Mongooses are brave, mongooses are agile - snakes in the tropics have no worse enemies. Mongooses are worthy representatives of the civerrid family. Families are ancient and very numerous - there are 82 species in it (according to other sources - 65) - in Africa, South Asia and Madagascar. Here, on this marvelous island, civerrids are the only predators. There are no civerrids in America and Australia. In southwestern Europe, there are only two species: the small spotted geneta (Spain and nearby regions of France) and ichneumon (southern Spain and Dalmatia).
Something in between weasels and cats in civetres in habits and physique. On the planet, these medium-sized predators (from weasel to the size of a kharza) appeared early (but after martens), in the late Eocene, forty million years ago. From them came the cats.
Feline in civet and grace, feline in many, and claws - retractable (fossa, palm martens, linsangs, geneta), in many others, semi-extraneous, in mongoose non-retractable. Currently, the mongoose has been isolated from the civet family into a separate family - the mongoose.

Binturong

Among the viverrids there are animals that were recently called dwarf bears or bear martens: binturongs. But there are others like the Madagascar fossa, and it looks like a cat.
The Binturong's coat is dark gray, long and rather shaggy. The ears are rounded and overgrown with long hair at the edges. But the main thing is that it has a grasping tail. When a binturong sleeps on a tree, wrapping its tail around a branch, insures itself against falling. When it descends from a tree head downward, its tail clings to branches. In the Old World, this is the only predatory and uncouth beast with a grasping tail. In Novoye, there is also a kinkajou raccoon (the same grasping tails are found in some American monkeys, small and medium-sized anteaters, in pangolins, but no one else is a predator).
Binturomgs live in the forests of South Asia, from the eastern Himalayas to Indochina, Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra and the Philippines. They are the largest of the viverrids here - the length of the binturong with its tail is about one and a half meters - and the most vociferous: at night the loud cries of the binturongs fill the jungle. In anger, they squeal like a bird. Of all predators, except for pandas, binturong is the most non-predatory, prefers vegetarian food. However, on occasion it eats small animals and birds.

Fossa

Fossa is a different matter: Madagascar lemurs and various local birds live in constant fear of it. Fossa has short, reddish-brown hair. In Madagascar (and in the civerroid family!), She is the largest predator - with a semi-adult cougar. Climbs trees deftly and hides and sneaks unnoticed on the ground. Her only enemy is a man, from whom her protection is about the same as that of a skunk - a stinking jet. However, all viverrids have glands with an odorous liquid under their tail. For this reason, African and Asian civets in different countries of Asia and even in medieval Germany and Holland were forced to languish in cages for the sake of the civet. It was squeezed out of the anal glands of captured animals to prepare the famous musk for perfumery and medical purposes.
The Malgachs of Madagascar are very afraid of fossu, stubbornly (but falsely) believing that the beast is fierce and strong like a lion, and, it happens, kills their cattle at night.
Another strange thing happened to fossa: another Madagascar civet, Fossa fossa, is named after her in science. This latter represents a special subfamily of viverrids - striped civets, in which, perhaps, the most interesting animal is the otter civet. Outwardly (and by way of life), she looks like an otter: her muzzle is the same wide, her nostrils under water tightly close the valves, paws with membranes. It catches fish in the rivers of South Asia (including Sumatra and Kalimantan).

There are six subfamilies in the civet family - true civets (civets, civets, genets, linsangs - 18 species), palm martens (and among them binturongs - 8 species), striped and otter civets (7 species), Madagascar mongooses (8 species), real mongooses (mongooses, ichneumons and meerkats - 40 species) and, finally, fossa (1 species).

Civet and Geneta

Three unexpected additions to the subfamily of true civerrids - three new species for science were made in the 20th century. In 1919, in the deep tropical forests of Ituri (the right tributary of the Congo), a hunting expedition caught a water, or fish-eating, civet. And in 1960, the zoologist Kuhn described the Lehmann geneta, which was caught in Liberia. A third new species was discovered in Somalia in the same year.
Genett is nine species. Eight of them live only in Africa, and one is a small spotted geneta - as I already mentioned, also in Spain and adjacent regions of France, in addition, in Palestine. On a yellowish-gray background, she has dark spots, like a leopard (however, they will be born in the same litter with spotted and black as night genets). The animal is small - about a meter long (but five times less in height at the shoulders!), Very graceful, dexterous, hunts at night and at dusk, and during the day it hides in hollows, in crevices of rocks, in dense thorny bushes. When the geneta sneaks up, its body is so flexible, so gracefully streams along the ground that, they say, you can look around. Her jumps are also great: two meters from the spot! Climbs and swims well.
The African civet, or civet, is larger than the geneta and has higher legs: about the size of a badger. It is dark brown with black spots. On the muzzle, on the sides of the nose, where the mustache grows, along a white spot (but the color is very variable), on top of the neck and along the ridge there is a small mane, which the animal ruffles when angry. She also bends her back in a feline manner, grumbles and growls. Civets are nocturnal animals. During the day, you rarely see them. Trees climb worse than genet.
In Africa, there is another civet mentioned above - the fish-eating civet. None of the Europeans have ever seen her alive. And the locals of the beast do not know this well: they do not even have a name for it. Four other civet species live in South Asia. Of these, the race is the smallest and is very similar to the geneta.

Lingzang and musang

Linsangs (one African and two Asian) in appearance and habits are also similar to the genet, as well as palm martens, or palm civets. They cause considerable harm to plantations, eating fruits and shoots of palm trees and pineapples at night. Musang, or the common palm marten, even eats the fruits of coffee trees, although coffee beans cannot digest and "sows" them in abundance after such a meal in the forests. All palm martens live in South Asia, except for one species (and genus) - two-spotted nandinia. Her homeland is West Africa. Two large light spots on the shoulders, apart from many black spots on the body, distinguish this beast.

Ichneumon

Like striped mungos, ichneumons, the largest of the mongoose (up to a meter in length, but only 20 centimeters in height), live in a close-knit family. When the children grow up, they hunt like this: in front of them, hiding in the shade of the bushes, behind hillocks, grasses, the ichneumon dad, behind him close to the mother, behind her, also close and repeating all her turns, young ichneumons. Whoever saw them seemed as if a large snake was crawling along the ground. "Ikhnevmon" in ancient Egyptian means "detective". For thousands of years, in the Nile Delta, the pyramid builders sacredly revered him for his courage, for the extermination of snakes and crocodile eggs.
Ikhnevmon is a resident of North Africa, Asia Minor and Southern Europe (Spain, Dalmatia).
In Central and South Africa, the marsh, or water, mongoose lives. It is taller than ichneumon and is almost black. It swims and dives perfectly, and the potential offspring of crocodiles developing under the eggshell exterminates even more effectively than the sacred "detective". Female crocodiles, in eternal fear of her robbery, are doomed to be on duty at their eggs. This alone saves them from black mongoose.
The bird is not a crocodile. Not many of them are afraid of mongooses and therefore boldly steal bird eggs. Their habits are as follows: they take an egg in their front paws, on the back paws they stretch out and drop it to the ground from the height of their growth. It, of course, will break, and then the mongoose licks the yolk and white.

