Nisscats
Named after the goddess Niss, the nisscats are a species of savage mountain cats.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Nisscats are well suited for wooded and mountain tarrain. With strong forelegs with long, hooked claws, the cat can latch onto pray and on, as well as grip to mountain sides. Back legs are shorter and built for high leaps. They have compact bodies with a centered balance point, a long tail, and fangs.
Genetics and Reproduction
Nisscats form mated pairs, which remain together for life, and raise many batches of kits. In the caves and ravines of the mountains, a male can raise up to five kits in a litter caring for them for the first year of their lives while the female hunts. While pregnent or raising young cubs, the female has a hormone which makes them extra aggressive, increases stamina and even causes the saliva of a female to carry a bloodborn infection, which can cause paralysis or even death to those she bites. After mating, the female nisscat is also incredibly protective of her mate, even going so far as to attack other females which venture to close to her territory.
Growth Rate & Stages
As cubs, the nisscats are fiercely protected by their parents, and usually stay in the cave of their birth, only going out while being escorted by the male. They like to jump and play to establish dominence and challenge themselves with their siblings, this way, they learn basic skills for hunting. Their fangs grow in as they reach maturaty, and they usually disperse to find their own mates. Once mated, the two of them go in search of territory. Often, this requires fighting for it, so the pair work together. One attacking head on, while the other jumps down on their enemy from above. Once establishing their hunting grounds, they are then ready to have a litter.
Ecology and Habitats
Nisscats like high elevations, and steep and rocky envirnments. At home in the twisting passes and hills of the western mountains, they remain there, only going down if driven by utmost hunger or need.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Nisscats eat a great range of animals, from rodents, birds, mountain goats, deer, moose, livestock and humans. Nisscats only attack humans when feeling threatened, but also purely for food, viewing them as pray. They are aware of the danger humans pose, and thus prefer to catch them alone, and ambush them. A nisscat can track their pray for miles, following them for days on end before attacking. Signs of being stalked by a nisscat include the absence of other animals signs or sounds, and little else. There is often no warning before an attack, but things like prints and skat can alert a observant traveler that they are entering a nisscat's hunting grounds. They attack by springing at the throat with their fangs. If that doesn't kill, they then imobolize their pray by ripping at a victom's ankles and leg tendons to keep from running. Nisscats are aware that humans carry weapons to defend themselves, so usually attack from behind burying their fangs in a human's back, trying to puncture a lung. Locals often discourage attacks by wearing helmets with eyes painted on the back, thick leather on their backs, and by traveling in groups and marking the known territories of nisscats in the area.
Biological Cycle
Nisscats are not affected by the seasons, as their fur is exceptionally warm for winter, but sheds for summer. However, they do keep track of the seasional cycles for purposes of hunting.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Nisscats live in bonded pairs, and are strictly loyal to their partners. If one is slain, the other has been known to remember the identity of the killer for years after, and hunt them for no reason other than revenge. They were beleived to have been created by the goddess Niss, who was hurt and humiliated by Laineth the Hunter, she became a wild demoness. She is the creater of all predetory animals, but Nisscats are thought to be her master creation, and she keeps two of them by her side at all times.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Their habitat spands the entire western mountain range.
Average Intelligence
A nisscat is a very intelligent hunter, able to predict their prays natural habits, and plan attacks extensively using their knowladge and memory of the terrain and animal behavior.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The nisscats have unusually keen sight for felines, which helps them pick out pray from a great distence. Their sense of smell is rather poor, but they have incredible hearing, allowing them to hear echoes and judge the distence of the sound. Equipped with night vision, they have no trouble hunting in the dark, and often preffer it to daylight.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Crows and ravens often follow a nisscat, and they work together, by following the pray around so they cant hide. In return they feast on the carcass safely.
Lifespan
20 years
Average Height
4 ft.
Average Weight
150 pounds
Average Length
7 ft.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Their fur is normally a ligth brown, dun color, though it can be redder, or darker.
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths
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