Cottage Search
Follow Us
The Highland tiger...
..a cat of a different stripe
With movement which mirrors larger cats such as lions or panthers, but a stature which resembles your local neighbourhood tabby, the Scottish Wildcat prowls stealthily through the unspoilt mountain ranges of Highland Scotland. Fondly referred to as 'Highland Tigers', these agile, private, independent and extremely intelligent animals are emblematic of the freedom, autonomy and seclusion that the north of Scotland offers.
Greyish brown in colour with black stripes, which make for useful camouflage, these cats have a distinctive white underside and a big bushy tail with black tip. Their thick two-layered coat keeps them both warm and dry in this unpredictable and (at times) inhospitable environment. Not to be confused with feral cats (pet cats which have escaped domestication and reverted back to a wild state) Felis silvestris grampia, translated as 'woodland cat', is a subspecies of the humanised cats which were first introduced to Britain by the Romans.
These noble creatures once roamed through out the British Isles, but by 1880, affected by human persecution and the destruction of their habitats, they were driven from England, Wales and the south of Scotland, taking refuge in the untamed landscape of the Scottish Highlands. Wildcats are seasonal breeders and it is around this time of year (spring) that visitors to the Cairngorms may hear the caterwauling of female wild cats hauntingly echoing around the valleys as they call for a mate. Their adorable but elusive offspring appear around 2 months later.
Similar to the domestic cat in some ways, Wildcats are nocturnal, being most active at dawn and dusk and they tend to spend the majority of their days sleeping! It is thought that there are less than 400 remaining in the wild, making sightings very rare and a genuinely extraordinary experience.
Despite their near extinction Scottish Wildcats are intrepid, resourceful and courageous animals, unlike domestic cats they are not at all afraid of water. It is believed that some have even swum a mile across the sea from the Ardnamurchan Peninsula to the island of Mull where they were spotted in May 2010 by amazed tourists!
Sadly, there are very few captive breeding centres promoting the survival of the Scottish Wildcat, but many of the centres that are involved in the programme welcome visitors, allowing a normally mysterious animal to be appreciated by the public.
Unique and Unspoilt has teamed up with the Highland Wildlife Park, one centre which is supporting the continued existence of the 'Highland Tiger', to offer its readers a reduction on tickets to visit the park. Just follow this link to claim your exclusive voucher.
To see holiday cottages in and around the area of the Highland Wildlife Park click here.
Scottish Wildcat
Close up
Sitting patiently