bakedbean

In today's Star Online.

Wow, this looks like some vicious looking cat. Think I might run a mile if I saw one. Write up and picture on this link below.
Rare Borneo bay cat spotted - Nation | The Star Online

Hovite

Bakedbean we have to breed them like that in Borneo .... you should see the size of the rats!

OriginalSunshine

I live in that region. Funny how it takes a study 5yrs t find a cat that residents see all the time. It is big, but beautiful and very much wild. However it can interbreed with domestics, so most folks keep their females inside. The kittens of mixed breeding do howeve have beautiful markings.

bakedbean

How big? Double the size of a domestic cat?

OriginalSunshine

Lol, depends on size of domestic cat....

Generally though, yes, a bit bigger, but that's because the weak don't survive. Probably around the 6-10kg size from what I've seen. They are also UN neutered of course, so grow to sexual maturity, unlike most domestics. They are superb hunters.

OriginalSunshine

By the way, I've never weighed one. I'm making a judgement call based on my big mixed breed old cat (from Brunei when we lived there) who is 6kg. The ones we have seen hunting when we have gone for jungle walks are bigger than my cat.

Literature says they are only 3-4kg, but that is just too light from what I have seen.

JC3

Highly unlikely to weigh more than 5kg. Unless it's an asiatiic golden cat, but you don't get those in Borneo

JC3

bakedbean

They don't actually know as they've only weighed ONE and that one was at the point of death. It's just estimated so......

OriginalSunshine has been lucky enough to see the real thing, so probably more knowledgeable than the very little info that is online I suspect.

There's a good link here with more info:
CatSG: Borneo bay cat

Fabulous looking creature.

OS, any other interesting creatures you see on your jungle walks?

JC3

Yes, I read that article about only weighing one too, but it’s no longer accurate, if it ever was.

Wikipedia says: In the years between 1874 and 2004, only 12 specimens were measured. Their head-to-body length varied from 49.5–67 cm (19.5–26.4 in) with 30.0- to 40.3-cm-long tails.[2] They were estimated to have an adult weight of 3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb), but too few living specimens have been obtained to allow a more reliable estimate.

But the bay cat is generally agreed to be about the size or a little bigger than a domestic cat. The average weight of a healthy domestic cat is 3.6 - 4.5 kg. That said, I expect a wild bay cat is probably more active and lean than a domestic cat. If it was 6-10kg in weight it would be as big as a fox.

In 1998, BBC Wildlife magazine published a photograph of a live Bornean bay cat. This cat was weighed, measured, given a physical examination, and dewormed before being released back into the forest.

Perhaps someone weighed this one (see photo):

This article is interesting and has more photos: BoRNeo C Designs

JC3

bakedbean

Yes, good article. Says 3 to 5 kilos

Maybe OS can kindly weigh one next time in the jungle hehe.

OriginalSunshine

Monitor lizards, Cobras, hornbills, mynah birds, monkeys, that type of thing. Loads of beautiful HUGE blue butterflies, mosquitos, spiders, leeches, salt water croc (that was scary)

OriginalSunshine

Lol. Wouldn't dare go near one!

I was curious about domestic cat weights and I found this

Cat Body Shape Guide...Ideal Size and Weight for Cats and Kittens...What You Need to Know

Sort of ties in with my observations (bigger than but not much) my 6kg neutered male, some male cats can reach 8kg

JC3

Yes, but your estimate above that the bay cats you've seen weigh 6-10kg still seems unlikely as that would be a 100% increase on the scientists' figure of 3-5kg. Twice the weight. Really?

JC3