Fishing cats are semi-aquatic wild cats from South and Southeast Asia. Their dependence on wetland ecosystems and specialized behavioral needs make them an important but challenging zoo species.
Fishing cat welfare in captivity requires water access as a non-negotiable environmental requirement. Without pools of sufficient depth and size for swimming and fishing behavior, fishing cats cannot express fundamental natural behaviors and develop chronic stress and stereotypies. Their nocturnal lifestyle means daytime exhibits show sedentary animals — enrichment timed for dawn and dusk visits better reflects their active periods. Diet should include whole fish where possible — the behavioral sequence of catching, killing, and consuming fish satisfies predatory drive in ways prepared meat cannot. Fishing cats are relatively intolerant of noise and disturbance. Their wetland habitat dependence makes them excellent ambassadors for wetland conservation messaging in zoo education programs.