CAPTIVE BREEDING

Terry Pratchett wrote that “In ancient times, cats were worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.” That thought resonates when I glimpse Islay, a wildcat living at the Aigas Field Centre in Inverness, one of around 50 wildcats in the UK captive population. She and her mate Coll are part of a breeding programme alongside the SWA project. Islay’s eyes are glacier green, her gaze hostile but regal. Her fur has a warm tinge, a hint of ginger in the tabby. “She’s not 100% wildcat,” says Aigas naturalist Louise Hughes, “but maybe there is no longer any such thing. Scoring generic purity is complicated. The highest scores we have for any captive wildcat is about 98%.” Islay’s genetics are good enough to breed from and, with mate selection, it is possible for her descendants to breed true again.