Wildcats In England
It has long been held that wildcats have been extinct in England since the early 20th Century. Is this REALLY the case, however? The orthodox view is that the only wildcats living in the British countryside are the very rare so-called Scottish wildcats. Could it be the case that wildcats never actually became extinct in England but have been living in certain places undisturbed and remain here today? My good friend, the naturalist Jonathan McGowan certainly thinks so, as do others, including me! Jonathan actually found a dead wildcat kitten by a road in Cranborne Chase some years ago. and stuffed it, as he is also a taxidermist!
Wildcat - Photo Copyright Jonathan McGowan
'The mounted cat shown above (now in a glass case), which I found dead by a road in Cranborne Chase, is what I believe to be Felis sylvestris, the European wildcat (There is no such species as a Scottish wildcat). I believe relict populations survive in at least three areas of Southern England. Some may say that there cannot be any wildcats in that area as they all went extinct and would have been diluted by feral cats!
The last records of this species from southern England were during the nineteen twenties, by hunters and ferreters. They were often bolted from rabbit burrows into nets by ferrets or terriers. There were still reports of wildcats from the 1960s from Cranborne chase in North East Dorset however. This is where this specimen came from, as road kill about fifteen years ago. The cat was a kitten of only ten to twelve weeks old, yet was too big to be a domestic cat. Its short tail has only six rings, thick even for a wildcat kitten, as their tails taper before they thicken out after a few months later. The kitten was still with its mother most likely, as the gut contained parts of different species, yet no whole large prey except shrews, but a rat's tail and parts of blackbird and thrush were present.
The cat was thick bodied with long thick legs, large head with ears spaced well apart towards the sides, black feet undersides, and pale lower legs with diagonal stripes along sides of upper legs and front. It had a wavy dorsal line that faded towards the tail base. The fur was very dense, much more so than even a feral domestic cat, and had sandy coloured under fur. The teeth had only just started to erupt from jaw. It may or may not be a 100% pure wildcat but no normal feral domestic would have all of these traits. There are not many feral domestic cats in Dorset.
I have, since finding this road killed cat, seen at least twice other specimens and have tracked them in snow on the higher downs. They also are present on the heathlands in two areas and those cats look like hybrids.
Wildcats also live on Dartmoor and Exmoor. A Devon-based taxidermist found what he believed were three dead wildcats by roads and one was found north of Plymouth. He sent me the photographs and I confirmed that they did indeed look like wildcats. Another taxidermist from Exmoor caught two wildcats on a trail camera and found a dead one by a road in Exmoor National Park. A wildlife enthusiast from Dorset also photographed two wildcats in Dorset.
It is a shame the authorities have not considered this issue rather than concentrating on Scotland. We have a dwindling population of true wildcats in England and they urgently need help!
Below is a photo of the road-killed wildcat that I found in Cranborne Chase, alongside a road-killed pheasant and hare.
Jonathan McGowan
The last records of this species from southern England were during the nineteen twenties, by hunters and ferreters. They were often bolted from rabbit burrows into nets by ferrets or terriers. There were still reports of wildcats from the 1960s from Cranborne chase in North East Dorset however. This is where this specimen came from, as road kill about fifteen years ago. The cat was a kitten of only ten to twelve weeks old, yet was too big to be a domestic cat. Its short tail has only six rings, thick even for a wildcat kitten, as their tails taper before they thicken out after a few months later. The kitten was still with its mother most likely, as the gut contained parts of different species, yet no whole large prey except shrews, but a rat's tail and parts of blackbird and thrush were present.
The cat was thick bodied with long thick legs, large head with ears spaced well apart towards the sides, black feet undersides, and pale lower legs with diagonal stripes along sides of upper legs and front. It had a wavy dorsal line that faded towards the tail base. The fur was very dense, much more so than even a feral domestic cat, and had sandy coloured under fur. The teeth had only just started to erupt from jaw. It may or may not be a 100% pure wildcat but no normal feral domestic would have all of these traits. There are not many feral domestic cats in Dorset.
I have, since finding this road killed cat, seen at least twice other specimens and have tracked them in snow on the higher downs. They also are present on the heathlands in two areas and those cats look like hybrids.
Wildcats also live on Dartmoor and Exmoor. A Devon-based taxidermist found what he believed were three dead wildcats by roads and one was found north of Plymouth. He sent me the photographs and I confirmed that they did indeed look like wildcats. Another taxidermist from Exmoor caught two wildcats on a trail camera and found a dead one by a road in Exmoor National Park. A wildlife enthusiast from Dorset also photographed two wildcats in Dorset.
It is a shame the authorities have not considered this issue rather than concentrating on Scotland. We have a dwindling population of true wildcats in England and they urgently need help!
Below is a photo of the road-killed wildcat that I found in Cranborne Chase, alongside a road-killed pheasant and hare.
Jonathan McGowan
Pheasant, Wildcat And Hare - Photo Copyright Jonathan McGowan
How interesting Jonathan's account is! Knowing how elusive these wildcats are and knowing that we have a healthy breeding population of black leopards, pumas and lynxes, all of which are not thought to be here officially, I find it entirely believable and plausible that wildcats have been hiding away in certain areas of England virtually in secret, having managed to escape the persecution that so many endured! It may be that certain landowners and gamekeepers were sympathetic to their plight years ago and allowed them to live undisturbed in the dense woods and wild terrain that they owned and managed. I have been told, by the landowner, of sightings over many years of what look like European wildcats living undisturbed in his woods in Dorset for instance.
