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| Felis silvestris | |
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| European wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris | |
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| Species: | Felis silvestris |
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The wildcat is Felis silvestris, a member of the small cat sub-family Felinae. It is native to Eurasia. It is so-called because it is almost impossible to tame. However, crossbreeding with domestic cats has occurred throughout almost the whole of the species' range.
The wildcat shows geographic variation. All subspecies are larger than house cats, with longer legs and more robust bodies. There are about 22 subspecies, or (according to some) only four, including the Chinese mountain cat, which was previously considered a species in its own right.
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