Felis nigripes

The Black Footed Cat has a head and body length of about 18 inches (0.5 meters) and a tail length about 7 inches (0.18 meters). Black footed cats weigh about 3.5 pounds. The legs are relatively long, and the head is wide with large, rounded ears. Its coloration ranges from cinnamon-buff in the south to tawny in northern populations and are heavily spotted and barred. There are 3 broad transverse bars on the upper limbs and narrow, shorter bars on lower limbs. The undersides of the feet are black (hence the name). Four black bands from the head or nape extend onto the back and flanks, and the tail is spotted with a black tip. The underparts are pale with a white chin, chest and insides of thighs. The black-footed cat is nocturnal and usually solitary. It is the smallest cat species in Africa and is a good climber.