Wildcat

Wild cats in Liechtenstein

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) is one of the species strictly protected in Liechtenstein. In landscapes rich in structure and cover with deciduous and mixed forests, floodplain forests and open land with many small structures, the nocturnal lurking hunters find mice and other small animals as food

In Liechtenstein, there is currently (as of January 2021) no confirmed evidence of wildcats. The Wildkatzenmonitoring Schweiz conducted by Wildtier Schweiz and commissioned by the FOEN investigated the current distribution in the Jura arc, the Central Plateau and the northern flank of the Alps in the 2018/2020 survey. Individual records from the surrounding wider region are reported at irregular intervals. Therefore, it is possible that individual wildcats are also sighted in Liechtenstein.

The determination of a wildcat can not be done purely visually with certainty. A tabby domestic cat may well be confused with a wildcat. Security results from the analysis of genetic material, such as hair samples or samples of dead animals.

Feral cat Liechtenstein