Bay Cat is a wild cat of Borneo. It is a very shy feline and is seldom seen in the wild.
Residing solely on the island of Borneo, Bay Cat is also known as
Bornean Bay Cat, Bornean Red Cat or Bornean Cat. So reclusive is this
cat that it was only in the last decade that the first live specimen
was successfully photographed. Bearing close genetic resemblance to the
Asian Golden Cat, it is in fact smaller in size - weighing up to ten
pounds and having a body length of just under three feet, including
tail.
Pardofelis Badia, the Bay Cat is described to occur in two
different color variants - reddish brown and bluish gray. Light colored
spots exist on undersides and limbs. Face and tail is marked with white
stripes, the latter ending in a white tip. Ears are rounded and dark
colored, as is the head, marked often by an 'M-shaped' marking. The
cat's teeth are unique and the overall appearance bears a striking
resemblance with the Jaguarundi.
Very little is known about the
behavior, diet and activity patterns of this reclusive feline. It is
believed to feed on small animals and monkeys as well as birds and
carrion. The reproductive profile of the Bay Cat is also poorly
understood.
The Bay Cat is so named since nearly all its
sightings have taken place in bay areas, around water bodies, mangroves
and swamps - this may be due to the preference of such a habitat for
its abode by the cat or simply researcher bias of the area of study. It
does however reside solely in the thick rainforests of Borneo.
