Pygmy Lynx

The pygmy lynx is a feline that grows long, thick hair in the distinctive black and grey spotted pattern of a lynx. They can be found in in the wild in the Usha Mountains and other high areas of the world, where they live on small rodents and birds that nest in the cliffs, or can be purchased from a wide range of pet breeders. They are a popular alternative to a regular housecat both due to their impressive fur and their affectionate nature.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Pygmy lynxes live in rugged, alpine lands like the Usha Mountains. They are active mainly at dawn and dusk, hunting birds, rodent and other small animals individually, before gathering to sleep in a group known as a "cuddle" to share body warmth. They are very effective predators - most creatures smaller than they are are wise to avoid the attention of a pygmy lynx.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Pygmy lynxes, like all cats, are obligate carnivores, having a diet of almost exclusively meat. As a species, they are not very particular about what kind of meat, though individuals often have a prefernce for birds, rats, fish, or some other such creature. They do, however, tend to prefer their meat fresh.
Pygmy lynxes share many of the characteristic traits of other felines - they tend to sleep around eighteen hours a day and spend most of their awake time either hunting or playing to practice their skills.

Additional Information

Domestication

The pygmy lynx is best known as a highly regarded alternative to the common housecat. They share many of the same traits, but their instinct to share warmth while sleeping makes them much more affectionate than housecats, often sleeping with or even on their owners and being perfectly content to curl up in a lap or the like. They're also well regarded for their speckled grey coats, which are generally considered extremely cute, as well as having the distinctive pointed facial hair of their larger cousins.
They are, however, rather difficult to train. They will happily spend time with anyone willing to sit still and be a warm place to relax and sleep, and tend to be especially affectionate to those who provide them with food, but it's very rare for an owner to even get one to come when called, let alone perform tricks. Some will respond to commands to not do things, but even that is not guaranteed.
Like housecats, pygmy lynxes can also be left to roam in areas suffering from rat investations or the like, and due to their excellent hunting skills, it will generally not be long before the problem is significantly reduced, if not removed entirely. However, lynxes treated in this manner tend to behave more wildly, reverting to their natural instinct to hide from larger creatures when not spending all of their time around people.

by Photo: Anton Zelenov
Licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0
Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan

4-10 years in wild, 8-15 years domesticated

Average Height

25-30cm at the shoulder

Average Weight

4.5-6kg

Average Length

50-55cm long body, plus 35cm tail