Meerkat

Meerkats are close to mongooses - they are special animals! Outwardly, they resemble a little lemurs. In amusing poses (stretching out on tiptoe of their hind legs and propping themselves up with their tail) they bask in the sun or look out for anxiously enemies in the dry steppes of South Africa.
They do not live alone, but in colonies - each family has its own burrow, but all burrows are nearby. They sleep in the dungeons at night. During the day they sit by the holes in a marmot-style - in columns, folding their front legs on their chest, warming themselves, quarreling. Or, having gone not far away, they dig in the ground, looking for insect larvae, spiders, centipedes, various roots and, of course, if they come across, bird eggs.



A civet fisher cat, he is also a speckled or fish cat lives in South-East Asia... Outwardly similar to other wild cats, but differs from them in an unusual way of life, habits and diet. A civet cat can often be found in zoos; it is not suitable for the role of a pet for a number of reasons.

The civet fisher cat lives in tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia, Southeast India, Indochina, Sumatra, Ceylon, Java and Bali. Not to be confused with, which differs from the civet both in appearance and in the way of life. Fish cats settle near reservoirs, lakes, swamps and slow rivers, in general, everywhere where you can find food and not be caught by a person. An adult civet cat occupies an area of ​​4-8 km2, the territory of males can reach 22 km2.

Fishing cats breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 63-70 days. Litters are not numerous, usually 2-3 kittens are born. At 4.5 months, young animals switch to adult food, and by 9 months they catch up with their parents in size and switch to self-sufficiency. Sexual maturity reaches much later, in 2-3 years. In captivity, males help the female to raise offspring, how they behave in the wild is not known for certain. And the rest of the way of life of civerrs is not well understood.

Video about fishing civet cats:

Appearance

Outwardly, the civet fisher cat resembles an African civet. Actually, thanks to its Latin name - viverra, and its external resemblance, it got its name. Like wild cats, African civets are predators, but they are known for their other characteristic - they eat coffee berries. The beans that have passed through their digestive tract are harvested, roasted and brewed into an expensive coffee drink called Luwak Coffee.

But back to the anglers. The weight of an adult cat is 11-15 kg, cats weigh less - 6-7 kg. The body length is 96-120 cm, and the height at the withers is 38-40 cm.The canines of an adult cat reach 3 cm in length, the claws are ―1.5-2 cm.Specialists divide fishermen's cats into two types, which differ slightly in color and size ... Anglers from Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, are much larger than their counterparts from Java and Bali. In the feline family, the closest relatives of fishermen are.

The fisherman's cat has a strong constitution, well-developed muscles. In general, they are very strong and agile. The muzzle is wide and short. The bridge of the nose is practically absent, the nose is very wide and large, the widest among all felines. This structure allows the cat to swim and dive freely. The ears are round, small, set low on the sides of the head. The lower jaw is very well developed and rounded. The head sits well on a short neck. The legs are comparatively short, as is the tail, which is 1/4 of the entire length of the body and has the same thickness from base to tip. The color is grayish brown with black stripes and spots. Behind the auricle, which is mostly black, there are white spots, the so-called eye spots. There are membranes between the toes on the front paws. They prevent the cat from fully retracting the claws, but they are very helpful in swimming and fishing.

Character and behavior

In the wild, the civet fisher cat is very careful, in every possible way avoids meeting with a person and, if possible, will not go into conflict, but will always be able to stand up for himself. Many talk about their aggressiveness and assertiveness. Locals tell many stories about fishermen who entered the settlements, were not afraid of anyone and easily dispersed a pack of dogs. There is a myth in Singapore that a fish cat took a baby away. However, there is no documentary evidence for this. But there is another true fact. In one zoo, a very large male escaped from his cage and fell into the hands of a leopard, which he killed in a fight.

The civet fisher cat can meow and hiss, and also makes other interesting sounds that vaguely resemble laughter, barking, or a short abrupt barking. It is difficult to describe them, but you can hear them on the video. The main occupation of the fisherman is rest and sleep; in his free time, the animal wanders in shallow water in search of food or hunts land small animals. In zoos, civet cats lead a moderately active lifestyle, they can frolic a little, but mostly do not waste energy. They know how to climb trees, but do not like to climb high on branches. Rookeries are arranged on the ground or rest at a low altitude.

Keeping a fishing cat in captivity

Lovers of the exotic should always remember that civet cats raised from a young age and raised in love remain wild animals. Even if you manage to bring up a conditionally meek, you need to be on the alert constantly. Little kittens are very playful, quickly become attached to humans, obedient and affectionate, very vociferous. At the same time, not only the timbre of their voice is striking, but also its volume and variety of sounds. In terms of energy, both a kitten and an adult cat greatly surpass their domestic counterparts.

There are many nuances in raising a civet cat. A person who has never encountered the maintenance of wild animals is unlikely to be able to raise an adequate animal without an experienced mentor.

In order to gain the respect and love of the animal, it is literally hand-fed at its earliest age. At the same time, they are not allowed to play with an arm or a leg. There are toys for games. In the process of upbringing and weaning from undesirable behavior, you must not shout, let alone beat the cat. This usually causes a negative counter reaction: aggression or a desire for revenge.

The civet fisher cat is an exceptionally wild predator that finds it difficult to adapt to life in captivity even in a zoological park, let alone an apartment or country house... The animal needs space, its own hunting territory and a reservoir.

The civet fisher cat reaches sexual maturity by 2-3 years. This is where the biggest problems begin. First, he begins to mark the territory. It is clear that the amount of urine and its smell are in all respects superior to those of a domestic cat. Secondly, the kitten is now becoming an adult and begins to look for its place, shows aggression, conquers territory and "a place in the sun." Castration and sterilization will not be able to completely eradicate aggression and other habits that are unacceptable for a domestic cat. One of the family members can become an object of desire, and the other, on the contrary, an enemy. It is very difficult to resist the arguments of a sexually preoccupied animal, which also has incredible strength and sharp claws. If you plan to keep a fishing cat as a pet, it must be neutered / spayed no later than eight months of age.

The craze for civet cats began in 2006, when the first articles about a fisherman named John Davis appeared on the Internet. The cat settled in an ordinary Krasnoyarsk apartment and even got a personal website on which his whole life is painted with many photos. A wild predator was raised from small claws. For 3 years he lived with a family and was friends with a Siberian cat. The story ended with a sad parting and the cat's move to the zoo. The problem was that the matured angler began to "win back" the mistress from her husband.

The civet fisher cat is not the best option for an apartment or even for a private house. The best way to keep an exotic animal is a very spacious aviary that imitates its natural habitat, that is, with thickets and a stocked pond. On all sides, the site is fenced off with a net, including from above. In the absence of trees, be sure to make shelves at different heights or install cuts. Small insulated houses are installed in one or several places. It is especially important to maintain a positive temperature in them during the cold season. Fishing cats do not tolerate frost well.

Diet

Anglers' food preferences are very different from those of most other felines. The basis of their diet is live fish and other aquatic inhabitants: frogs, snails. Cats hunt in several ways. In search of food, cats can wander in shallow water for a long time or wait on the shore, then rush to prey with a well-aimed jump, if necessary, swim and dive for fish. It is interesting that during the hunt they often resort to tricks: they stand motionless in the water and lightly touch the surface with their whiskers. This is how they imitate the movement of insects and attract fish. Also, cats feed on birds, small mammals, rodents and carrion. On land, insects are sometimes hunted. In exceptional cases, they can attack larger animals.

