by Maria Giulia Checchi –

Ah! Here comes another group, strolling down the hill with cameras at the ready and a keeper opening the way. They call this a ‘hide visit’ (‘blind visit’, for the Americans), but they aren’t that good at hiding. They enter the little wooden room attached to my territory, opening five long and thin windows through which poke round spectacles and even rounder lenses. I jump on the closest stump to take a look, and my bright green eyes fix on each and every one of them. Puzzling creatures, these humans!   

The other wildcats were fed a few hours before me; I know this and I am mad. Finally, I spot the keeper coming towards the enclosure and I make my way to greet them exactly as this treatment has earned them. They open the last door between us and I hiss, spit, and launch myself forward with my right paw raised high in a full display of hostility. ‘How dare you feed me last!’ I’d like to say, but it’s common knowledge that these bipedal mammals don’t speak our language. They try to take another step in and I push my lips apart to display two rows of sharp teeth between which emerges my fury. I could go on all day, but I’m smart in a way that only wildcats are and I know that the longer this goes on, the longer it will take for me to eat. So, begrudgingly, I let them past the door.  

They move along the fence going down the left side of the enclosure and I follow the alluring scent of food. Today I have a rat and four mice. Soon one mouse is placed on a branch of the rowan tree that grows in my enclosure. This spot never gets old with guests, and it’s easy to see why. Part of the reason is my natural agility, turning such a jump into an easy feat even for a wildcat my age. But the main reason are my markings, which can be appreciated in all their glory as my back stands vertical and facing the hide. The second goes in an annoyingly little space between three interlocking wood beams. Getting food from there can get difficult, so I will only bother at the very end. The rest, though, just got tied up to the beam closer to the guests, and these mice I devour in no more than a couple of bites as pictures are taken and murmurs erupt from the little crowd of watchers. At least they know how to spot greatness when they see it!  

I then calculate the trajectory at the base of the tree before leaping upwards, reaching two metres in height in seconds and my reward soon after. My paws grip around the thin trunk while my fangs close on the prey; a choreography so fast than a live animal could not escape that either. Other cheers echo from the little windows. “Is he stuck?” asks a lady, but soon I answer that question by lowering myself a bit before leaping down to eat my spoils. 

I don’t want to go for the annoyingly hidden mouse yet, so the keeper takes out the big prize: the rat, and ties it to one of the sections of bungee line in my enclosures. They scarcely have time to step back before I bite down on it and use all my strength to pull backwards, fighting against the bungee’s resistance. Jaws clenched, front paws locked in place; I’m giving it all I’ve got. A couple of times I have to let go, and the rat springs back, jumping erratically through the air before I can get my grip on it again. It’s a game of patience that favours the player with the strongest will. I can feel the bungee progressively giving in as I pull and pull and pull. A few minutes have already passed when it finally gives in, letting go of the price I could already taste through the holes I opened in its skin. The rat is mine.  

The humans rejoice, maybe thinking that I’ll share my hard-earned meal with them. Not a chance! They’ve seen enough of me and now I’ve decided I deserve some time backstage. My favourite spot inside the raspberry bush should just be fresh enough to cool me down while I enjoy the meal. If they are patient enough, I’ll come out later to get the last mouse…  

Profile: Coll is a 10-years-old wildcat part of the Aigas Wildcat Breeding Programme. Despite not being pure enough to breed, he helps his species by raising awareness about Scottish wildcats.  

Want to help us looking after Rowan and the other resident wildcats? You can adopt a wildcat on the Aigas Field Centre website and make a donation to the Breeding Programme.

words & photos by Maria Giulia Checchi, cover photo by Jacob New