Tim Talbot, age 11, of Lethbridge, Alta., Canada, for his question:
IS THE OCELOT A NATIVE OF THE AMERICAS?
Yes, indeed, this handsome little cat belongs to the Americas. His favorite places are dense thickets, especially where they dip down to lazy streams. And the ocelot prefers a warm, year round climate which is why he usually is found hiding in steamy jungles. There his outstanding color scheme blends unnoticed with the deep shadows and dazzling sunbeams.
His native home extends from Paraguay northward through South America into Mexico and other Central American countries. Sometimes he steps across the border into the Southwestern United States. But the pretty little ocelot belongs exclusively to the Americas and never, of his own accord, does he set foot upon other continents.
The lion may be the king of the cat tribe and the tiger is famous for his stripes. The leopard, they say, is stuck with his startling spots. But they don't have coats that can compare with their small cousin, the ocelot. What's more, no two ocelots are exactly alike and it is safe to say that each one is more beautiful than his kinfolk.
Prowling through his native thickets, you might mistake him for an extra large house cat, wearing a coat borrowed from a leopard or more likely from a painted jaguar. However, as we know, our Miss Puss detests the water. And sooner or later the gaudy ocelot takes a leisurely swim in his favorite stream.
His gorgeous coat is basically pale blond, crowded with dark spots and splotches from his whiskery nose to the tip of his long tail. His neck and face may be streaked with chocolate brown. The rest of his entire body is adorned with an assortment of plain dark dots and with golden splotches bordered with brown.
Pairs of ocelots often hunt together at night, mewing to keep in touch with each other. The parents build a nest of grasses on the ground or in a hollow log. The two kittens are born blind, but each has a handsome fur coat of his or her special design.
In the Southwest, ocelots often are raised as pets. Everyone agrees that the kittens are charming especially when they get a chance to share the family swimming pool. But some human families report that older ocelots tend to get scrappy and too hard to handle. In any case, these little jungle cats are not on Andy's list of recommended family pets.