What to feed the angler at home

The cat's diet at home should be as close to natural as possible. This refers not only to the type and amount of food, but also the way it is obtained. That is, the angler should be able to hunt fish in the reservoir, catch a live mouse or gut a bird. Naturally, there will be a lot of dirt as a result of such nutrition. For food, the civet fisher cat can take any animals that are smaller than him in size. The daily norm is 0.2-0.5 kg of fish or meat. Considering that the activity and need of domestic cats for energy is much lower than in nature, once or twice a week they arrange a hungry or half-starved day. The diet is supplemented with chicken or quail eggs, fresh grass.

Health and longevity

There is little data on the lifespan of fishing cats in nature. In captivity, they usually live for about 10 years. The maximum recorded age of a civet cat in the zoo was 12 years. Captive animals are vaccinated against rabies and major feline infectious diseases. Most diseases are associated with poor diet or living conditions that vaguely resemble natural ones.

Where to buy a fishing cat: the choice of a kitten and the price

The civet fisher, like many other wild cats, is protected and listed in CITIES Appendix II. To avoid problems, its owners will have to obtain permission for maintenance from the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources. In many countries of the world, home exotic remains banned. In Russia, there are laws that prohibit the illegal hunting of exotic and rare animals, as well as cruelty to animals, which can be regarded as their keeping in an apartment or house, in limited and far from natural conditions. As such, there is no document that prohibited the keeping of exotic animals in the apartment. Since 2016, the GOST on the maintenance of unproductive animals in urban conditions has come into force, but it is only advisory in nature. Assistance in paperwork for civet dogs is sometimes provided by individuals or nurseries who breed them.

On the Internet, advertisements for the sale of fishing kittens are sometimes posted, but those are rare. The price of a civet kitten usually ranges from 300,000-450,000 rubles. Less often, you can find advertisements for the sale of a viverrenk at a price of about 100,000 rubles. The higher the price, the further the code is from the real natural habitat. In addition to the amount that will need to be paid for the animal, it should be remembered that keeping a predator is not cheap.

Photo

The gallery contains photos of civet fishermen in the wild, in the zoo and tamed, domestic ones.

(Viverridae) **

* * Viverrids are not large slender animals, they unite 35 genera, including genets, civets, mongooses. binturongs, mungos, meerkats, etc. They are characterized by an elongated body, relatively short legs, an elongated muzzle. Mostly terrestrial animals, but many climb trees well and lead a semi-arboreal lifestyle. Of other carnivorous animals, civerrids are most closely related to cats. Widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World: throughout Africa, including Madagascar, in southern Europe and throughout tropical Asia. Mongooses have been introduced to Hawaii and the Caribbean islands.

Representatives of the civerrid family are distinguished by their elongated, slender and rounded body on short legs, a long slender neck and elongated head, and almost always a long, mostly drooping tail. The eyes are usually small; the ears are sometimes larger, sometimes smaller, the legs are four or five-fingered, the claws of many are retractable. Near the anus there are two or more glands that secrete special fluids that rarely smell pleasant. Sometimes these fluids accumulate in a special glandular sac. Some viverrids are similar to our martens, which they replace in the southern countries of the Old World, others resemble cats and even bears, and we can say that they are a group close to the original form of predators. They differ from martens mainly in that their teeth are sharper and more pointed, and that in each half of the jaw there are two true molars. Both those and others have a real dental system of predators with large thin sharp canines, small incisors and serrated, sharp false-rooted and real molars. The civet has 36 or 40 teeth: six incisors above and below and one canine, three or four false-rooted and two true molars in each half of the jaw. The skull is elongated, the brow ridges of the frontal bone are highly developed, the zygomatic bones are not far apart.
Wyverras do not exist in Australia at all, they live in the southern part of the Old World and, therefore, mainly in Africa and southern Asia. In Europe, three species from this family are found exclusively in countries adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, only one species in Spain. Civetry appeared on the globe already in primitive times *. In the modern world, they, like martens, are distinguished by a wide variety of forms, and, moreover, in a much smaller space than the latter. The places they live in are as varied as they are. Some live in barren high dry areas, in deserts, steppes, in the mountains or in small forests of some regions of Africa, rarely irrigated by rain, and on the Asian highlands, others prefer the most fertile lowlands, especially the banks of rivers or thickets of reeds, to all other places; some approach human settlements, others fearfully hide in the darkness of the densest forests; some live in trees, others live exclusively on the ground. Crevices of rocks and gorges, hollows of trees and holes in the ground, dug by themselves or occupied by them, dense bushes make up the places where they live and rest at certain times of the day.

* Viverras appear in the geological record in the Upper Eocene, that is, about 50 million years ago. In their appearance, as Brehm rightly noted, they retained the features of the most ancient predators.

For the most part, civets are nocturnal animals, but many also appear during the day, and, with the exception of the morning time, they wander and hunt while the sun remains in the sky, and after sunset they return to their lairs. Only a very few can be called lazy, slow and somewhat clumsy; most of them are not inferior to related predators in terms of speed and liveliness. Some genera are known as true toe-walking animals, while others step on the entire foot when walking; some species climb, most live only on the ground. No civet lives primarily in water. Day life and a preference for life on land distinguish the civet from the martens, with which they are in many ways similar; both groups differ even more from each other in character. Martens, as you know, are restless, fickle animals, which, when set in motion, can hardly stay for a minute in the same position or even in one place; on the contrary, they incessantly run up and down, climb, swim, make seemingly aimless movements, and carry out everything with an almost unreasonable haste; Civet are just as mobile, many of them are at least as agile, but their disposition is completely different. A certain discretion is noticeable in them under all circumstances. Despite all their agility, their movements are more even and deliberate, and therefore more attractive than the movements of martens. The palm, if we talk about their mobility, belongs to genes. There are hardly any other mammals that would glide along the ground with such perfection in a snakelike manner as the small slender representatives of this group. The speed with which they jump on prey is in odd contrast to the slowness of their normal gait. The diurnal animals of this family - mongooses - move differently. Their legs are shorter than those of all related forms; when walking, the body is almost pressed to the ground, and the fur on the sides of the body really touches it, but they do not sneak, but hurriedly run at a trot and can sometimes run at a very fast bouncing gallop. They are also restless, but not frivolous, on their way they explore everything, but they do it with a certain consistency: they go their own way and deviate little from the accepted direction. Their movements are rather strange than attractive, and are striking, since nothing of the kind is noticed in other mammals. However, if necessary, mongooses are very agile, which causes extreme surprise. Of all the senses, the sense of smell is probably in the first place for all viverrids. They smell like dogs, sniff every object that comes their way, and familiarize themselves with what they encounter with their nose. Vision is second in terms of acuity. The eye in different groups has a different structure: the pupil in some is round, in others it is slit-like. Hearing, apparently, is developed in different groups in approximately the same way, but noticeably weaker than both of the above senses. Whether taste prevails over touch or not is still unknown. Both touch and sensitivity to cold are found by everyone, and besides, they are all real gourmets and are very fond of all kinds of sweets.
Civet's intelligence should not be underestimated. All species of this family, which I have studied in freedom or in captivity, show a lot of intelligence and ability to assimilate.
Among civerrids, only civets and bizarre tails emit a noticeable musky scent. The glands mentioned above secrete an oily or greasy, lard-like and strong-smelling mass, which enters the glandular sac, from time to time empties from there and seems to be in connection with sexual activity. It has been argued that in confined spaces this smell can become unbearable and cause headaches and nausea; in those animals that I kept, this was not observed. The stench emitted by martens is much more unbearable than the smell emitted by civet dogs. A cage with several specimens of these animals, standing in the open air, even spreads a real fragrance, as musk vapors evaporate here faster. I did not observe an increase or decrease in the smell.
Like other predators, the number of cubs in civerrids varies quite significantly, as far as is known - from one to six. Mothers love their offspring extremely dearly, and in one species, and maybe in others, the father takes part in the upbringing. Cubs are generally easy to tame, and in this case they are as trusting and good-natured as the old evil, wild and obstinate *.

