North American Cacomistle

Taxonomy: 

    Kingdom: Animalia
            Phylum: Chordata
                    Subphylum: Vertebrata
                            Class: Mammalia
                                    Order: Carnivora  
                                            Family: Procyonidae
                                                   Subfamily: Procyoninae                             

Other names: 
    Ringtail cat, miner's cat, coon cat or civet cat.

Geographical Range: 
     From Southwest Oregon, South Nevada, southern two thirds of Utah, West Colorado, and South Kansas south through Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and South Mexico

Physical Characteristics:
      A small, alert cousin of the raccoon with shorter limbs, and soft thick gray-tan fur and an enormous fluffy tail stripe with black and white rings. It is similar to a raccoon in shape, though more slender. The muzzle is sharp and face broad; white patches set off bright dark eyes.  It is sometimes called the ring-tailed cat, though not related to cats.  Its size ranges about 6 inches high at the shoulder, 25 – 32 inches long (one half of it tail). The weight is about 2 – 3 pounds.  The fur is tan with black-tipped hairs on top, and yellowish-white on the underside.  The eyes are ringed with white or a pale shade, and the face is rather fox-like.

General Characteristics: 
         The cacomistle are nocturnal, active from dusk till dawn.  They a re very agile and are good climbers.  Their main predators are the great horned owl and the bobcat.  The cacomistle makes a variety of sounds, form chirps and chatters, to barks, squeals, and hisses.  They spend the day in a den which is often lined with soft moss, leaves, or grass.  

Diet:
       Their diet is mainly small mammals but they also eat insects, birds, lizards and fruits, such as juniper and persimmon.  They are seen eating mostly rodents (mice), but they will also eat grasshoppers and beetles. They attach their prey cat-style by pouncing on them. 

Reproduction:
       Cacomistles have from one to five young (usually three) born in May to June after an unknown period of gestation (estimated 40 – 70 days). The kits are born altricial, (blind, deaf, and toothless). They are weaned at three weeks and their eyes open at 4 – 5 weeks. By two months of age they hunt with their parents, both of who contribute to their welfare.  Although the mother is responsible for most of the care of the young, she will sometimes tolerate the presence of the father and allow him to associate and play with the young.  Sexual maturity in both sexes coincides with dispersal at the age of 10 months.  The young become totally independent after 4 or 5 months.

Habitat:
      Cacomistle’s live in various habitats, most common in rocky terrain, such as jumbles of boulders, canyons, talus slopes, and rock piles.  They are less common in wooded areas with hollow trees and sometimes seen around buildings.  The cacomistle often inhabits deserted dwellings and Indian ruins.

Lifespan:
      Cacomistle’s live about 8-14 years.

 Behavior
        The cacomistle is omnivorous and is a great leaper and climber, thanks to its semi-retractile claws and good tail for balancing. Generally this is a quiet, solitary animal, but when cornered or upset it can bark, snarl or scream; the young make a metallic squeak.   Cacomistles also fall prey to predatory birds, ocelots, tayras, large snakes, and humans.  Humans will hunt the cacomistle for its fur and meat, and will kill it when it preys on poultry.  It is rare throughout its range, and is very susceptible to the effects of deforestation since they are so dependent on trees.  Territories can cover up to 136 hectares and do not overlap (Nowak 1999).  Although neither sex marks its territory, loud calls are exchanged between individuals, sometimes for hours at a time; these calls are believed to be used to delineate territorial boundaries (Poglayen-Neuwall 1989)

     Conservation Status:  

• IUCN: Vulnerable

• CITES: Appendix III

*Interesting facts*
          Unlike its relatives, the cacomistle leaves no long heel prints.

    New Mexico Game and Fish Species Account

   Smithsonian Institution

 Texas Parks and Wildlife Fact Sheet