Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)

MammalWild catWetland

Overview

The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a stocky, powerful wild cat of South and Southeast Asia that has broken one of the great clichés about cats: it loves water. About twice the size of a domestic cat, with a robust body, short legs, a short tail, and an olive-grey coat marked with dark spots and stripes, the fishing cat is a wetland specialist that swims readily, dives, and — true to its name — catches fish.

Far from avoiding water, this cat wades into shallows and ponds to hunt, scooping fish with its paws and even plunging in head-first after prey, making it one of the most aquatic of all cats.

Conservation note: the fishing cat is classified as Vulnerable, threatened above all by the loss and degradation of wetlands. Verify current status at authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Fishing cats live in wetlands across South and Southeast Asia — marshes, swamps, mangroves, reedbeds, and the densely vegetated margins of rivers, lakes, and tidal creeks. They are tightly tied to these waterlogged habitats, which provide the fish and other prey they depend on, so they are largely absent from drier country.

Diet

As its name says, the fishing cat eats a lot of fish, but it is a broad carnivore that also takes frogs, crabs, crayfish, snakes, rodents, birds, and other small animals, and will scavenge or raid for larger prey. It hunts in and around water, often crouching at the edge and scooping fish out with a paw, or diving in to seize prey, using its keen senses to detect movement in the water.

Behavior

The fishing cat is built for an aquatic life: it is a strong swimmer, reportedly able to dive and even swim underwater short distances after prey, and it has slightly webbed feet and a dense, two-layered, water-resistant coat. It is mostly nocturnal and solitary, and it hunts along waterways, sometimes tapping the surface with a paw — possibly to mimic insect movement and lure fish closer — before striking. Females raise their kittens in dense cover near water. Though not large, the fishing cat is a bold and capable predator of its watery world.

Human Interaction & Conservation

The fishing cat is classified as Vulnerable and declining, chiefly because the wetlands it depends on are being drained, polluted, and converted for agriculture, aquaculture, and development across Asia; it also suffers from hunting and conflict with people. Protecting and restoring wetlands is central to its survival, and it has become something of a flagship for wetland conservation in parts of its range. As a wild cat, it is not suited to life as a pet. Consult the IUCN Red List for current status.

More photos of the fishing cat