* Wyverrs are real predators, this should not be forgotten and, looking at their pretty faces, one should remember about long fangs and sharp retractable claws, which may well be put into action. This is all the more relevant, since now in our country, civets and mongooses are gradually squeezing into the lists of pets. But if it is not recommended for anyone to joke with an adult and even more so a wild civet, taken young, they really grow up surprisingly tame.

They survive well in captivity, and therefore in some countries they are kept in abundance to make it easier to get their precious secretion of the glands. Other species, specially trained, are good at trapping mice and rats. All kinds of food in captivity consists of raw meat, milk with bread, and fruits. The latter, like most predators, with the exception of cats, eat the latter with great greed, and this food is very useful for their health. In general, the benefits they bring outweigh the harm. In their homeland, the robberies they carry out do little damage; all the more the benefits that they bring by the extermination of harmful animals are recognized. This benefit was the reason that in ancient times one of these animals was recognized by the Egyptians as sacred and enjoyed general veneration.
Fur and meat are also used in some countries. A small amount of geneta skins is regularly traded in the trade; meat, according to Dorn, is eagerly eaten by negros on the Princes' Islands, where the civet was imported.
Mongooses are characterized by the following distinctive features: their body, evenly resting on low legs, is elongated and cylindrical in shape, the head is small or medium-sized, the muzzle is pointed, the eyes are rather small with round or slightly oblong pupils, the ears are short, rounded, the nose is small, bare below , and grooved in the middle; both the hind and the front legs have five toes, the tail is tapered, the fur is hard, with long hair. The dental system consists of 40 teeth, mostly large and strong, with rather developed tubercles located close to each other.
Of all the mongooses, special attention deserves, in all fairness, ichneumon, Egyptian mongoose, Pharaoh's rat(Herpestes ichneumon) ** as a sacred animal of the ancient Egyptians, whose fame has reached our time.

* * Ichneumon is common in Spain and Portugal, in the Middle East and practically throughout Africa. It inhabits a variety of landscapes from dry shrubs to mountain forests.

Herodotus already says that in every city the ichneumon was embalmed and buried in sacred places. Strabo reports that this wonderful animal never attacks big snakes without calling for help from several comrades, and then easily takes possession of a poisonous reptile. Therefore, his image on sacred hieroglyphs serves as the personification of a weak person who cannot do without outside help. Julian, on the other hand, assures that the ichneumon goes out alone with snakes, resorting only to some precaution: he falls out in the silt and then dries up in the sun, so that his entire body is covered with armor impenetrable to the poison of a dangerous rival; he protects his muzzle, hiding behind his tail. The legends about ichneumon are not limited to this and endow the brave fighter with snakes with other qualities, which Pliny reports. A crocodile, having eaten his fill, has the habit of resting somewhere on a sandbank, and he terribly opens his huge mouth, threatening death to anyone who dares to approach him. Exceptions are allowed only in relation to one small bird, which, without knowing fear, climbs into the very mouth of a crocodile and pecks out food that is stuck in its teeth. In addition to birds, all other animals are afraid of the formidable monster and do not dare to approach him. One ichneumon amazes with his courage: he cautiously creeps up to a sleeping crocodile, boldly jumps into his open mouth, bites his throat, tears his heart apart and, thus killing him, opens a bloody path for himself to return unhindered exit from the bogey's torso. The ichneumon is not satisfied with this alone: ​​he seeks out and hunts down places where a terrible reptile lays his eggs in abundance, and scratches here until he can get to the hidden treasure; then he pounces on him and, despite the vigilance of his mother, in one minute devours the entire nest, which, of course, renders invaluable services to humanity *.

* Among the fantastic legends, a grain of truth has crept in: ichneumon really causes a lot of trouble to crocodiles by attacking eggs and newborn crocodiles. The benefits of this to mankind are doubtful (it is especially strange to hear this from the Egyptians, who deified the crocodile too), but the caring crocodile Itsa mother does not have any kind feelings for the mongoose.

There is no doubt that the Egyptians firmly believed these legends, which actually come from them; but later naturalists made a big mistake, taking these fairy tales on faith, since in fact ichneumon does not possess all the qualities attributed to it. Although accurate studies of the disposition and lifestyle of ichneumon became known only at a later time, nevertheless, even before, already several centuries ago, many travelers expressed their doubts about the benefits of these animals, which shaken faith in various legends about it.

An adult ichneumon is much larger than our domestic cat; the length of its body reaches 65 cm, and the tail is at least 45 cm, but it seems smaller than it actually is, thanks to its short legs; only occasionally can you find a male whose scruff would be higher than 20 cm.The body of the ichneumon is slender, like all civet dogs, although not as beautiful as that of genes, but much more stocky than in most species of this genus, which is confirmed by its weight: an adult ichneumon weighs 7, and sometimes even 9 kilograms **.

* * The figure is clearly erroneous: even larger mongooses of this genus weigh no more than 4 kg.

His legs are short, his feet are bare and his toes are almost half connected by a short membrane. The long tail, thanks to the thick hair that covers it at the root, seems very thick, as if an extension of the body itself, and ends with a tassel; the eye sockets are bare, as a result of which small fiery eyes with round pupils protrude even more. The ears are short, wide and rounded. There is a flat bag with a hole in the middle near the anus. The fur of ichneumon is especially remarkable: it consists of a thick rusty-yellow undercoat and long awn hair of almost 6-7 cm. This hair is black with yellowish-white rings, and at the very ends is pale yellow. Because of this, the entire skin gets a greenish-gray color, which is quite consistent with the whereabouts of the animal. On the head and on the back, the fur is darker, on the sides and on the belly it is paler; legs and tail brush darkish black or completely black; there are, however, some differences.
Ichneumone is common not only throughout north africa and Hindustan, but, according to Noak, who long ago proved its presence in West Africa, in Loango and Congo, it is found throughout Africa, as well as in Madagascar, where it could have been brought by people. Only his presence in southern Spain and northern Asia has not yet been proven. This animal chooses lowlands for its dwelling place; in Egypt, lives along densely overgrown river banks and in the reeds that surround the fields. Here it spends days and arranges narrow but carefully cleaned paths in the reed thicket, leading to deep, but not particularly spacious burrows. In them, the female reproduces, bringing two to four cubs in the spring or in the first summer months, which feed on mother's milk for a very long time and are even longer in the care of both parents *.

