The Fisher Cat
Fisher cats can mostly be found in coniferous forests in North America. Its name came from French word means fichet referring to the fur of a European polecat. In some areas fisher cats are called pekan, as its name derived into Abenaki language and often called as fisher cat in parts of New England. Fisher cats have a similar bone structure, with a slender body and short limbs adapted to live in coniferous forest.
Male fisher cats are about twice the size of female fisher cats. The adult male measures its length between 65-125 centimeters and weights between 2-7 kilograms. Fisher cats have black bushy tail and fur of darkish brown. Some are having cream-colored patch on the chest. It has large paws with partially retractable claws that they can rotate 180 degrees; indeed fisher cats are very skilled to grasp limbs and can climb to trees down head first.
Fisher cat as distinctive animals
Fisher cats are known for its distinct sound. Its sound is often said to be heard like a child screaming. Fisher cats shrieks at constant high pitched that resembles to a human’s eerie voice. Most likely the sound they produce would be heard like a baby dying slowly.
Fisher cats have plantar glands that give off a distinctive odor found on the central pad of their hind paws. The odor they produce are believed to be their means of communication during reproduction. At one year of age a female fisher cat can already have its first breed. The breading season spans late in February up to the late of April. Young fisher cats are born in high dens of hollow trees.
Fisher cats are carnivorous and solitary hunters. They are agile in trees and have slender body that allows them to chase their prey into hallow trees or ground burrows. Fisher cats’ primary prey includes birds, deer, hare, mice, porcupines, rabbits, squirrels and shrews. In spite of its name, fisher cat, they seldom eat fish and sometimes they eat fruit and nuts whenever these are readily available.
Fisher cats are not that lovable animal, as some said. There are areas in U.S. claiming fisher cats as culprit for eating domesticated animals and often eggs in a poultry is their easy targets. Reports too of the possibility that fisher cats eat feral cats, dogs and small pets left outdoors, causing concern among pet owners.
Fisher cat as endangered animal
Today the fisher cat population have occasionally declining. This is due to trapping and losing of their habitat. Fisher cat’s pelts can be sold at a high price. There are concerns making a continuous breeding of fisher cats but find not too easy. Fisher cats are known to be shy and difficult to bread. A successful breeding recorded on March 23, 2008 in Apple Valley Zoo, Minnesota as three kittens were born.
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