How you can be part of #GenerationWildcat

We need your help – without it, you could be the last generation with wildcats on your land.

Hunting and habitat change in the past have reduced wildcat numbers to a critical level which now means that hybridisation (cross breeding with feral cats) is threatening the species further.

How you can help

• Avoid accidental persecution during predator control
• Follow the CRRU (Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use) Code when using rodenticides
• Avoid den disturbance  and retain wildcat cover when planning forest management
• Report wildcat sightings

Accidental Persecution where predator control activity is being undertaken has been highlighted as one of the key threats to the future of the species. If there is a risk to wildcat, we recommend using trail-cameras and cage-traps to target predator control. Assume if you are working within one of the wildcat priority areas that predator control carries a risk to wildcats.

Because of hybridisation with domestic cats, it is not always easy to distinguish between a wildcat and a tabby feral cat. Below is a quick guide to the key differences.

Telling them apart is even more difficult if you are using assistive technologies such as spot-lights or thermal imaging.

Thermal image of a wildcat (above)

Thermal image of a domestic cat (above)

Please be cautious and consider any tabby striped cat with a thick, ringed blunt tail and no white feet to be a wildcat. If in doubt, let it go.

We can help you: We are able to lend out a limited number of trail cameras to land managers in our priority areas, please contact us. SRDP funding is also available to help purchase trail cameras and cage traps under the Wildcat Friendly Predator Control option, see www.ruralpayments.org

- The Code for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) is a best practice code to avoid accidental poisoning of non-target mammals and birds. You can find it here.

- Forest Management – Forestry and Land Scotland have produced Guidance note 35d which describes measures to avoid disturbance to wildcats when carrying out forest management as well as information on creating suitable habitat for wildcats during forest planning.

- Report wildcat sightings - via our website www.scottishwildcataction.org or by contacting your local Project Officer if you live within one of our 5 Priority Areas.

You can download the Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Group's Land Manager's Scottish Wildcat Conservation Protocol here

Contact details: Our website has contact information for our Project Officers.