* In Arabia, ichneumons mate in early spring. In other parts of the range, mating can occur in other seasons and even several times a year. Pregnancy lasts 60-83 days. If there is more than one adult female in the family group, then they can all take part in raising the cubs. Cubs become independent gradually in the interval between four months and a year when they leave the parental family group.

This animal in all respects justifies its name "ichneumon", which means "detective". With its disposition and spiritual properties, ichneumon resembles its kindred martens: it has the same unpleasant smell, the same cunning, bloodthirstiness and a passion for theft. Ichneumon is extremely cowardly, cautious and suspicious. He never dares to go out into the open field, but always makes his way through protected nooks and crannies, although he prowls quite far in the surroundings. He goes hunting during the day and devours everything that he can get by cunning, starting with a hare, chicken or goose. In addition, it feeds on snakes, lizards, insects, worms, and probably also fruits. The plundering raids of the ichneumon incur hatred on him from the Egyptian peasants, because he in the most ruthless way ravages chicken coops and dovecotes, especially chicken nests, which chickens make in the wild, like forest birds. Ichneumon is almost of no real benefit, except for the service it renders by exterminating snakes.
His gait attracts special attention with its originality: the animal seems to be crawling on the ground, because its short legs are completely covered with long hair, which does not allow them to see their movements. In the summer months, ichneumons rarely meet alone, but always in the company of their relatives. The male usually walks in front, the female follows him, and the cubs trudge behind the mother; at the same time, one member of the family keeps so close to the other that it seems as if the whole chain of animals makes up one whole being, which can be compared with a very long snake. From time to time, the head of the household pauses and lifts his head to make sure he is safe, and he frantically flares out his nostrils and sniffs as if severely short of breath. When he is convinced that there is nothing to be afraid of, he moves on; at the sight of prey, it begins to wriggle noiselessly between the stems, like a snake in order to get as close as possible to it, then suddenly, in one or two jumps, it overtakes even a fluttering bird. In front of a mouse hole, he is able to watch with remarkable patience, waiting and sneaking up on prey with amusing caution.
In all likelihood, the ichneumon has the same fine sense of the best dogs; this is evident from the fact that on the hunt he is guided mainly by instinct. If he comes across eggs, he drinks them; in mammals and birds, it usually only sucks blood and eats up the brain. His passion for predation leads him to kill more animals than he can eat **.

* * Many predators do not finish their prey, eating only the most delicious parts of it, but prefer to kill a new one. This happens only in a situation of an abundance of potential prey, when the predator has little or no need to look for them.

A lot of absurd stories are told about the hostile relations of the ichneumon with other animals and, by the way, they say that its most dangerous enemies are foxes, jackals and especially the guard (monitor lizard), the Nile lizard. But I can assure you that I have never seen or heard anything like it. His main enemy is man; besides him, only the Nile can harm him when it floods his favorite places; in this case, however, the ability to swim helps him out, and he moves in advance to high embankments connecting one village with another or enclosing the fairway; here he finds himself a temporary refuge in the thicket of tall, dense reeds.
The hunt for ichneumon is considered, according to the Egyptians, a pious deed. One has only to go to any village and notify there of his intention to hunt for "nims", as the Arabs call this animal, then surely both old and small will rise to the rescue, rejoicing at the opportunity to destroy the harmful rogue and swindler. The whole society is then directed towards the reed thicket; the hunter stops there, and his assistants drive the animal. The predator immediately knows what the matter is and, at the first alarm, hastens to hide in a hole; but even there there is no salvation: the Arabs drive him out of there with long sticks, so that he has to seek protection in another thicket of reeds. With extreme caution he sneaks between the stems, listening every minute and instinctively trying to measure the proximity of danger; when there is no other way out, he decides to slip through the open clearing in order to flee, while shrinking as soon as he can and crawling through the grass, trying not to give himself away with quick movements.
All mongooses are similar to each other in physique, and in most cases in their way of life; thus, the above description of ichneumon might be quite sufficient for our purpose, if some details of the individual species were not required.
The second after ichneumon and no less famous species is indian mongoose(Herpestes edwardsi) *.

* The Indian mongoose is distributed throughout South Asia from Mesopotamia to Malacca and the island of Taiwan, and also introduced to Italy and the island of Mauritius. It is smaller than their nevm she (she sang for inna 68-74 cm, tail length 30-37 cm) and has a more fluffy tail without a black tassel.

The Indian mongoose is much smaller than ichneumon; the length of its body reaches 40-50 cm, the tail is slightly shorter. Long hard gray fur; hair at the ends with wide white rings, which gives the coat a silvery sheen and a light gray tint; on the head and thighs, the color darkens, and on the legs it turns black; the cheeks and throat are more or less reddish in color. However, the distinctive features of this animal change very sharply, which led to the selection of many species and varieties.
The area of ​​distribution runs through the whole of Hindustan to the east, probably to Assam, and to the west - to Afghanistan and Baluchistan; in addition, it is found in Ceylon. Whether the mongoose is found on the Malacca Peninsula, where Kantor acquired one copy of it, is not yet clear **.

* * The Indian mongoose lives in Malacca. In addition, a closely related species, N. brachyurus, lives there.

The Indian mongoose does not like forests, it prefers shrubs, groves, oak forests, plantations, shores overgrown with shrubs and reeds, rocky slopes and often settles in houses, where it often causes great harm to poultry and other small domestic animals. In the holes dug by them themselves, the females bring three or four cubs. The Indian mongoose eats sweet fruits, but prefers meat foods. Running from rock to rock, from stone to stone, from gorge to gorge, he explores the area so thoroughly that hardly anything edible will hide from him; sometimes he gets into the narrowest crevices and pulls out of there mice, rats, lizards, snakes and other similar animals caught in their holes and lairs. When attacking chickens, he has to act much more carefully; here he uses all his natural cunning: he stretches out on the ground and pretends to be dead in order to deceive a stupid bird, which, out of curiosity, comes to look at an unknown object, as soon as it approaches, he instantly comes to life and in two or three jumps overtakes his victim ... These stories of travelers are quite plausible, because I myself have seen the same in African mongooses.
The Indian mongoose is praised and revered for its victories over poisonous snakes. Despite his insignificant size, he can defeat even a spectacle snake, defeating it not so much with his strength as with his dexterity. The natives claim that when a poisonous snake bites a mongoose, he is in a hurry to find a special herb or bitter root known as "mangusvayl", eats this antidote and, having cured, can again continue to fight with the snake.

The most accurate researchers admit that there is some truth in these stories and the mongoose poisoned by a snake bite really escapes from the battlefield in order to find a healing root and neutralize the snake venom, after which it is again mistaken for a snake. But Tennent says the Sinhalese do not believe the stories of Europeans about the deliberate use of the antidote by the snake-bitten mongoose; if, during a fight with a spectacled snake, which he attacks as easily as his related mammals, the animal eats some grass or root, then this, apparently, is completely accidental. Blanford considers the antidote story flawed. If these stories were true, why then some Indian mongooses have an antidote at their disposal, while other fighters chasing poisonous snakes, such as the secretary and some eagles, are defenseless against the poisonous snake? It should also be borne in mind that if the Indian mongoose knew such a sure remedy for a snakebite, he would attack her head over heels, and would not take all sorts of precautions, showing his amazing dexterity and cunning during such a fight. Gerdon and Sterndal explain the invulnerability of the mongoose in the fight against snakes by the property of its skin; they argue that the thick bristly coat and thick hide make the beast almost inaccessible to the teeth of the snake; if the snake manages to bite him, then he dies just like any other animal, although, according to Blanford, the poison acts in his body more slowly than in other mammals of the same size. This naturalist witnessed how the mongoose ate the head of a snake along with a poisonous gland without harm to itself. It should not be overlooked that other predators, such as a hedgehog, a ferret, a badger, according to Lenz's stories, also tolerate the bites of an ordinary viper without harm to themselves and can eat its head along with the venomous glands *.

