Iriomote Cat - Physical Characteristics

Physical Characteristics

Male Iriomote cats grow to be 55–60 centimeters long and weigh 3.5–5 kilograms. Females are smaller at about 50-55 centimeters long and 3–3.5 kilograms. Their tails are thick from base to tip and are 23–24 centimeters long. They have long torsos and short, thick limbs. Their necks are also thick, and their shoulders are muscular, though their jumping power is comparatively weak. Unlike other small cats, their spines cannot bend sharply.

The fur of the Iriomote cat is mostly dark gray and light brown, with the hair on the stomach and insides of the limbs being lighter. Hair along the jaw is white. On each cheek are two dark brown spots. Like the leopard cat, there are 5–7 stripes that span from the forehead to the back of the head, but unlike the leopard cat the stripes stop before reaching the shoulders. Dark brown spots cover the sides of the body, and there are 3–4 bands of irregular stripes on the chest. The tails are dark brown; darker spots pattern the back side of the tail while the underside of the tail is solid. The tip of the tail is dark.

The tips of the ears are rounded, with black hair along the edge. There are no tufts of longer hair on the top of the ears. Adult Iriomote cats have a white spot on the back of each ear, much like those found on tigers' ears. On leopard cats these spots appear as small, cloudy white areas on kittens that become whiter with age. However, young Iriomote cats do not have these marks, and even as adults the spots will not be as white as those seen on leopard cats.

The Iriomote cat's eyes are a light amber color. Its nose is large and flat, with no fur covering the reddish-brown skin. The paw ranges from 29–37 millimeters wide, in contrast to the 24–30 millimeters of a house cat's paw.

The skull is longer and more narrow than a house cat's. When compared to the leopard cat's skull, the Iriomote cat's is roughly the same size but thicker. Because of this, the Iriomote cat's brain is smaller; a male leopard cat's brain is about 42 grams whereas a male Iriomote cat's brain is about 30 grams. The occipital bone of the skull and the auditory capsule are not connected. The mandibular symphysis is short.

The Iriomote cat has six pairs of incisors, two pairs of canine teeth, four pairs of premolars, and two pairs of molars for a total of 28 teeth. Compared to other cats, including small wild cats, the Iriomote cat is lacking one pair of premolars on the top jaw behind the canines. In addition to this, unlike most other subtropical mammals, Iriomote cats' teeth give details about their year-to-year history. It is expected that these details will help determine age and behavior of the cats.

The anal scent glands of the Iriomote cat surround the anus, which contrasts with other cat species' which are inside the anus.