8 Cool Wild Cats You Probably Don’t Know

Black-footed Cat

Felis nigripes

For most African safarigoers, seeing big cats – lions, leopards and cheetahs – is a highlight of the trip. But how about the smallest cat? That’s a much more difficult sighting.

The black-footed cat weighs only four pounds. It’s almost impossibly cute. And while it’s found in arid regions of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana (all popular safari destinations), it is nocturnal and quite rare.

Those who have seen big cats in the wild know that it is difficult to see them on the hunt. A lion spends a lot of time resting. Not so with the black-footed cat. According to Smithsonian, the black-footed cat “catches more prey in a single night than a leopard catches in six months.” In fact, its fast metabolism means that, at night, it is almost constantly hunting.

This habit means they can be reliably sighted on specialized night safaris in suitable habitat, particularly in the ranchlands around Kimberley, South Africa. I saw several black-footed cats there during night safaris that also provided views of aardvarks, Cape porcupines, hedgehogs and more.

Iberian Lynx

Lynx pardinus

Among North American nature lovers, Europe is often considered “less wild.” And yet, some of the most exciting wildlife conservation initiatives and successes have occurred there.

Take the Iberian lynx. In 2002, it was the most endangered wild cat on the planet, with a population of only 94 animals. Native to Spain and Portugal, the Iberian lynx had been in precipitous decline for decades. It had been persecuted relentlessly by farmers, and the lynx wasn’t legally protected until the 1970s. Its main prey, European rabbits, had a population crash due to a virus. The species had disappeared from Portugal, and many feared it would be the first cat species to go extinct in modern times.

Fast forward to today. Iberian lynx now number more than 1,000 animals. And while they still face dangers, it’s a dramatic comeback by any measure. The key is that conservationists took a comprehensive approach to their recovery. Key habitat was protected. Captive breeding augmented wild populations, an allowed reintroduction to Portugal (where some 150 lynx now roam). Rabbit populations were restored.

Where seeing a wild Iberian lynx was now a long shot, dedicated wildlife watchers now plan wildlife trips to Spain national parks to see them. Threats certainly remain, but the Iberian lynx serves as a bright spot for predator conservation.

Pallas’ Cat

Otocolobus manul

The Pallas’s cat is probably best known from “grumpy cat” memes. This fluffy cat looks distinctly annoyed. That’s just human projecting, of course. The  Pallas’s cat (also known as the manul) actually thrives in fairly difficult conditions (at least by human standards).

Pallas’s cats roam higher elevations of Central Asia, where they are solitary ambush predators. They are even out hunting when temperatures plunge to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. But Pallas’s cats thrive. They have the longest and densest fur of any cat. That fluffy coat makes them appear quite large, but it’s an illusion. They are actually no larger than a house cat.

They have small ears, which actually protects them from heat loss in frigid conditions. At lower elevations, their immune system is not equipped for the higher number of bacteria and viruses. This makes captive breeding at zoos and wildlife centers – which has been important in other cat conservation efforts – difficult.

Fishing Cat

Prionailurus viverrinus

Most of us know that domestic cats don’t like water. And typical “common knowledge” is that of the wild cats, only the tiger is a swimmer. This is not true, as the next two cats on our list show.

The fishing cat of Southeast Asia is, as its name might suggest, often found near water. It’s a great swimmer, with webbed feet and claws that never fully retract – the better to snag underwater prey. And yes, fishing cats do catch fish, usually by standing along the edge of the water.

However, they are the quintessential generalists, also feeding on rodents, small birds and even livestock.

Flat-headed Cat

Prionailurus planiceps

With its namesake flattened head and large eyes, the flat-headed cat kind of looks like someone took a lemur’s head and put it on a small cat’s body.

This is another Southeast Asian cat that is adapted to semi-aquatic habitats. It’s often found in wetlands, which are unfortunately often imperiled habitats. One study in Malaysia found that the flat-headed cats there were almost exclusively feeding on fish. Other studies have found that crustaceans and frogs also can be important parts of the diet, and they will eat a wide variety of terrestrial prey.

These and other small, Southeast Asian cats are often little studied and poorly known, and it’s clear their populations have declined. A growing number of traveling wildlife enthusiasts are making trips specifically to see wild felines, including the smaller and more cryptic species not usually seen on a typical safari. Perhaps these trips – which feature long nights, often in boats, searching for species like flat-headed cats – can help build more support for small cat conservation.

Oncilla

Leopardus tigrinus

Central and South America are home to a number of wild, spotted cats, with the jaguar being the most widely known. But there are other, smaller examples. Telling these apart can be a challenge, but each has different spotting patterns.

The oncilla (sometimes called the tiger cat) is one of the smallest. It is found from Costa Rica to northern Argentina, often at higher elevations than other spotted cat species. It is also quite elusive and rare.

The Central American population, which may be a separate species, is particularly vulnerable. In recent years, there have been few documented oncillas in the wild in this region. A conservation effort, the Central America Oncilla Project, is using camera traps, community surveys and other methods to gather more information about this cryptic creature.

Geoffrey’s Cat

Leopardus geoffroyi

Another South American spotted cat, the Geoffrey’s cat ranges across the southern part of the continent. People often consider South American wild cats to be forest species, but that’s not always the case. Geoffrey’s cats are found in a wide variety of habitats, including marshland, arid steppe and even desert.

According to the Princeton Field Guide, Felids and Hyenas of the World, there is evidence that the Geoffrey’s cat may have actually benefited from habitat conversion. It does better in croplands than in the former subtropical forest. This cat is one of those generalist species that, given a bit of protection, seems to do just fine on working farms and ranches.

Jaguarundi

Herpailurus yagouaroundi

Many of our readers live in the United States, where the two most common wild felines are bobcats and mountain lions. Canada lynx are found in colder environments, and a small population of ocelots hangs on in South Texas. And from time to time, a jaguar is documented in Arizona along the United States/Mexico border.

But do you know the jaguarundi? With a name like this, it sounds like a spotted cat, but it’s coat is actually a uniform color – either a rusty brown or dark gray.

These cats used to live in the South Texas brush country, like the ocelot. The last confirmed sighting of one in Texas was in 1986, in Brownsville. As is the case with so many lost species, people report sightings of jaguarundis in Texas and Arizona each year. Some people are convinced they still roam in the United States.