* It is possible that mongooses, like other animals that often eat snakes, have some resistance to poison. There is nothing strange at all in eating a snake with the head, since the toxins of the snake venom are quickly destroyed in the digestive tract. Mongooses, including the great Indian, relatively often eat various small reptiles, including snakes. However, attacks by a mongoose on a cobra or a snake similar in size to it, if they do occur, are extremely rare.

In 1871, at one of the meetings of the London Zoological Society, Sclater made a scientific report on the mongoose about the correspondence that had arisen between him and the governor of Santa Lucia. The latter sent a request to my esteemed friend and colleague regarding the extermination of the spear-headed snake, this terrible scourge of the West Indies, and asked to deliver him mongooses, secretaries or any other large predators to fight this local enemy. Sclater replied that under existing conditions he could most likely recommend a mongoose for this purpose, but at the same time he should warn that mongooses cause more havoc among poultry than among venomous snakes, and that therefore he advises it is better to set a large bonus for killing snakes. than to write out there the mentioned animal. However, he immediately dispatched two living mongooses to De Veux to test them regarding their ability to fight snakes. Soon after receiving the animals, De Veux arranged an experimental fight between a brave mongoose and a dangerous poisonous snake. A large, more than half a meter long, spearhead snake was enclosed in glass jar and put in front of a mongoose released from the cage. At the first glance at the poisonous reptile, the mongoose showed strong excitement, bristled all over, ran busily around the can and tried in every possible way to open it, fingering the rag that covered the vessel with his teeth and claws. Having coped with this task, he released the snake, which immediately crawled out of the can and, looking around, quickly moved forward. The mongoose rushed at her and grabbed her by the neck with his teeth and claws, but the snake, as though prepared in advance for such an attack, deftly dodged and, jumping aside, in turn attacked its little enemy; apparently, she managed to bite him, as the poor mongoose yelped pitifully and jumped high on the spot, but at the same moment gathered strength and again grabbed the snake's neck, this time with redoubled fury. A short struggle ensued; the position of the snake did not allow her to once again use her teeth in business, but she still managed to escape from the claws and teeth of the mongoose and crawled away from him a few steps. The mongoose pretended to be indifferent and began, as it were, without a purpose to wander around. Almost three minutes passed in this way. The snake moved with difficulty, wanted to hide, not considering itself, obviously, safe, but remained lying in place. Then the mongoose, quite unexpectedly, ran into her again, grabbed her across the body so that she did not move, and dragged her into his cage, the door of which was open. Entering his room, he calmly began to eat his prey, from which he first of all ate off his head. The cage was locked, and the audience dispersed in full confidence that the brave winner would pay with his life for his gluttony. After an hour, they returned to the cage, opened it, and the hero of the battle came out of it completely healthy, and only a small piece of the tail remained of the defeated snake: everything else was eaten. Two more weeks passed, and the brave mongoose continued to feel as cheerful and cheerful as before. Whether he was bitten and how badly, this cannot be said, since it was not possible to study the mongoose. "The snake over which this experiment was made," De Veux concludes his report, "was still half-grown, although already strong enough to inflict deep bites, the consequences of which could kill a person in a very short time." In the seventies, the Indian mongoose was transported to Jamaica with the aim of exterminating rats that devastated sugar plantations; the benefit to these animals was estimated at two million marks.

* It can be assumed that in this experiment the animal was very hungry. It should also be noted that the keffiyeh mentioned in the story is noticeably smaller than the cobra. However, in itself, no one indiscriminately denies the possibility of mongooses attacking poisonous snakes (in the absence of other prey).

The Indian mongoose is best suited for taming because it is eminently neat, clean, cheerful and relatively good-natured. Therefore, at home, it can be found in many homes, like an ordinary pet. For the hospitality rendered to him, the mongoose repays with a lot of services: like an ichneumon, he cleans the house of rats and mice in a short time. Like a real mongoose, the mongoose is only active during the day. When he is brought to an unfamiliar home for the first time, he vividly runs around the whole house, looking for all holes, crevices and nooks and crannies, and with the help of his subtle instinct will immediately find rodents. He acts so energetically and diligently that he never leaves without prey.
As already mentioned, the mongoose is a rather good-natured animal, but in a bad mood, he, like an angry dog, bares his teeth decisively at everyone who approaches him; however, his anger is short-lived, and the animal soon calms down. The mongoose converges with a person very quickly; in a short period of time he gets so used to his master that he follows him everywhere, sleeps with him, eats from his hands, and generally behaves like a pet.
Sterndal had a mongoose, which during his three years in India served him as a constant companion, and showed the obedience and loyalty characteristic of dogs. Pipe knew perfectly well when the owner wanted to shoot a bird for him, watched, squatting on his hind legs, behind the rifle's sight and hastily seized the fallen prey. Being very clean, he even took care of the neat maintenance of his teeth and picked out the remnants of food from them with his claws, which looked very funny from the outside. He was remarkably fearless, chasing even large dogs. In addition, Pipe killed a lot of snakes. In an agitated state of mind, he bristled so much that he seemed twice his real size, but as soon as the owner wagged his finger at him, the furious favorite humbled his anger and calmed down. Once he got lost in a dense bush, and the owner could not find him that day, but when a few days later he went to this forest again, he saw his Pips on a tree, and the animal was so happy to meet the owner that immediately jumped from the tree and no longer left him a step. Subsequently, Strandal took him with him to England, where the mongoose soon became a common favorite. He knew how to do many funny things: he jumped, tumbled, sat on a chair, wearing a yarmulke on his head, pretended to be a soldier and obeyed the command. Pipe died of melancholy: he could not bear the temporary separation from his master and voluntarily starved himself to death.
A closely related species of the Indian mongoose is javanese mongoose(Herpestes javanicus) *, but it is much smaller than it and does not exceed 55 cm in length, of which the tail accounts for almost 20 cm. This cute animal has dark brown fur with delicate golden specks, so it looks like it is sprinkled with gold dust. On the back, the color darkens, on the head it turns into a reddish color.

* The Java mongoose is distributed in almost all the same places as the great Indian. In addition, it was brought to the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Fiji, Hawaii and northeastern South America. It is noticeably smaller: body length 42-54 cm, tail length 22-25 cm, but in general it looks very much like a large Indian mongoose. Some researchers of the Javanese mongoose from Hindustan and from Arabia consider the small Indian mongoose (N. auropunctatus) as a special species.

The remarkable species of this group include striped mongoose(Mungos mungo) **. It is the smallest animal of the entire family, but in its appearance, lifestyle and character it quite resembles its relatives.

