Caracal cats, also called desert or steppe lynxes, except for the Sahara desert, live in Africa, as well as in southwestern Asia. Despite the name, this predator has nothing to do with lynxes, there is only some similarity in appearance. In some areas, there are so many animals that the locals exterminate them, because pests attack domestic animals, but still in Asia and North Africa, caracals are quite rare.
Cats used to get along in the same territory as cheetahs, but now they prefer to stay closer to servals. They live in bushes, forests, rocky areas, plains. Ideal for their habitat is the edge of the forest, turning into a plain. The range also affects the color of the animal's coat, so there are brown, yellowish, red caracal cats. The belly is lighter than the back, there are numerous spots on it. The muzzle is notable for dark markings around the eyes, the ears are large and end in black long tassels. The older the felines, the longer they are.
Females weigh up to13 kg, males - about 20 kg, body length - from 60 cm to 90 cm, tail about 30 cm. Such dimensions speak for themselves and give an idea of how huge the caracal cat is. The photo of the animal differs significantly from the image of an ordinary domestic cat; this is a typical representative of predators. Its powerful hind legs allow it to jump up to 5 m in length, as well as push off the ground and fly up, thanks to which the animal is able to catch a bird already taking off.
Steppe lynxes prefer to live alone, the only exception is the mating period. If the paths of males can still intersect, then females will not tolerate anyone on their territory, their possessions occupy from 4 to 60 km in Africa, and Asian representatives generally occupy up to 300 km of area. Caracal cats prefer to mate when they are not in danger of starvation. Females make themselves felt with the help of urine with pheromones and a kind of cough, signaling the mating call. Kittens appear between October and February, but it all depends on the characteristics of the habitat.
The cat protects her offspring up to 4 months, feeds the babies, drags them from place to place. Kittens become completely independent at six months. Animals are mostly nocturnal, but sometimes they can be seen during the day. Caracal cats have perfect hearing, which helps them track down victims, vision is used to accurately aim at the object of attack. Predators feed only on food of animal origin: birds, small monkeys, rodents, antelopes, hares, hyraxes, reptiles. They cannot only to kill an animal that is superior in mass, but also to drive other hunters away from their prey.
Sometimes a caracal cat can be kept as a pet. The price for it is rather big, and not everyone can feed the predator, so the steppe lynx can only be seen among we althy people. The animal is endowed with a developed intellect, so it can be taught and tamed a lot, but still one should not forget about its origin and innate instincts. An untrained pet can be dangerous even for the owner.
