BIG (but little) news! It has been a busy time for the carnivores at Fossil Rim (Glen Rose, TX). The AZA accredited wildlife center is thrilled to announce the birth of two black-footed cat litters!

The first litter (two little boys) was born to female Afryea on March 31^st. The second litter was born to Bandit on April 16th (one girl and one boy). 

Behind-The-Scenes Kitten Update for Fossil Rim Wildlife Center's Black-footed Kittens.

Previously On ZooBorns:

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/08/black-footed-cat-kittens.html

https://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2022/08/when-your-moms-tail-is-a-snake-and-other-black-footed-cat-kitten-misadventures.html

The black-footed cat kittens, born July 3 at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas, were 6 weeks old at the time of videos seen here. Game cameras are really the only way officials can get a look at them in this way. Fossil Rim tries its best to help animals retain their wild instincts, so they are not acclimated to human interaction.

Two black-footed cat kittens, Stewie (male) and Meg (female) born on July 3, 2022 at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas. Born to Bandit, 2 yrs old, this was her first litter and she's been a superstar mom so far.

The black-footed cat born on April 8 and currently under the expert care of The Living Desert’s veterinary team, officially has a name – Arya. Meaning noble or honorable in Sanskrit, the name Arya also brings to mind the strong female character of the Game of Thrones/A Song of Fire and Ice series.  Arya has had quite an eventful first few weeks of life, but she is making great progress.

 
Born to a first-time mother, the animal care team noticed Arya, had a significant injury when she two weeks old.  The kitten was immediately brought into The Living Desert’s animal hospital and was treated and cared for by the Zoo’s veterinary team for a major laceration on her neck. She underwent successful surgery to repair the injury and has since received daily wound treatments and medications under the dedicated care of the Zoo’s veterinary team.

A Black-footed Cat at Utah’s Hogle Zoo gave birth to a single kitten on August 23. Mom and kitten can now be seen on-exhibit in the Zoo’s Small Animal Building.

Although the kitten has had several veterinarian check-ups since birth, staff aren’t yet sure if it is male or female. The wee-one is up for the first round of vaccinations very soon, and keepers hope they will then know the sex and can choose an appropriate name.  

Photo Credits: Utah's Hogle Zoo

The Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) is the smallest African cat and endemic to the southwestern arid zone of the southern African sub-region. Despite its name, only the pads and under parts of the cat's feet are black.

It is currently classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. The wild population is suspected to decline due to bush-meat poaching, persecution, traffic accidents and predation by domestic animals. The species is protected by national legislation across most of its range, and hunting is banned in Botswana and South Africa.

Males reach a head-to-body length of 36.7 to 43.3 cm (14.4 to 17.0 in) with tails 16.4 to 19.8 cm (6.5 to 7.8 in) long. Females typically reach a maximum head-to-body-length of 36.9 cm (14.5 in) and tails 12.6 to 17.0 cm (5.0 to 6.7 in) long. Adult resident males weigh on average 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) and a maximum of 2.45 kg (5.4 lb). Adult females weigh on average 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) and a maximum of 1.65 kg (3.6 lb). The shoulder height is about 25 cm (9.8 in).

Due to their small size, they hunt mainly small prey, such as rodents and small birds. Insects and spiders are a small supplement to their diet. Black-footed Cats hunt mainly by stalking, rather than ambush.

Females reach sexual maturity after 8 to 12 months. Gestation lasts from 63 to 68 days. A litter consists usually of two kittens, but may vary from one to four young.

Females may have up to two litters during the spring, summer, and autumn. They rear their kittens in a burrow, moving them to new locations regularly after the first week. Kittens become independent by five months of age, but may remain within their mother's range.

Philadelphia Zoo's female Black-footed Cat Aza gave birth to a litter of kittens on April 8, 2014: the first Black-footed Cats ever to be born at the Philadelphia Zoo! Their names are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. Drogon and Viserion are male and Rhaegal is female.

Before making their debut, the kittens underwent a routine wellness check to make sure they’re healthy. In addition to weighing and sexing them, veterinarians completed full physical examinations of each kitten. They also gave the kittens dye marks so the keepers can tell them apart from a distance. Philly Zoo also baby-proofed the kittens' exhibit ahead of the big debut. They lowered the water level in the exhibit and added climbing structures so they could enter and exit their pool with ease, and before entering their exhibit, they practiced with different amounts of water in their indoor bedroom. They also added another feeding dish so Aza could eat separately from her kittens, and they placed the kennel they had been sleeping in inside the exhibit so they would have some familiar scents. A keeper is present to monitor them throughout the day to make sure they're maneuvering through their habitat well, but as you can see in these photos, they are feeling quite at home already.

Just last week, the kittens received another checkup, which included vaccinations, reapplication of dye marks and weighing. Their weights now range from 631 to 757 grams (from a little more than 22 oz. to a little less than 27). All three babies are in great health.

These small but mighty cats are terrestrial and crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn). They are not great climbers, but are skilled diggers when looking for insects or creating birthing dens. They have been observed to have several hunting styles that include: fast hunting (running through and over vegetation, flushing out prey), slow hunting (slow, stalking movements- which indicates they are low to the ground in an almost serpentine motion), and finally "sit and wait" hunting (motionless vigilance at a rodent burrow waiting for an animal to come out of their den). All of these methods have proven successful for this cat. On the 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Black-footed Cat is listed as Vulnerable.

Reaching only about 3.5 lbs as adults, Black-footed Cats may be the world's smallest felines. When these two little kittens were born April 2 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, they weighed-in at just 7 ounces (200 grams). The kittens' sexes have yet to be determined. They were born to mom, Godiva, and father, Wyatt.

Wyatt is considered a genetically valuable animal whose genes and offspring are an important contribution to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for Black-footed Cats. There are about 18 accredited institutions in North America with Black- footed Cats and this is the third litter for Cleveland Metroparks.

Black-footed Cats are the smallest of the African cats, with adults reaching about 3.5 pounds when fully grown. Their conservation status is listed as “vulnerable” in the wild. Black-footed Cats are found in the grasslands and savannas of Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The gestation period is from 63 to 68 days, resulting in a litter of 1-3 kittens. Kittens develop quickly, eating solid food at five weeks and capturing prey at six.

Photo credits: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, is happy to announce its newest addition, and a first for the zoo: a Black-footed Cat born on February 14.

Although staff are now cautiously optimistic about the kitten’s future, such was not the case in the beginning. Hours after his birth, Animal Programs staff became concerned about the male kitten’s well-being because his 4-year-old mother, Cleo, appeared not to be providing proper maternal care. The kitten was not nursing and his body temperature was alarmingly low. Additionally, he was significantly underweight at birth.

Photo credits: Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society

To ensure that he had a chance for survival, staff quickly decided to intervene and handrear the kitten at the Chicago Zoological Society’s Animal Hospital, where he received round-the-clock care. He was placed in an incubator to increase and maintain his body temperature. Now 6 weeks old and gaining weight, the kitten is being fed a milk formula from a small bottle and is starting to eat solid foods.

The story continues after the jump with more photos...

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo announces the birth of two Black-footed Cat kittens! The kittens, whose sex have yet to be determined, are healthy and doing well with mom, Godiva. They were born April 17 and currently are on exhibit in the nocturnal animal area of the Zoo’s Primate, Cat and Aquatics building.

The two kittens are the second litter for Godiva, 4, and her male breeding partner, Wyatt, also 4. Godiva’s first litter produced one kitten, a male, who is now part of a breeding pair at the Louisville Zoological Garden.

Photo credits: Jeanne DeBonis/Cleveland Metroparks Zoo