It's encouraging to know that there are plans being considered to 'reintroduce' wildcats to England in certain areas but I think they need to be released into Dorset, as well as on Exmoor, Dartmoor and other places too. Such a plan would surely help the ones that are still living in the wild in England!
Something that needs to be considered and looked into very seriously by those who are seeking to reintroduce more wildcats into English woods and forests, however, is the fact that we have a breeding population of black leopards, pumas and lynx too. This reality should not be overlooked at all and should be included and factored into all the scientific studies and plans regarding the 're-introduction' of wildcats in England. Putting wildcats, however capable, brave and feisty they may be, into woods and forests inhabited by these large predatory carnivores, that are very much part of the British wildlife scene, puts the wildcats at risk to some degree, especially their young. Having said this they are already used to living alongside larger felids and have learnt to adapt and this partly explains their feistiness, nevertheless, the risks remain. This fact should be taken very seriously by those involved with the 'rewilding' plans, for any scientific plans should surely include looking into all the wild animals that are already here, not just the ones in the orthodox textbooks, before releasing wildcats into any specific areas of England. I'd recommend those involved getting in touch with Jonathan McGowan and having some lengthy chats with him about big cats living in the wild in Great Britain. Jonathan has gained so much knowledge through his field studies of big cats (and wildcats too) in England over many years. He's a genuine expert in his field and we are blessed to have him as a British naturalist!
It's encouraging to know that there are plans being considered to 'reintroduce' wildcats to England in certain areas but I think they need to be released into Dorset, as well as on Exmoor, Dartmoor and other places too. Such a plan would surely help the ones that are still living in the wild in England!
Something that needs to be considered and looked into very seriously by those who are seeking to reintroduce more wildcats into English woods and forests, however, is the fact that we have a breeding population of black leopards, pumas and lynx too. This reality should not be overlooked at all and should be included and factored into all the scientific studies and plans regarding the 're-introduction' of wildcats in England. Putting wildcats, however capable, brave and feisty they may be, into woods and forests inhabited by these large predatory carnivores, that are very much part of the British wildlife scene, puts the wildcats at risk to some degree, especially their young. Having said this they are already used to living alongside larger felids and have learnt to adapt and this partly explains their feistiness, nevertheless, the risks remain. This fact should be taken very seriously by those involved with the 'rewilding' plans, for any scientific plans should surely include looking into all the wild animals that are already here, not just the ones in the orthodox textbooks, before releasing wildcats into any specific areas of England. I'd recommend those involved getting in touch with Jonathan McGowan and having some lengthy chats with him about big cats living in the wild in Great Britain. Jonathan has gained so much knowledge through his field studies of big cats (and wildcats too) in England over many years. He's a genuine expert in his field and we are blessed to have him as a British naturalist!
Wildcat photographed in Cheshire in March 2026
Photo copyright Nancy Fernandez-Huelamo - March 2026
,The lady who took the superb photograph above was walking near a waterway in Cheshire when she spotted a wildcat, on the edge of woodland. It is fortunate that she had her excellent wildlife camera with her and was able to get a very good photograph of the cat from some way off. It stared at her for a few moments then walked off into the wood! How confident these cats are, even though they want to get away from us and live out their lives in secrecy in their woodland domains!
It's interesting that it's been noted that wildcats seen in England, which could, perhaps, be called the 'English variety', do seem to have a rather marbled dorsal stripe, such as this splendid example and the stuffed example shown at the top of the page. Old taxidermy wildcats sometimes exhibit this distinctive feature too. Not all wildcats have such a solid dorsal stripe as those living in the wild in Scotland!
The fact is that wildcats have been seen and are seen in England! What of gene purity? Interestingly, researchers from the Wildgenes Laboratory at Edinburgh Zoo found that in their study of nearly 300 cats, most of which had been identified as wildcats, that all the cats that were living in the wild were part of the same hybrid gene pool as domestic cats. Wildcats in Great Britain may vary in the actual percentage of gene purity and some markings may vary too but they are, in essence, still wildcats! Look out for them, for YOU might see one yourself one day and wouldn't that be a special day!
It's interesting that it's been noted that wildcats seen in England, which could, perhaps, be called the 'English variety', do seem to have a rather marbled dorsal stripe, such as this splendid example and the stuffed example shown at the top of the page. Old taxidermy wildcats sometimes exhibit this distinctive feature too. Not all wildcats have such a solid dorsal stripe as those living in the wild in Scotland!
The fact is that wildcats have been seen and are seen in England! What of gene purity? Interestingly, researchers from the Wildgenes Laboratory at Edinburgh Zoo found that in their study of nearly 300 cats, most of which had been identified as wildcats, that all the cats that were living in the wild were part of the same hybrid gene pool as domestic cats. Wildcats in Great Britain may vary in the actual percentage of gene purity and some markings may vary too but they are, in essence, still wildcats! Look out for them, for YOU might see one yourself one day and wouldn't that be a special day!
To see the Rewilding Britain Website - please click on the photo below.
Kendra', with one of her kittens. Photographed at the British Wildlife Centre, Newchapel, Surrey.
Peter Trimming - Scottish wildcats
