Prionailurus rubiginosus

Prionailurus rubiginosus

Prionailurus rubiginosus is a small species of cat in the Felidae family, also known as the red-headed cat. It is native to India, Sri Lanka and Western Terai in Nepal [1]. This species is nearly half the size of a domestic cat, making it one of the smallest felids in the world [2].

The rufous-headed cat occurs in moist or dry deciduous forests as well as shrub grasslands in Sri Lanka, India, and western Terai in Nepal [2]. It is active mainly at night, hunting small animals such as rodents and birds [1]. The red-headed cat usually breeds once a year and can live up to 14 years in captivity [3].

Regarding the conservation of this species, it is considered "Near Threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to the loss of its natural habitat caused by the destruction of the forest, l agriculture and hunting .

In summary, Prionailurus rubiginosus is a small species of cat that lives mainly in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, is almost half the size of a house cat, feeds on small animals and is considered "Near Threatened". "due to the destruction of its natural habitat .