Ringtail Cat Plush Toys, Facts and Information
Find Ringtail Cat plush toy stuffed animals, facts and information about Ringtails at Animals N More.
This cute little Ringtail stuffed animal is made by Wildlife Artists. 
Purchase this Ringtail Cat in the Jeannie's Cottage Gift Shop. Jeannie's Cottage LLC is the sponsor of Animals N More.
The Miner's Cat or Cacomistle, Ringtail Cat, or Bassarisk (Bassariscus astutus), is an attractive, furry little animal, catlike in its form, like a marten in its appearance. It has a sharp-pointed face, large ears, and great big attractive eyes. A long, showy tail, marked with broad alternate rings of black and white, arches out gracefully behind the cacomistle, adding to the charm of its appearance. It is a member of the raccoon family.
This appealing small carnivore is extremely shy. Living among rocks and caves on hillsides, from southwestern Oregon to Colorado and south to Mexico, it comes out of hiding only at night. Thus, even though it is fairly common in the southwestern United States, the people there rarely get an opportunity to see it. However, there are times when it sheds its timidity and takes up residence in a prospector's cabin or an old hut. Now it earns the name Southwesterners give it, "miner's cat" and it relentlessly tracks down mice and rats. It is one of the best rodent catchers, keeping a household free of rodents better than any other mammal can.
This very alert little animal is intelligent and can make a fine pet. But you must catch it young if you want to raise it tame, a rule that applies to almost all animals.
In the wild, the ringtail inhabits places where there are broken rocky outcrops, rock slides and rimrock, a supply of clear running water and scattered pine trees. Here it hunts down woodrats, ground squirrels, mice, lizards and chipmunks. The ringtail's enemies include foxes, coyotes, bobcats, hawks, owls and snakes.
The ringtail is at home in the trees as well as among the rocks and it is an adept climber. To some extent is feeds on fruit. Sometimes the young are born in a hollow tree, sometimes in a cave. In May or early June, the female brings forth her litter of three of four kits. They are blind, toothless and have a scant covering of down. At the end of the fourth week their eyes open.
Raising the young is a mother's job in the world of ringtailed cats, and she does it well, looking out for the safety of the young until they are ready for adulthood. The male occasionally takes a hand in bringing food to the family.
An adult ringtail wears a handsome coat of fur. It is soft, pale yellowish-gray tipped with black. The long luxurious tail is longer than the body, about 15 inches. In total the cat is from 24 to 32 inches long.The ringtail stands only six inches at the shoulder. A full grown adult weighs about 2-1/2 pounds. Their lifespan is about 7 years in the wild.
Order: Carnivora | Family: Procyonidae | Genus: Bassariscus | Species: B. astutus
