, but not all, of the distinctive wildcat features, and behaved quite differently to any other cat that I ever had.

I've read that the biggest threat to the Scottish Wildcat today is not trapping or taxidermy but hybridization with felis domesticus.

[Pleater]

The wildcat is 'just' a cat - it can interbreed with the domestic cat and produces fertile offspring - the DNA don't give a hoot how it survives, as long as it does. It is against nature for living things to remain unchanging.

The wildcat is a beautiful animal, but it is always going to strive to breed and survive even if it is hybridising - something it has no concept of.

The hybrid animals will probably be living closer to people, their offspring will possibly become pets and survive to breed at least once. The pure bred wildcats might run out of habitat or breeding partners but the DNA will be in a cat sitting by the fire - and no doubt looking smug.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Nathan]

The wildcat is 'just' a cat - it can interbreed with the domestic cat and produces fertile offspring - the DNA don't give a hoot how it survives, as long as it does. It is against nature for living things to remain unchanging.

The wildcat is a beautiful animal, but it is always going to strive to breed and survive even if it is hybridising - something it has no concept of.

The hybrid animals will probably be living closer to people, their offspring will possibly become pets and survive to breed at least once. The pure bred wildcats might run out of habitat or breeding partners but the DNA will be in a cat sitting by the fire - and no doubt looking smug.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

A wolf can breed with a domestic dog and produce viable offspring too, but that doesn't mean - to my way of thinking - that a wolf is "just" a dog. It would be a pity if wolves were lost to nature and likewise a pity for the Scottish wildcat to be lost as well, not withstanding the fact that they're interfertile.

[Calgacus]

I've read that the biggest threat to the Scottish Wildcat today is not trapping or taxidermy but hybridization with felis domesticus.

Yes, you are quite right, it is. That's why the project in Ardnamurchan is so important. There needs to be a haven where the population can regenerate with no, or at least reduced, hybridisation.

[creagdhubh]

BTW, thanks for those links, creagdubh. I didn't know about Wildcat Haven....that's a hell of a project, to humanely remove breeding housecats from 250 square miles of countryside.

I just donated 20 pounds to the Royal Zoological Society project - "Highland Tiger". It's not much but every nickel helps, eh? The cat is too gorgeous and too important to let go extinct.

Well done, Alan! Yes, every bit helps and makes a difference.

[Alan H]

I wonder if Locharron or Dalgliesh or someone would consider creating a Scottish Wildcat Tartan where a portion of the proceeds goes to Wildcat Haven?

You know, I'm kind of liking this idea.

[Dughlas mor]

Alan, that is a great idea, and I think that a very beautiful tartan could be designed using the colors of that beautiful animal.

[creagdhubh]

I wonder if Locharron or Dalgliesh or someone would consider creating a Scottish Wildcat Tartan where a portion of the proceeds goes to Wildcat Haven?

You know, I'm kind of liking this idea.

Now, that's a fantastic idea, Alan!!!

[Alan H]

I think I'm going to contact Knockando and see if they're interested. It would make perfect sense...the woolen mill on the edge of extinction, brought back to life by the community around the mill, weaves the tartan to bring the Wildcat back from the edge of extinction.

EDIT:

OK, done. Let's see what Knockando has to say. -- also just e-mailed Wildcat Haven. So...we shall see.

[Orionson]

I wonder if Locharron or Dalgliesh or someone would consider creating a Scottish Wildcat Tartan where a portion of the proceeds goes to Wildcat Haven?

You know, I'm kind of liking this idea.

Especially if the colour palette of the tartan itself took it's inspiration from the rich earthy colours of the Scottish Wildcat. This is something I'd like to see. Figheadair??