Offspring of small cat species
Chemnitz Zoo: Amur cat kitten on display
The small cats at Chemnitz Zoo have a new baby. The Amur kitten was born on 8 August. The kittens are born blind, open their eyes after about 14 days and leave their hiding place after just under a month. In the meantime, the cub has been travelling around the enclosure more and more often. This is the fourth offspring for the Amur cat couple, who have lived together in Chemnitz since the end of 2019.
The Amur cat is a subspecies of the Bengal cat and is found in eastern Siberia and northern Mongolia. Due to their origin, Amur cats - in contrast to the subspecies living in southern regions - have a fixed mating season. Most births therefore occur in May. In spring, the conditions are ideal for both the mothers, who need extra energy to produce milk, and the kittens. In zoological facilities, the mating season may vary, as conditions are good all year round.
Due to its large distribution area, the Bengal cat is not considered an endangered species. However, it can be assumed that the population of individual subspecies such as the Amur cat is highly endangered because, in addition to habitat destruction, it is also threatened by hunting as its fur is highly sought after.
This small cat, which is well adapted to the cold, has been kept at Chemnitz Zoo for many years. However, they are rarely found in other zoological institutions. In Germany, there are only three other centres besides Chemnitz Zoo.
Opening hours in October:
Zoo: | 9 am to 5 pm, last admission 4 pm |
Game enclosure: | 9am to 5pm, last admission 4pm |