Ringtail: Secret Facts of the Elusive Ringtail Cat

The ringtail cat, is a small carnivorous mammal native to North America and is found primarily in the western and southwestern parts of the United States and Mexico.

Facts about Ringtail Cats Name

The ringtail cat is also known as the miner's cat because once the western United States Miners and settlers often caught ringtails and placed them in their frontier mines and cabins to control rodents.

Despite their name, ringtail cats are not true cats but belongs to the raccoon family which also includes coatis and kinkajous. It's named after its distinctive black-and-white striped tail with a bushy tip.

The ringtail cat's scientific name, Bassariscus astutus, means "clever little fox."

Ringtail

Ringtail Habitat

Ringtails are highly adaptable and can thrive in various habitats, including deserts, woodlands, and rocky areas.

In the wild, ringtails prefer to live in rocky areas and canyons where they can easily climb trees and rocks. They are also commonly found in wooded areas with dense underbrush, where they can build their dens in tree hollows, rock crevices, or abandoned burrows.

Physical Characteristic of Ringtail 

Ringtails are small mammals, typically measuring between 12 to 17 inches in length, with a tail length of around 10 to 14 inches . They weigh between 1.5 to 3 pounds.

Their fur is grayish-brown on its back, with lighter fur on its belly, and its face is marked by a distinctive mask of black fur around its eyes. Its ears are large and rounded, and it has sharp claws that help it climb trees and rocky cliffs.

One of the most distinctive physical characteristics of the ringtail is its long, bushy and prehensile tail, which means they are able to grasp and hold onto objects with it.  The tail is covered in black and white rings. The tail is used for balance when climbing and jumping, as well as for communication and as a sensory organ.

Ringtails also have large, dark eyes with excellent night vision, which is essential for their nocturnal lifestyle. Their sense of smell is also highly developed, which helps them locate prey and navigate their environment. 

They have sharp teeth, which are used for catching and eating prey. The ringtail's paws have long, curved claws that help them climb trees and other objects. They are well adapted for climbing and are capable of running, jumping, and clinging to vertical surfaces.

Ringtail

Ringtail Diet

The ringtail is an omnivorous animal that feeds on a wide range of food items. Its diet varies seasonally and regionally, depending on the availability of food sources. The ringtail is primarily a nocturnal animal and feeds at night.

Insects make up a significant portion of the ringtail's diet, including beetles, moths, crickets, and grasshoppers. They also eat small mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and shrews. In addition, the ringtail will consume birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even carrion.

During the winter months when insects are scarce, the ringtail relies more on plant-based foods such as fruits, nuts, and seeds. They are known to feed on juniper berries, mesquite beans, acorns, and prickly pear fruit.

Ringtails are excellent hunters and have sharp teeth and claws that allow them to catch and kill prey. They are also skilled climbers and can hunt in trees. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing, which helps them to locate prey.

In captivity, the ringtail's diet consists of a mix of fruits, vegetables, and animal protein, including insects, eggs, and small pieces of meat.

Ringtail Social Behavior

Ringtails are solitary and nocturnal animals, but they are also known to engage in social behavior when necessary.

Ringtails have been observed engaging in communal nesting during the winter months. They may use abandoned burrows, tree hollows, or even buildings to create communal dens where multiple individuals will gather to keep warm.

Ringtails also have a unique social behavior in regards to their scent marking. They have scent glands located on their cheeks and anus, which they use to mark their territories and communicate with other ringtails. They will rub their cheeks and anus on objects to leave their scent, and will often return to the same locations to reapply their scent.

While ringtails are primarily solitary, they do have the ability to form loose social groups when food is plentiful or during the breeding season. These groups can consist of several individuals, and they may cooperate in hunting or defending their territory. However, these groups are not permanent and individuals may leave to establish their own territories at any time.

They are active at night and sleep during the day in tree hollows, rocky crevices, or burrows made by other animals. 

Ringtails are generally quiet animals, but they make a variety of vocalizations, including hisses, barks, and chatters. These vocalizations are used to communicate with other ringtails or to warn potential predators.

Ringtail Reproduction

Ringtails reach sexual maturity at around one year of age, and they start to breed after that. Ringtails are solitary animals, and their mating season starts from January and lasts till March. During this time, males mark their territory to attract females. They use their scent glands to mark their territory and attract potential mates.

After mating, the female ringtail gives birth to a litter of 2-6 pups after a gestation period of 50-60 days. The young are born blind and helpless, and they stay in the den for the first few weeks of their lives.

The mother ringtail is responsible for taking care of the young ones. She nurses them for the first 2-3 months and teaches them how to hunt and survive in the wild. The young ones start to explore the surrounding area after two months, and by the third month, they are independent enough to venture out on their own.

Ringtail

Ringtail Lifespan

In the wild, ringtails have a lifespan of around 7-10 years, but they can live up to 14 years in captivity. Their lifespan is influenced by various factors such as habitat, availability of food, predation, and diseases.

The majority of ringtails,  don't make it to adulthood due to predation, diseases, and other environmental factors.

Importance of Ringtail cat

Ringtail cats are important to their ecosystems for several reasons. Firstly, they are predators of small rodents and insects, helping to control their populations. They also serve as prey for larger predators, such as owls, hawks, and coyotes. Additionally, they are important pollinators of some plants, such as the agave plant, which is used to make tequila.

In some Native American cultures, the ringtail was considered a sacred animal, believed to have spiritual powers. Today, ringtails are popular subjects for wildlife photography and are enjoyed by nature enthusiasts for their unique appearance and behavior. The ringtail cat may be small in size, but it plays an important role in the ecosystems in which it lives.

Ringtail as a Pet

Ringtail cats are wild animals and are not considered suitable pets. They have not been domesticated, and their behavior and needs are different from those of domestic cats. It is also illegal to keep a ringtail cat as a pet in many states and countries.

Even if you are able to obtain a permit, ringtail cats can be difficult to care for as they have specific needs that can be hard to meet in a home environment. They require a large, secure outdoor enclosure with plenty of space to climb, play, and explore. They also require a specialized diet that consists of insects, small rodents, and fruit.

Additionally, ringtail cats are nocturnal animals, which means they are most active at night. This can make it difficult for them to adjust to a human's schedule and can lead to behavioral problem.

Attempting to keep a ringtail cat as a pet can be dangerous for both the animal and the owner. Ringtail cats have sharp teeth and claws and can be aggressive when frightened or stressed. They also have specific care needs that require knowledge and experience in wildlife rehabilitation.

Conservation Status

The ringtail cat is currently classified as a species of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This means that the population of ringtail cats is believed to be stable and not at risk of significant decline in the near future.

While the ringtail cat is not currently at high risk of extinction, continued conservation efforts will be necessary to ensure that its populations remain healthy and stable for future generations to enjoy.