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Abbott, A.; Jones, M.; Wilson, B.
The small four
2014 South African Country Life: 67-69
Arangy tabby cat took over our household a while back. Initially wild and unapproachable, Nearly Ours (as we named him) changed his tune once he knew he could trust us. He moved in and established a commanding presence. Cat lovers were enchanted; detractors begrudgingly admired him, and many remarked on Nearly's black soles, black ringed, black-tipped tail, and facial markings. "He could be an African wild cat," is still a common conclusion. And it's not far-fetched. Similar in shape to the average domestic cat, the African wild cat, _Felis silvestris lybica_, is closely related to _Felis catus_ - the posh name for our pet moggies. Being close kin and given half a chance to mingle, these wild cats and domestic (mostly feral) cats interbreed happily, the result - _F. lybica_ could possibly pass for Nearly Ours.
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