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Fishing Cat Facts & Worksheets

A fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of the subfamily Felinae.

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A fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of the subfamily Felinae, thriving in the wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, swamps, and mangroves of South and Southeast Asia. Listed as a vulnerable species, the fishing cat’s population is currently threatened by habitat loss and has declined over the last ten years.

See the fact file below for more information on the Fishing Cat or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Fishing Cat worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Taxonomy

  • In 1833, English zoologist Edward Turner Bennett defined a fishing cat skin from India, thus proposing its first genus name, Felis. 
  • In 1936, Dutch mammalogist Henri Jacob Victor Sody proposed Felis viverrinus rhizophoreus as he described a sample from the north coast of West Java.
  • In 1858, a Russian explorer and naturalist Nikolai Severtzov gave its current genus name, Prionailurus, in reference to the spotted wild cats of Asia. 

Characteristics

  • The fishing cat is considered the largest of the Prionailurus cats, about two times the size of a domestic cat, in reference to its compact and muscular body with medium to short legs.
  • The fishing cat sports a deep yellowish-grey pelage covered with black lines and spots. Two stripes line the cheeks, and two above the eyes extending across its neck, with broken lines along the forehead. Two rows of spots stretch around the throat, and spots found on the shoulder are longitudinal, while those on the sides, limbs, and tail are circular.
  • A male fishing cat is relatively larger than a female, weighing from 8.5 to 16 kg, while the latter reaches approximately 5.1 to 6.8 kg.
  • It has short and round ears, bearing a white spot at the back, set low on the head.
  • Its short tail, which is less than half its head-to-body length, has a few rings at the tip.
  • Compared to a leopard, the fishing cat has paws that are less webbed, with claws that are not totally sheathed so they emerge slightly when retracted.
  • Due to its adaptation in bodies of water, its fur became layered; a short, dense row acting as a water barrier and thermal insulation, and another layer of poking long guard hairs that gives its coat pattern and a shiny sheen. Its coat color varies among individuals, from yellowish tawny to ashy grey, and the size of the stripes ranges from narrow to broad. The fur on the back and sides is darker than that on the belly. 

Distribution and Habitat

  • The fishing cat is widely but discontinuously scattered across South and Southeast Asia, inhabiting wetlands, swamps, and marshy regions around oxbow lakes, reed beds, tidal creeks, and mangrove forests. It tries to avoid smaller, fast-moving bodies of water. 
  • There are no confirmed documents suggesting the existence of the fishing cat in Malaysia, Vietnam, or Laos.

Ecology and Behavior

  • Fishing cats are generally nocturnal, and particularly love to spend time near the water. They can swim long distances and even submerge underwater. 
  • Adults without dependent young prefer to be alone.
  • Females have been observed to travel over areas of four to six sq. km., while males range over 16 to 22 sq. km.
  • They have been seen hunting along the edges of wetlands, or other bodies of water, snatching prey from the water, and occasionally diving underwater to hunt prey further at the bottom. 
  • Fully grown males and females have been reported to produce “chuckling” noises.
  • They mainly feed on fish and the rest of their diet is composed of birds, insects, and small rodents. They also prey on mollusks, reptiles such as snakes, amphibians, and carrion of domestic cattle.
  • Fishing cats define their territories through the cheek, head, chin, and neck rubbing, and by scent marking through their urine. They also sharpen their claws and display flehmen response, which is a behavior in which fishing cats curl back their upper lip, exposing their front teeth, and inhaling with their nostrils closed.
  • Those in the wild mate during January and February. In captivity, their gestation period ends after 63 to 70 days, and females rear two to three kittens. 
  • At two months old, kittens start playing in the water and take solid food, although they are not fully weaned until they reach six months. 
  • Canine teeth start to protrude when they are 11 months old.
  • They reach sexual maturity at 15 months old and live up to 10 years in captivity.

Threats and Conservation

  • Habitat loss and destruction, which are caused by pollution and conversion to agricultural use and human settlements, are the main threats to fishing cats. 
  • They are most likely extinct in coastal Kerala, India.
  • They are protected under the national legislation throughout most of their distribution.

Fishing Cat Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Fishing Cat across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Fishing Cat which is listed as a vulnerable species, the fishing cat’s population is currently threatened by habitat loss and has declined over the last ten years.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Fishing Cat Facts
  • Background Check
  • Creature Feature
  • Test Yourself
  • Living the Wild Life
  • Fishing Cat FAQs
  • Where the Wild Cats At?
  • Into the Wetlands
  • Finish the Puzzle
  • Wild Cat Collage
  • Save Our Species

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Link will appear as Fishing Cat Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 15, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.