Germany's wildcats are moving beyond the forest - and farmland is reshaping their diet
New research shows European Wildcats are increasingly hunting in agricultural landscapes, with summer diets reflecting growing use of open farmland habitats
A forest species in a changing landscape
For generations, the European Wildcat (Felis silvestris) has been seen as a creature of deep woodland – elusive, solitary and closely tied to mature forests. But new research from Germany suggests that this recovering carnivore is quietly adjusting to a very different countryside.
By analysing hair samples collected over more than 25 years, scientists have found evidence that wildcats are increasingly hunting in and around agricultural land. The findings point to a subtle but steady shift in diet, especially during the summer months, when crops and field edges provide cover and prey.
Reading the story in a strand of hair
Instead of tracking wildcats directly, researchers examined the chemical signatures locked inside their hair. These signatures reflect what the animals have been eating over several months. By comparing samples from the mid-1990s to recent years, the team could see how feeding patterns have changed over time.
The results show a gradual increase in carbon signatures associated with prey from open and farmed landscapes. In simple terms, wildcats that once relied mainly on forest-dwelling small mammals now appear to be taking more prey from agricultural habitats – particularly in summer.
Summer fields, winter woods
Interestingly, the shift was strongest in hair grown during the summer. In winter, wildcats still seem to depend more heavily on forest-based prey. This seasonal pattern makes sense: in summer, crops such as cereals and rapeseed provide both shelter and abundant rodents. In winter, harvested fields offer little cover, pushing hunting activity back towards woodland.
The research suggests that wildcats are not abandoning forests, but they are becoming more flexible. Agricultural mosaics – especially those with hedgerows, rough grass margins and patches of scrub – can offer valuable hunting grounds.
Females and farmland
The study also found that smaller wildcats, particularly females, showed stronger signals of feeding in open or edge habitats. Larger males appeared to remain more closely tied to forest interiors. This may reflect differences in territory size and hunting strategy, with females making greater use of mixed farmland-forest landscapes.
Hybrid neighbours
Another important finding concerns hybrids – cats with mixed wildcat and domestic ancestry. These hybrids shared much of the same dietary space as wildcats, especially in regions where hybridisation rates are high. That overlap suggests they are using similar habitats and prey.
Domestic cats, by contrast, showed very different dietary patterns, with little overlap in food sources.
Adapting – but at what cost?
Germany’s wildcat population has grown steadily in recent decades, recolonising parts of its former range. Its ability to exploit agricultural landscapes may be helping that recovery. Farmland can provide food and movement corridors, particularly where forests are fragmented.
But this growing integration into human-dominated landscapes may also bring risks. Increased use of farmland means greater exposure to roads, pesticides and closer contact with domestic cats – raising concerns about disease transmission and hybridisation.
A changing countryside, a changing predator
The overall picture is not of a forest specialist disappearing into farmland, but of a highly adaptable predator responding to modern landscapes. The European Wildcat remains a woodland species at heart – yet its diet now tells a story of fields as well as forests.
As Germany’s countryside continues to evolve, so too does one of its most iconic mammals. The quiet shift revealed in a strand of hair may be one of the clearest signs yet that wildlife is adjusting to life in an increasingly agricultural world.
February 2026
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