Felis chaus

Known by various names—Reed Cat, Swamp Cat, "Billi" in Hindi, "Chaus" in Russian—the Jungle Cat features in regional folklore and local vernaculars, often associated with wetlands and marshes. While it does not hold the iconic status of larger felines in myth or art, its presence in agricultural and rural settings has made it a familiar figure in local stories and sometimes a target of superstition or pest control.

• Jungle Cats are among the few wild felines that are proficient swimmers, often hunting near water.
• The species demonstrates remarkable tolerance for human-altered environments, including farmlands and villages.
• Despite their wide range, Jungle Cats avoid dense forests and true deserts.
• Subspecies definitions are debated, with up to nine proposed based on regional variation.
• They can breed year-round, with kittens reaching independence in just a few months.

Jungle Cats are native to a vast area stretching from Egypt and the Middle East across the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and southern China. Historically and currently, they are absent from dense forests and true deserts, favoring open and semi-open habitats near water.

Preferring wetlands such as reed beds and marshes, Jungle Cats also thrive in grasslands, scrub, open forests, and agricultural fields. Their ecological role as mesopredators helps regulate populations of rodents and other small animals. Their adaptability to both natural and human-modified environments sets them apart from many other wild felines.

The Jungle Cat is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, reflecting its wide distribution and presumed large population. However, fragmented populations and local declines are observed in areas facing habitat loss and persecution.

Major threats to Jungle Cats include habitat loss through wetland drainage and agricultural expansion, hunting, retaliatory killing as pests, and accidental trapping. Habitat conversion and fragmentation further challenge their survival, especially in regions where wetlands are disappearing.

Jungle Cats exhibit unique adaptations such as strong swimming ability, tolerance for human-modified landscapes, and versatile hunting skills. Their long legs and slender build enable efficient movement through tall grasses and marshes, while their opportunistic feeding behavior allows them to exploit a wide range of prey.

Breeding can occur year-round, with peaks tied to local climate. Females give birth to 2–6 kittens after a gestation of about 63–66 days. Kittens are weaned at around three months and reach sexual maturity between 11 and 18 months. Parental care is provided primarily by the mother until independence.

• Felis chaus chaus: The nominate subspecies, widespread across much of the range.
• Felis chaus fulvidina: Recognized in parts of South Asia, noted for subtle morphological differences.
• Felis chaus oxiana: Found in Central Asia, with regional variation in size and coat color.

Up to nine subspecies have been proposed, though their boundaries remain debated.

Genetic studies confirm the Jungle Cat as a distinct species within the Felis lineage, closely related to the African wildcat and domestic cat. Mitochondrial DNA barcodes and nuclear markers are available, supporting its separation from other Felis species. Some historical gene flow with domestic cats has been detected in overlapping areas, but no recognized hybrids exist in wild populations. Full genome sequencing is limited, with partial data accessible in public databases.