THE BACKGROUND

[ADMIN]

Since this is, after all, a roleplay in which animals are talking to each other, we're not really going to be super picky about how accurately you portray the lives of wildcats interacting in a Kenyan nature reserve. It'd be lovely, though, if you could just read this post to learn more about the wildcat species you'd like to portray and about the premise of our beauteous site.

BACKGROUND: the nature reserve SS takes place in is based loosely on the Nairobi National Park, situated in Kenya in full view of Nairobi's hustle and bustle. The park, however, is a huge territory that is fairly self-sustaining and requires no human intervention given the animals' reproduction rates. The reserve is populated only with Kenyan wildlife, including (but not limited to) wildebeest, buffalo, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, hippos, antelopes (suni, oribi & duiker), wild dogs, hyenas, and crocodiles. In other words, the wildcats are more often prey than predator.
They have likely never seen humans before, and those that have (either as pets or after requiring medical help) are shunned by the other wildcats. Yes, all six wildcat species may communicate with and live in peace with each other, but they cannot talk to any other animals.

CARACAL: 26 - 35in long, 12in tall. Slim and compact. Long-tailed with black tufts on its (huge) ears. Fur can be red, gray, or sand-colored. Free of markings beside for black spots above eyes and white around nose, eyes, chin, and stomach. Muscled hindquarters for jumping. Most commonly found in plains and steppeland. Makes typical cat sounds (growls, hisses, purrs, etc) as well as a warning bark.

CHEETAH: 43 - 59in long, 26 - 37in tall. Streamlined and broad-chested. Long tail, with a tan pelt covered in round black spots. White stomach and claws that can never be totally retracted. Is generally found in semidesert and open brush. Makes typical cat sounds (growls, hisses, purrs, etc) as well as churring, stuttering, and chirping.

LEOPARD: 40 - 65in long, 18 - 31in tall. Stocky and brawny. Long-tailed with extremely muscled shoulders for climbing. Gold pelt dotted with round black rosettes with a paler belly. Melanistic leopards (i.e., black panthers) are common in the jungles of Kenya. Inhabits mostly forests. Makes typical cat sounds (growls, hisses, purrs, etc) as well as grunts, roars and "sawing" sounds.

LION: 67 - 98in long, 36 - 48in tall. Huge and burly. Males are (of course) characteristically maned. Pelts range from pale tan to reddish brown and the underparts are always lighter. Usually found in the savanna. Makes typical cat sounds (growls, hisses, purrs, etc) as well as roars.

SERVAL: 23 - 36in long, 21in tall. Tall and slender. Short tail. Pelt is sand-colored with striking bar patterns which come in a couple of varieties (standard and servaline). Has the longest legs of any cat, relative to size. Makes typical cat sounds (growls, hisses, purrs, etc) as well as high-pitched chirps, cackles and grunts.