![]() Ring-tailed cats often inhabit ecosystems such as oak forests, chaparral, deserts, and rocky canyons. Solely nocturnal, the ringtail is so elusive that biologists don’t really know if their populations are healthy or threatened in our region. It is native to the southwestern United States (including the Los Padres National Forest) and Mexico. The ring-tailed cat (or miner’s cat) is not actually a cat - rather, it is a small, fox-sized member of the raccoon family with a long, striped tail. If it finds itself under threat, the Ring-tailed Cat can escape danger by flipping backwards, pivoting on its tail.Ringtails are adept climbers. ![]() They sleep in dens, usually lined with dry vegetation such as leaves. Relatively large and surrounded with white spectacles of fur. Its appearance explains why this member of the raccoon family is known as a ringtail. ![]() Ranges from buff to greyish-brown, with the underparts being paler in colouration. These are remarkably flexible, allowing the Ring-tailed cat to swivel its position by 180°, helping it to climb. Lifespan: 7 - 10 years, up to 19 in captivity. Length: 91 - 124 cm (36 - 49 in) stands up to 16 cm (6 in) tall.īreeding: Averages 2 - 4, but can be up to 5 weaning occurs at about 42 days.įood: Carnivorous, hunting small mammals, birds and invertebrates also eats fruit and nuts. Weight: 0.9 - 1.3 kg (2 - 3 lb) males are heavier. Habitat: Rocky areas, woodland and shrubland, and montane conifer forest. This is because their young used to be trapped and tamed, so they could keep the cabins occupied by the miners free from rodents.ĭistribution: South-west Oregon, California, southern Utah and Nevada, western Colorado and southern Kansas and Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to Mexico and Costa Rica. North American ringtails are also locally known as miner’s cats. A ringtail scent-marks its territory by regularly urinating at specific sites. Both the ringtail and the cacomistle, its relative, are largely solitary, and become aggressive towards intruders into their territory. However, ring-tailed cats have more agile, cat-like bodies than raccoons. This species is named after its bushy tail, which is ringed with black and white stripes, much like the tails of raccoons. If threatened, their tail bristles and arches over their head, making them look larger. When they finish eating, they groom themselves by licking their fur, wiping their head clean with damp paws. They are excellent climbers, and literally search high and low for rodents, squirrels, insects and other small animals. The Ring-tailed cats are most active at night, spending most of their time foraging. They are noisy, making a wide range of calls, often squeaking, hissing and growling. At birth, the young lack the striped tail pattern, being mainly white. Mating occurs from spring through to early summer. The young disperse after about ten months. ![]() The father may stay nearby - and be tolerated by the female - and play with his offspring as they grow. The young are suckled for ten weeks, after which the mother has to find food for the young. When ready to give birth, females make a den under a boulder or in a hollow tree. ![]() Although they prefer dry environments, they are also common near rivers, where food is easier to find. They prefer rocky areas, such as canyons, but also occupy a range of lowland habitats, including deserts, woodland and shrubland. They are most commonly found in highland forests. Ring-tailed cats are found from the western United States to southern Mexico. Their agile nature means that North American ringtails occur both in forests and also more arid rocky areas, where they can also move around easily. ![]()
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