Marbled Cat

COMMON NAME : Marbled cat / Kucing batu

SCIENTIFIC NAME : Pardofelis marmorata

TYPE : Mammals

DIET : Carnivore

SIZE : Head and body of 45 – 62 cm; tail length of 47 – 60 cm 

WEIGHT :2,5 – 5 kg

IUCN RED LIST STATUS (Global) : Near Threatened

CURRENT POPULATION TREND : Decreasing

The marbled cat’s coat is thick and soft, with well-developed woolly underfur. The background color may vary from dark gray-brown through yellowish gray to red-brown. The flanks and back are strikingly marked with large, irregular, dark-edged blotches. The legs and underparts are patterned with black dots, and the tail is marked with black spots proximally and rings distally. There are spots on the forehead and crown, which merge into narrow longitudinal stripes on the neck and irregular stripes on the back (Sunquist and Sunquist, 2002).

They are thought to be nocturnal and solitary, although recent studies show activity during day as well as night. They are territorial animals and their home range usually covers a territory the size of 2.2 square miles. The Marbled cat is characterized as being very active, with a great capacity to climb and jump. Their front feet have webbed and flexible paws which feature heel pads that are twice as wide as their length. Their claws are retractable and are double-sheathed, so they are well suited for climbing. Marbled cats are comfortable on the ground as well. Their behavior and morphology indicates that these are semi-arboreal animals. Like the domestic cats, marbled cats have been seen purring. Their meow has been compared to chirping instead of a more continuous sound inflection. These cats rely heavily on their vision, which in low light is very good. (animalia.bio)

Marbled cat is partly arboreal and can lives in both primary and secondary forest, with a preference for hilly terrain. This species is thought to be primarily active during the daylight hours (diurnal) although crepuscular and nocturnal records exist. The marbled cat feeds on a variety of small animals such as rodents and birds (Mossbrucker, 2020). Birds are thought to form a major part of the marbled cat’s diet, along with squirrels, rats, possibly lizards, and frogs (Sunquist and Sunquist, 2002).