How to Raise a Leopard Cat? Detailed Guide to Feeding Methods and Precautions

The leopard cat is a carnivorous animal whose diet consists mainly of birds. It often hunts other animals by ambush, and also eats rats, snakes, frogs and fruit. It is a national third-class protected animal, but it can currently be raised in captivity. So, how do you raise a leopard cat?

1. Site and housing construction

Leopard cats should be kept in pens, either singly or in pairs. The pen is generally 8-10 sq m, with brick walls, a concrete floor and a concrete flat roof, and a house height of 2 m. A closed style is preferable. One side has a door leading to the service corridor, with a door height of 1.7-1.8 m and a width of 0.6 m, either wooden or iron. The other side has an iron door (0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide) leading to the exercise yard, with a sliding bar that allows it to be pushed and pulled from the outside; a water trough can be set up at the outer corner of the exercise yard. Indoors, feeding troughs, wooden box nests, perches, tree forks and the like should be provided for the leopard cat to feed, rest and move around.

The exercise yard is generally 12-14 sq m, with a concrete floor, and the surrounding area and roof can use square iron mesh, with a height of 2 m, the same as the house height.

2. Feed and feeding

The leopard cat is a carnivorous animal. Animal-based feeds include live rabbits, live chickens, quail, rats, white mice, beef, mutton, chicken, etc., with appropriate supplementation of cod liver oil, bone meal and trace elements, and a small amount of green vegetables. The daily amount per animal is 300 g, fed once a day, with feeding in the evening. Live food should be fed 2 times per week, with each feeding amounting to 300-500 g.

3. Management measures

Attention should be paid to cleaning and sanitation of the pens and exercise yards, with disinfection once every 2 weeks. Feed should be fresh. Leopard cats from the local area adapt to the local environment. When raising southern leopard cats in northern regions, the house temperature should be kept above 10 degrees C in winter for safe overwintering; when raising northern leopard cats in southern regions, attention should be paid to heatstroke prevention and cooling in summer, with the house temperature kept below 35 degrees C.

4. Breeding techniques

Leopard cats reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age, with a gestation period of 65-72 days, 1-4 cubs per litter, and a breeding service life of 6 years. Leopard cats in China and South Asia can breed year-round.

When the female cat shows signs of estrus such as restlessness and calling, a 3-5 year old breeding male leopard cat should be selected for timely mating. During the mating period between male and female, interference should be prevented; observation can be done quietly through the observation hole or door gap to keep the mating environment quiet. After the female leopard cat conceives, it mostly appears quiet with increased feed intake, and more high-quality animal feed should be given. A birthing box should be set up in a corner of the room to facilitate the female leopard cat's concealment and giving birth.

5. Preventing leopard cat diseases

1. Usually, sanitation should be done well and feeding management strengthened to prevent common diseases and conditions such as gastroenteritis and colds.

2. In spring and autumn, do a good job of deworming against common leopard cat parasites (such as roundworms, tapeworms, etc.).

3. Prevent infectious diseases, regularly vaccinate against anthrax, feline panleukopenia and tuberculosis, and prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases.

4. Ensure that feed and drinking water are clean and fresh.

Because leopard cats are rather fierce, keepers must wear work clothes and rubber boots when entering the cat house to prevent being bitten or scratched.