Well they’re not ducks to have webbed feet, and what they do have is this crude, underdeveloped webbing of sorts between their toes. They are known to tap the surface of the water (to mimic an insect) to lure fish to the surface, sort of like a cruel knock knock joke (“knock knock – who’s there? – Imma fish – Imma fish who? – Imma fish you”).Ī very widespread misconception is that fishing cats have webbed feet. They are expert anglers (no, they don’t fish with bait and hook) and how they net fish is by using their paws to scoop fish out of the water (if the water is shallow) or by diving headfirst (if it is a bit deep). You will be in for a rude awakening, as they can be quite aggressive when they want to! Much like anyone who doesn’t want to be bothered! So, as you do with all wild animals, respect their personal space and privacy at all times and observe from a distance. But this does not mean that you can let off a sigh of relief and pop into the nearest wetland and adopt one. Which means they are not afraid to get wet (made you look at your cat with disdain, didn’t I?). Their tails are about half their body length and are thick, and patterned with incomplete rings which end with a solid black tip.įishing cats are adapted to a semi aquatic lifestyle in wetlands, marshlands and other habitats that have a good source of flowing water. The second layer sprouts from the first as long guard hairs and is what gives them their characteristic color palette. The first is like thermal underwear, which you would wear in teeth-chattering cold climates to protect the valuables, as it regulates core body temperature and acts as a waterproof barrier (this same arrangement can be seen in polar bears). When talking about their fur, they have two layers. Worthless conversation? Plug up your ears! It’s that easy). Plus, they have the ability to plug up their ears, to prevent water from getting in, when they take a dive to catch fish (the perfect adaptation to have around annoying people. The back of a fishing cat’s ears are black with a bright white spot in the middle, which might serve as a false eye to deter predators, like with tigers, or serve as a visual cue to the cubs when following their mother. Their uncharacteristically cute, button-like ears may look adorable but they are like satellite dishes when it comes to picking up sounds without moving their heads, so good luck sneaking up on them or any cat for that matter – a cat’s ear is controlled by 32 muscles, giving them the ability to rotate them a full 180 degrees. Not because they smell seductively of Rani Sandalwood Soap – which is highly unlikely – but because the sandalwood bark has somewhat the same color palette as their pelage.įishing cats have a comparatively large head with a broad forehead and an elongated muzzle, all attached to a muscle bound neck, which gives them their signature village gangster (chandi / චණ්ඩි) look. Handhun / හඳුන් on the other hand, refers to sandalwood. It’s this cryptic couture that gave birth to its local names, “Andhun Diviya / අඳුන් දිවියා or Handhun Diviya / හඳුන් දිවියා” (Andhun / අඳුන් refers to the dark complexion of their coat. Each fishing cat has his or her own unique set of stripes and spots and all of them have four stripes that run from their forehead to their back, and two stripes which run from their eyes to the side of their faces, like some cool Maori tribal tattoo. The short and coarse fur which covers them has a lovely olive yellowish-grey color to it and their whole body is teeming with stripes and spots, which looks like morse code (good luck trying to decipher what it says). They are four times the size of a normal house cat and their tubby frame is supported with rippling muscles that show off their “everyday I’m hustlin” lifestyle. When compared with a house cat, who is either pampered beyond all means or gets yelled at for eating off the counter (whatever is appropriate), the fishing cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus) is a more hardened, salt of the earth type.
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