Black-footed Cat

The black-footed cat is one of the smallest wild cat species in the world, native to the dry grasslands and scrublands of southern Africa, particularly South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. It is named for the black soles of its feet, which stand out against its pale, dark-spotted coat. Despite its small size, it is a highly effective nocturnal hunter, taking a large number of small prey items such as rodents, birds, and insects each night relative to its body weight. It is solitary and rarely seen, sheltering by day in abandoned burrows of other animals, hollow termite mounds, or dense vegetation, and its secretive habits mean much of its behavior remains poorly studied compared with larger cats.