Play sessions are crucial in the development of animals, as this video of a fishing cat kitten from Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden demonstrates.
The kitten, whose species is endangered, was born less than a month ago on March 31 and is being hand-reared after its mother didn’t display signs of maternal care.
But the nameless kitten in question seems to be doing just fine, and is busy developing its coordination by the look of it.
Some days are simply meant for playing… and sleeping…. and eating… ? Our little fishing cat kitten is growing more and more every day. By playing with toys, he learns how to focus his eyes on a specific object. With each play session, he is becoming more active and coordinated.
Posted by Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden on Thursday, April 26, 2018
“Our little fishing cat kitten is growing more and more every day. By playing with toys, he learns how to focus his eyes on a specific object. With each play session, he is becoming more active and coordinated.”
The zoo previously released footage of the kitten in its first weeks in the world, the first fishing cat kitten born at the US zoo since 1997.
Fishing cats are solitary hunters that commonly live in wetlands, by swamps and near rivers so they can hunt their main prey – fish.
They are also known to hunt birds, insects and small rodents, and live an average of 10-12 years in captivity.
The species is under threat due to habitat destruction, hunting and the exotic pet trade.