* * This species has a striped pattern on the back and sides. This is by no means the smallest mongoose: the length of its body is 30-45 cm, the length of the tail is up to 29 cm, weight is 1-2 kg: dwarf mongooses are almost twice as small. Distributed in savannas and dry forests of South, Central and Eastern Africa, and in West Africa it is replaced by a close species - the Gambian mongoose (M. gambianus).

The length of its body reaches 40 cm, and the tail is 20 cm, but I can say with certainty that I have seen larger animals, although I have not measured their length. The base color of the thick fur of the striped mongoose appears to be a pale gray because the individual hair is composed of white, black and roan rings. The fur of the striped mongoose consists of regularly spaced dark and light transverse stripes. The muzzle and lower part of the body are rusty, the end of the tail is black.
The striped mongoose seems to be found in fairly large numbers throughout eastern Africa,

• - The family of viverrids has the largest number of species in the entire order of carnivores. There are about 75 of them, and according to some zoologists, even more ...

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• - taxonomic category in biol. taxonomy. S. unites close genera having a common origin. The Latin name of S. is formed by adding to the base of the name of the type genus the endings-idae and-aseae ...

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• - family -. One of the main categories in biological taxonomy, unites genera with a common origin; also - a family, a small group of individuals related by consanguinity and including parents and their offspring ...

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• - family, taxonomic category in the taxonomy of animals and plants ...

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• - A highly productive group of breeding queens descended from an outstanding ancestor and descendants similar to her in type and productivity ...

Fishing cat (civet fisher cat) is reputed to be a big lover of fish and belongs to the genus of oriental cats... Found only in Asia (Indochina, Sumatra, India, Java, Ceylon, Vietnam). Engaged in "fishing" on the banks of rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean and the coast of the ocean itself.

The living space captures the ebb and flow zone, where mangroves grow - plants with deep roots and high leaves. In the mangrove thickets, the civet fisherman hides from enemies, finds suitable prey and feels like a full-fledged owner.

The onset of man on his habitat (deforestation, drainage of swamps, expansion of settlements, pollution of territories) negatively affects the population. Currently, this predator is on the verge of complete extinction. Hunting for him is prohibited, and he is listed in the Red Book.

Appearance

The external similarity with the family of viverrid mammals is reflected in the Latin name of the species (viverridae), and is expressed in a variegated pattern against a background of olive-brown color, identical to the shape of the body and short legs. The distant relationship of these animals, dating back to the last epoch of the Paleogene period, is not excluded.

In size, a civet cat is almost twice the size of an ordinary domestic cat.

• The length of the body reaches a meter, the height at the withers is 38 - 41 cm.
• The weight of an adult male is 11 - 15 kg, that of a female is 6 - 7 kg.
• The tail is thick at the base, thin at the end, not long.
• The physique is strong, stocky, awkward at first glance, however, strength, swiftness and a kind of grace are manifested in the movements of the animal.
• The massive head, due to the short neck, practically merges with the body.
• The facial part of the skull is wide, the jaws are powerful, with sharp long canines.
• A large nose with a wide, shortened bridge of the nose stands out on the muzzle with a pale pink color, on both sides it is surrounded by a rare fan-shaped diverging mustache.
• The ears are small, semicircular in shape, with a white edging inside and black at the back.
• The eyes are round, yellow-green in color. Pupils in the form of vertical lentils.
• The paws are short, with webbing between the toes, the claws are not fully retracted.
• The coat is harsh, coarse, short, with a matte sheen.
• The main tone of the coat color is dominated by olive and light gray shades. Paws, sides and tail are covered with small randomly located black spots, and there are several ring-shaped stripes at the tip of the tail. On the head and back, the spots merge into longitudinal stripes. White markings around eyes and behind ears.

The fishing cat has two subspecies, differing exclusively in size. Individuals of smaller sizes live on the islands of Java and Bali, larger animals are found in Sumatra, in southern and eastern Asia, and India.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The animal lives in coastal swamps and cannot do without water. He loves and knows how to swim well, prefers to wander in shallow water, and not sit on the shore. Climbs the trees reluctantly, climbs on them only if absolutely necessary.

Of natural enemies, he is afraid of the leopard, but he may well enter into battle with him. An adult cat marks its territory with urine, in every possible way declares its rights to the status of the owner. In addition, he is a famous brawler and bully. Fights for any reason.

They go out to hunt at dusk, when fish come to the shore and crayfish, crabs, shrimps become active. It waits for prey, sitting by the water. Uses cunning techniques to get the victim as close as possible. Most often, it presses on the surface of the water with webbed paws, creating small ripples and imitating the movement of insects.

Sometimes it pounces on passing fish from the shore. It catches it out of the water with its paws, but can dive for prey and to the depth. The webbing on the paws helps to move fairly quickly in the water for long distances, and dive well.

The civet fisher cat has an excellent appetite and can eat up to 1.5 kg of fish per day. The diet, in addition to the favorite food, includes snails, snakes, frogs, crayfish, crabs - the cat hunts them in shallow water. On occasion, he does not refuse small mammals, birds. There are known cases of attacks on larger animals that come to the watering hole. It can also feed on carrion.

Reproduction and care of offspring

Little is known about the reproduction of wild civet cats, the animal leads a too secretive lifestyle in nature. In captivity, the fishing civet cat can breed all year round. The relative peak of activity is observed in late February and early March.

Pregnancy in a female lasts about 2 - 2.5 months (63 - 70 days). The male does not abandon the female and helps her prepare for the upcoming birth. Parents are looking for a secluded place, equipping and insulating the den.

As a rule, two or three kittens are born. The cub's weight does not exceed 170 grams. The main food for offspring in the first three months is mother's milk. From two months of age, parents teach kids to eat solid foods. By the time they reach nine months, kittens grow to the size of an adult and can take care of themselves. The final formation of a sexually mature individual occurs by 15 months.

In the wild, a predator shuns a person, but does not show aggression without a special reason. A cat caught as a kitten can tame and get used to people. Quite often, a fishing cat is found in zoos in Europe. The animal is kept in specially equipped enclosures, has access to an artificial reservoir and living conditions close to their natural habitat.

The animal adapts well to the domestic lifestyle and if you follow the recommendations of the breeders, it can become a loving and devoted friend. It is better to stop your choice on the female. When she grows up, she will less hassle and problems. Males who have reached puberty begin to mark their territory, jealously defend their owners from outsiders with the help of claws and teeth. The consequences of such actions are dangerous and fraught with sad consequences.

Raising a kitten requires some effort, a special approach. The animal is distinguished by a complex, conflicting nature, however, it is very quick-witted and intelligent. It is better to take a kitten from the cattery at two months of age. In order for the baby to quickly get used to the new home, he is hand-fed, surrounded by care and affection.

They are taught to the tray and commands from childhood. Prohibitions are indicated in a calm and confident tone. Be sure to praise when everything is done right. The cat treats other pets ambiguously, and gets used to them only when the code grows with them.

You can and should play with a kitten, but you should not use your own limbs.

An adult pet grows to a solid size, but in its soul it remains the same little kitten. Uses proven play techniques - bites, grabs hands and feet, may accidentally scratch or fail to calculate bite strength. At best, after such games, the owner is provided with very painful sensations.

