Felis chaus Schreber, 1777.

A medium-sized cat with long legs; its head-and-body length averages 67 cm; the tail is 26 cm; it weighs 9 kg. The fur is generally sandy brown, reddish or grey with indistinct markings; a dark brown stripe runs from the corner of the eye to the nose. The short tail has several black rings at the end and a black tip; the ears have short black tufts. The Jungle Cat lives in wet grasslands, thickets of reed near slow-flowing water, and cultivated fields; it makes its den in thick vegetation. It is a carnivore, eating small mammals, ground-nesting birds, reptiles, frogs, and fish. It is active during both day and night. The gestation period is about 65 day and 1-6 kittens are born. In Egypt, this animal lives mainly in the Nile Valley and Delta, also west of Alexandria, and in Western Desert Oases. Its worldwide distribution is from Egypt eastward as far as China.