Kahlua - a female Margay born 6/6/82 came with André. She was supposed to be six
years old, but we've since met people who have known her at least twelve years. She was missing
half her teeth when we got her, but she has always been a strong cat. She was too rough with André
to leave them together except when she is in heat, which is only a few times a year, for a few days at
a time. She has never conceived and probably never will, but she is a very special friend and will
always have a home with us.
This forest-dweller of Central and South America is also known as the little Ocelot and the
long-tailed spotted cat. Margays live in the trees and do most of their hunting at night, but will
however, hunt during the day. They are so well adapted to living in the trees that they are able to run
upside down, hanging below branches.
The head and body length of a Margay can be up to two feet, seven inches, tail length up to one
foot, eight inches, and weight up to 18 pounds. Their diet consists of monkeys, small mammals,
birds, lizards, and tree frogs. Like the Ocelot, it has no fixed breeding period. After a gestation
period of 84 days the female produces one to two offspring.
