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Stefen, C.
Where there changes in the diet of the European wildcat (_Felis silvestris_) within the last centuries? (Gab es Ver„nderungen in der Nahrung der Europ„ischen Wildkatze (_Felis silvestris_) in den letzten Jahrhunderten?)
2012 S„ugetierkundliche Informationen (45): 347-372
The diet of the European wildcat has been described and discussed for centuries. The descriptions of the species by Buffon (1773) and Schreber (1777) indicate the breadth of prey it uses: young roe deer , hares, common hamsters, mice, moles, all kinds of birds, even water birds and fish. Besides of these also amphibians, reptiles and insects were recorded. For a long time the wildcat was assumed to be aggressive and very dangerous to small game, especially game birds. And the attempt was made to extirpate all carnivores including wildcats in Central Europe. On this background it might be possible that he wildcat was denounced particularly in the hunting literature by mentioning game as diet of the wildcat. However, to denounce the wildcat one should not have mentioned common hamsters or mice in its diet; these were considered as pests and animals feeding on them as useful.
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