Chinese Mountain Cat Facts

Big Cat Facts

Jan 6

Written By Carole Baskin

Quick Facts

• Common Name: Chinese Mountain Cat

• Scientific Name: Felis bieti

• IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

• Population: Fewer than 10,000 mature individuals

• Population Trend: Decreasing

• Range: Endemic to the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

• Weight: 10–20 pounds

Appearance

The Chinese Mountain Cat is a small, stocky feline uniquely adapted to high-altitude environments. It typically measures between 38.5 and 47 inches in length, supported by relatively short legs. Its most distinctive feature is its long, dense coat, which provides essential insulation against the mountain cold. This fur shifts in color with the seasons: a pale gray in winter and a darker brown during the summer months.

The cat’s ears are tipped with small tufts and feature a pale reddish-brown patch at the base. While its body markings are often indistinct, its relatively short tail is easily recognizable by a series of 5–6 dark gray bands and a conspicuous black tip. Locals often refer to it as the "grass cat" because its tawny, subtly striped fur blends perfectly with the dry, yellowish vegetation of its habitat.

Habitat and Range

This species is the only felid endemic exclusively to China. It occupies a restricted range on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, specifically within the provinces of Qinghai, northwestern Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and southeastern Tibet. While historical records once suggested the cat lived in the Gobi Desert or Inner Mongolia, modern scientific surveys have clarified that these were misidentifications; the species is strictly a mountain dweller, found at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 meters.

Its preferred habitats include high-elevation steppe grasslands, alpine meadows, and shrublands. It is also occasionally found along the edges of coniferous forests and loess hilly steppes.

Diet and Behavior

The Chinese Mountain Cat is a solitary and primarily nocturnal or crepuscular hunter. It relies heavily on its acute sense of hearing to detect prey moving underground. Once a target is located, the cat digs the animal out of its tunnel.

Its diet consists almost entirely of small mammals, including:

• Plateau pikas (a primary food source)

• Mole rats

• White-tailed pine voles

• Pheasants and other birds

• Himalayan marmots

These cats are burrow dwellers. While they are known to dig their own shelters, they are also opportunistic, sometimes taking over and modified dens previously occupied by marmots.

Reproduction

The breeding season for the Chinese Mountain Cat occurs between January and March, with most kittens being born in May. Litters typically consist of 2 to 4 young. Mothers are highly protective and may utilize multiple breeding dens within their home range to keep their offspring safe from predators and human disturbance. Young cats reach independence relatively quickly, usually by 7 to 8 months of age.

Threats

The Chinese Mountain Cat faces a precarious future due to several overlapping threats:

• Indirect Poisoning: Large-scale programs to control pika and rodent populations using poisonous chemicals are a major concern. These toxins move up the food chain, killing the cats that eat the poisoned prey.

• Genetic Hybridization: A significant and emerging threat is the genetic "dilution" of the species. Recent studies show widespread evidence of domestic cats breeding with wild Chinese Mountain Cats, which could eventually wipe out the species' unique genetic integrity.

• Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Expanded infrastructure, such as roads and railways, along with intensive livestock grazing, is degrading the plateau and isolating populations.

• Illegal Trade: Although now rare and opportunistic, the cat is still occasionally hunted for the local fur trade, with skins sometimes appearing in regional markets for use in traditional clothing.

Conservation Efforts

There are currently no Chinese Mountain Cats held in North American zoos, making the protection of wild populations even more critical. In February 2021, China upgraded the species to National First-Class Protected Status, the highest level of legal protection in the country. This means any illegal hunting or trading of the species now carries severe criminal penalties.

The species is also listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade. Current conservation strategies focus on using infrared camera traps to better understand their population density and mapping key habitats to ensure that China’s only endemic cat has the space and protection it needs to recover.

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Analogy for Understanding: Think of the Chinese Mountain Cat as the "High-Altitude Specialist" of the feline world. Just as a specialized mountaineer carries specific gear to survive thin air and freezing temperatures, this cat has evolved a unique "kit"—from its insulated winter coat to its specialized hearing for hunting beneath the soil—making it a irreplaceable part of the Tibetan Plateau's biological machinery.