Weight: 30-40 pounds 
Head/Body: 29 inches 
Tail: 12 inches
Subspecies: 2

An African golden cat is a medium-sized cat, with an average weight of about 18kgs. In captivity, its base fur color can change from one shade to another over time, depending on the cat’s age and external factors such as environment and climate changes. The underside of the chest and chin are normally light-colored, and in rare cases, pure white.

The head of an African golden cat has light spots around the eyes. In the 1960s, studies were conducted that showed that various colors of the African golden cat (red, brown, silver) were found in equal measure in most areas of their habitats, but the distinctive spots on their backs, were confined to West Africa.

Primarily, the habitat of the African golden cat is the tropical rainforest belt running across the equator in Africa. Some experts contend that the African golden cats choose to live only in virgin forests, while other experts say they are comfortable in secondary forests as well. Due to the fact that they live in very thick forests, limited information has been collected concerning their lifestyle and biology. Some scientists say that these cats are solitary and crepuscular (moving in twilight hours), but there have been sightings that contradict at least part of this. A few individuals have been seen hunting for prey in broad daylight, although it could have been rare exceptions.

The diet of these cats is made up of duikers, antelopes, rodents, birds and even poultry.

These cats have been reported to catch young monkeys, indicating that although they may be terrestrial, they can also navigate the low branches of the jungle's canopy, and are good climbers as well.

The African golden cat, or golden cat, is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.