Everyone is familiar with the big cats, of course, but how many people actually know the smallest cat in Africa?
This amazing little cat is called the small spotted cat (aka black-footed cat). It also happens to be the 2nd smallest cat in the world. It originally got its name from the black hair and soles of its feet but, as many cats have black feet, this name was found no longer suitable and change to the small spotted cat.

Have you ever wondered which other wild cats occur in Southern Africa besides the well known large ones?
There are 4 smaller species of wild cats. Each one of these cats is spectacular in its own right and plays an important role in ecosystems. The larger of the small species are the caracal and serval. The caracal unfortunately has a bad reputation, largely undeserved, and is seldom seen due to constant persecution.

Size counts for the wild cat of Africa. For centuries, big cats have garnered the limelight in the fields of conservation, publicity and funding on the continent, while the secretive – and just as beautiful – small cats are all but ignored.
Relatively little is known about sub-Saharan Africa’s smaller felids – the black footed cat, African Wild cat, serval and caracal. CLAIRE FULTON is determined to learn all she can about these fascination creatures.