Before buying an animal, it is necessary to study not only the external description of the breed, but also the habits of a potential pet. Fishing cat's biggest passion is fishing. To deprive him of such pleasure is cruel. In an apartment, you can periodically arrange a "pond" right in the bathtub and launch floating toys into it. In a country house, you can equip a swimming pool under an artificial reservoir. The cat will be happy to swim there, and if you launch a live fish, it will also hunt.

The diet consists of fish and lean meats. The daily norm of products is 1.5 kg. Vitamin preparations, various supplements with minerals are added to food.

Health

The animal is in good health, rarely gets sick and does not cause much trouble to the owner in this regard. Despite the natural immunity, the predator is subject to all vaccinations prescribed for cats, and supervision by a veterinarian. If the male is not intended for breeding, he is castrated before the age of eight months.

With good home care, it can live 20 - 25 years. In nature, life expectancy is limited to 12 - 15 years.

Buying a kitten

The animal is under state protection. Therefore, in order to buy a fishing cat, a special permit is required. Only a few specialized nurseries are engaged in the legal sale and breeding of this breed. The increased demand for large breeds of cats, which has been noted recently, increases the value of this most interesting and charming representative of the animal world. The price of a civet fishing cat starts at $ 10,000.

1. The fishing civet cat has such powerful jaws that it is called the pit bull terrier of the feline world.
2. White eye spots are clearly visible behind the ears in the photo of the animal. By them, you can navigate in what mood the civet cat is. If the spots are not visible and the ears are pressed to the head, it is better not to touch the animal. Thus, he demonstrates discontent and aggression.
3. The animal presses its ears to the head as tightly as possible during swimming, diving, so that no water gets into them.
4. Due to the special shape of the nose, the predator, after taking a deep breath, can retain air, and water does not enter it during diving.
5. The size of the males is twice the size of the females.

There are only a few nurseries where they are breeding. Recently, a large number of photos (almost all of the same cat) have appeared on the network, showing a good-natured domestic representative of this breed. Of course, this sparked demand. Consider how your home can meet the needs of a large cat. In addition, weigh your capabilities as a trainer and educator, because only correct and consistent actions will allow you to raise a friend, and not a dangerous animal.

Who is this mysterious creature?

He actually has a lot of names, because of this some confusion arises: a civet (or fish) cat.

Like everyone else, it belongs to the class of mammals. genus - oriental cats. There are two subspecies of these magnificent animals.

Where do these animals live?

We come to the most important question. It is primarily a wild beast. Like a hedgehog, turtle, tiger or bear, it can be taken from the wild, but several generations must pass for the predatory instincts to subside somewhat, as can be observed in modern domestic cats.

Raising such a pet requires a lot of effort, time and knowledge. Taking a kitten from the cattery, you should be aware that his ancestors live with people for only a few generations, and instincts will surely wake up in him sooner or later.

Fishing cats live in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. The larger subspecies inhabits Sumatra and India. The second, a little smaller, lives in Bali. They are found near swamps and slow rivers.

Exterior data

Fishing cats are rather large animals: the size of a dog, about 40 centimeters at the withers, weighing up to 15 kg (females are smaller, about 7 kg).

The length of the body is about a meter. Fit and muscular, they possess the grace and agility of a leopard and great strength. Their muzzles are short and wide, which makes them even more impressive. The ears are small and round, pressed to the head - they show aggression. The jaws are very strong, which is why these animals are called pit bulls of the feline world.

The head is large, practically merging with the body due to the short neck. The legs and tail are short and thick. The fur is short and rough, waterproof. Fishing cats have another remarkable feature: they have membranes between their paws, which help to hunt in the water. They interfere with the retracting of the claws, but they greatly help when fishing.

Features of behavior

If you live in a large private house with a pool or pond nearby, this is the most interesting breed to observe. Fishing cats are excellent swimmers, and they hunt with amazing skill. They have a lot of tricks, they can wait on the shore, and when they see a swimming fish, they can attack it from the shore. Cats have fun looking for frogs and snails in the shallow waters. The reception to depth is even more interesting. The paws of a swimming cat create small ripples that attract underwater inhabitants. Seeing prey, he dives for it to any depth.

These animals are great fighters. There is a known case when a civet cat kept in a zoo killed a leopard. In the wild, they usually avoid humans. Raised by humans, in the presence of a large territory for outdoor games and a reservoir for hunting, animals can be quite affectionate, but an adult, non-castrated male can claim his rights to the status of the owner. Arguing with him is not easy.

Pet

If you decide to pay attention to this particular breed, then we hasten to please you. the way of life takes quite easily, unlike other wild cats. There are a number of tips that you can follow to grow a loyal friend.

Stop your choice on the female, they are less prone to dominance and more agreeable. Get a kitten at a very young age, ideally at 6-8 weeks. By the beginning of puberty (7 months), the kitten should be neutered. Be sure to pay attention to your pet, play more often and hand-feed him.

Features of the content

Prepare in advance that the kitten will play a lot in the water. Baths are suitable for home games, and pools, ponds or rivers flowing next to the house are suitable for outdoor entertainment. Do not forget the floating toys, they will act as fish. By the way, it will be useful for a growing cat to hunt for live fish, launched into the bath, if there is no natural reservoir nearby.

The food should contain a lot of fish and meat. An adult cat eats about 1.5 kg of fish per day, get ready to spend.

Upbringing

Forget brute force. An adult meter animal with huge claws can easily overcome a person. From childhood, teach him that if it is impossible, then completely and forever. The prohibition should be indicated in a calm, confident tone. An air pump can be used to punish systematic offenses. A jet of air + a speech command will be remembered much better.

Do not play with the kitten using your own hands and feet as toys! Growing up, cats remain the same playful, but become much stronger. A playful bite on the leg will become quite painful. Buy a variety of toys for leisure activities.

This is a very smart breed. A fishing cat is trained in much the same way as a dog, so do it regularly from an early age. A light collar should be put on the pet on the day of purchase, gradually replacing it with a more durable one. It's the same with litter box training. Do not punish the kitten for coping with needs in the wrong place, show where it is necessary, and praise when he does everything right.

Vaccination

These are very strong animals with excellent health. The issue of vaccination is controversial: some believe that this weaken the breed, others see salvation in vaccinations. Usually, veterinarians advise to carry out what is supposed to be done by everyone. Remembering about possible serious illnesses, it is difficult to disagree with them.

It should be noted that today in Russia there are no nurseries for breeding this breed. And that's not even bad. There are very few owners who can offer the animal really suitable conditions, and even patient dogs, not like a fishing cat, are not suitable for living in a small apartment. Photos of this regal beast are adorable, but think many times before embarking on a search for it. Kittens are not cheap, about $ 10,000. Look for reputable breeders.

Civet cats and other pets

It is believed that they get along peacefully with any pets. But, given the small number of families in which these big cats lived happily ever after, you need to get other animals with an eye to the character of your pet. Plan how many and what kind of animals you want. It is better to take everyone while the kitten is very small. This is the key to a strong friendship between your pets.

Beginning in adulthood, introduce the fishing cat to newcomers to your family, carefully so that he does not see them as rivals.

Let's summarize

The fishing cat is the most interesting representative of the feline world. Attractive appearance and bright personality, large size and incredible grace - all this is harmoniously combined in it. All you have to do is love and care for the animal with all your heart. Cats sense your true relationship with them. He will become attached to such a master like no other animal, and will never give a reason to think that a wild animal lives in your house.