[citation needed] The population was first described as a wildcat as Felis libyca sarda by Fernand Lataste in 1885, based on the skin and skull of a male cat from Sarrabus in Sardinia, which he wrote resembled an African wildcat but more reddish, grey, and brown, and with longer hairs on the back.

[6][7] These specimens were reassessed in 1911 by Alessandro Ghigi who identified them as Sardinian wildcats.

[8] Gighi's assessment was corroborated in 1981 by an Italian biologist who examined the still available mounted specimen initially described by Mola.

[citation needed] The term Felis silvestris lybica var.

Their long and dense fur was fulvous on the back and whitish on the belly.