Southeast African cheetah of this alternative coat pattern was found to be a mutation in the gene for transmembrane aminopeptidase Q ("Taqpep"), the same gene responsible for the striped "mackerel" versus blotched "classic" patterning seen in tabby cats. The cheetah also has melanism as one of its rare color morphs. A melanistic cheetah in Zambia was seen by Vesey Fitzgerald in the company of a spotted cheetah. The cheetah is a medium-sized cat. An adult male cheetah's total size can measure from and for females. Adult cheetahs are tall at the shoulder. Males are slightly taller than females and have slightly bigger heads
Rusty-spotted cat adaptation to help it avoid larger predators. The female prepares a den in a secluded location, and gives birth to one or two kittens after a gestation of 65–70 days. At birth, the kittens weigh just , and are marked with rows of black spots. By comparison, Domestic Cat kittens usually weigh between at birth. Rusty-spotted cats reach sexual maturity at around 68 weeks, by which time they have developed the distinctive adult coat pattern of rusty blotches. Rusty-spotted cats have lived for twelve years in captivity, but their lifespan in the wild is unknown. Habitat loss and the spread