The sand cat or desert cat  (Felis margarita), is a species of carnivorous mammal of the Felidae family. It is the smallest member of the genus Felis. Victor Loche, a French naturalist, was the first to describe the species, when he discovered a specimen in the middle of an excursion through the Sahara desert in 1858.

The sand cat’s habitat spans the entire width of that desert, from Morocco to Egypt to Sudan. In the past 20 years, they have also been documented in Middle Eastern countries, such as Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.

The desert cat is well adapted to the harsh environment in which it lives, they can survive temperatures between -5º and 52ºC and are able to endure months only with the water that their food contains.

Sand or desert cat

The sand cat maintains the appearance of a kitten throughout its life, giving the impression that they never grow up.

The desert cat rarely goes out in the daytime and they are very elusive. They are considered a near threatened species due to hunting and illegal trade, they are sold as pets.

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Characteristics of the sand cat

• Weight:  they weigh no more than 3.5 kg.
• Height: they measure from 39 to 57 cm (length on head and body). The tail measures 24 to 31 cm.
• Fur: unlike other felines, the soles of the feet are completely covered with fur in order to protect it against contact with the burning sands of the desert.
•  Coat color : sandy with few darker stripes.
• Ears: very wide, covered with thick white hair to protect the ear from sand and wind.
• Head:  remarkably broad.
• Litter: They usually come in litters of three kittens. They become independent at four months of age and reach sexual maturity between nine and 14 months.

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The sand cat is a threatened species

Since 2002, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has included the felis margarita in its list of ‘near threatened’ species due to its fragmented population and loss of habitat.

As is unfortunately common, the main problem for the desert cat has to do with human interference and consists of the expansion of crops to the desert. Interaction with domestic dogs and wild cats is also a problem, as it increases competition for prey, and even causes them to contract diseases.

Recent studies indicate that only 61% of the population of this sand cat in captivity manage to survive more than a month, this is caused mainly by maternal negligence.

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Desert cat behavior

The sand cat is a great hunter, although it may seem exaggerated, the incredible hearing of the desert cat not only allows it to find far away prey, it also finds prey that is found underground.

Their main hunting strategy is to dig.

Sand cats mainly feed on gerbils and small reptiles, but they are also famous for hunting snakes.

They can survive on the liquid they get from their prey.

They also have a tendency to suffer from various respiratory diseases, which makes them unsuitable as pets, so think carefully before you buy, adopt an animal from a shelter and stop helping this type of trade that kills wild animals to grow.