Bay Cat

Bay Cat (Felis badia)

Family: FELIDAE
All the Bornean wild cat species are basically similar to the domestic cat in body form and have 28-30 teeth. They are distinguished mainly by size, tail length and coloration. All cats have four toes on the hind feet and five on the front feet, but the inner front toe is small and leaves no impression on the ground. The claws are retractile, and do not appear in footprints. There is no definite evidence that either the Tiger, Panthera tigris, or the Leopard, Panthera pardus, occur in Borneo.

Measurements: (prepared skins) HB 630-690, T 370-430 (about 60% of HB), HF 120-140 (2 specimens).

Identification: Entire body reddish or dark grey. Few specimens are recorded and it is unclear whether the colour phases are distinct, or represent extremes in a broad range of colour variation. A grey specimen in the British Museum has blackish hair with pale tips on the upperparts merging to reddish and buff on the underparts. Usually has three dark stripes on top of head in both colour forms.

Similar species: The Flat-headed Cat, F. planiceps, has a short tail and white on the chin and chest.

Ecology and Habitat: Unknown

Distribution: Restricted to Borneo and recorded only from S. Baram, (probably Long Tuyut on S. Tinjar), and Kuching in Sarawak.