FelidaeThe Cat Family

The Cat Family

Panthera LineageBa

y Cat Lineage

Caracal Lineage

Ocelot Lineage

Lynx Lineage

Puma Lineage

Leopard Cat Lineage

Domestic Cat Lineage

Panthera Lineage

LionTigerWhite TigerLeopardSnow LeopardJaguarClouded LeopardSunda Clouded Leopard

Lion• The Lion lives in Africa.

• The male lion is larger than the female.

• Only the male has a mane of long hair.

• Lions have very strong jaws.

• They can kill a zebra or an antelope with one sharp bite.

• They are very fast and can jump long distances.

• Lions sleep as much as nineteen hours a day.

Tiger• Tigers live in jungle swamps or tall grasses of Asia.

• Tigers are stronger and larger than lions.

• They are very smart and brave.

• They hunt for food at night. Only when a tiger is very hungry will it look for food when it is light.

• Tigers can swim and climb trees when they have to. They can also jump as high as fifteen feet. The tiger often hunts alone.

White Tiger

The white tiger is a rare pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.

Leopard• Leopards live in the forests of Asia and Africa.

• They are very fast runners, good tree climbers, and good jumpers.

• Leopards hunt at night.

• The mother leopard has from two to four cubs or kittens. She teaches them to hunt and to watch out for enemies.

• Leopards are full grown when they are three years old.

Snow Leopard• Snow leopards show several

adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment.

• Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss.

• Snow leopards have long, thick fur, and their base colour varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts.

• They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies, with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tails.

• Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in colour.

Jaguar• The Jaguar is found

in the wilds of Mexico and South America.

• In many ways, The Jaguar looks like a Leopard. It, Too, is light yellow with dark, circle like spots.

• Jaguars hunt wild animals on the ground.

• They also go into water to catch fish, turtles, and water snakes.

• They will climb trees when they are hungry.

Snow Leopard• The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a cat found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as Vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN.

• Its total population size is suspected to be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend, and no single population numbering more than 1,000 adults.

• The clouded leopard is considered to form an evolutionary link between the big cats and the small cats.

Sunda Clouded Leopard

• The Sunda clouded leopard is the largest cat in Borneo.

• The canine teeth are two inches long, which, in proportion to the skull length, are longer than those of any other extant feline.

• Its tail can grow to be as long as its body, aiding balance.

• Its coat is marked with irregularly-shaped, dark-edged ovals which are said to be shaped like clouds, hence its common name.

• Though scientists have known of its existence since the early 19th century, it was positively identified as being a distinct species in its own right in 2006, having long been believed to be a subspecies of the mainland clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa).

Bay Cat Lineage

Borneo Bay CatAsian Golden CatMarbled Cat

Borneo Bay Cat• The bay cat (Pardofelis

badia), also known as the Bornean cat, Bornean bay cat, or Bornean marbled cat, is a wild cat endemic to the island of Borneo that appears relatively rare compared to sympatric felids, based on the paucity of historical as well as recent records.

• Bay cats have historically been recorded as rare and today seem to occur at relatively low density, even in pristine habitat.

Asian Golden Cat

• The Asian golden cat is heavily built, with a typical cat-like appearance.

• The pelage is uniform in color, but highly variable ranging from red to golden brown, dark brown to pale cinnamon, gray to black.

• White and black lines run across the cheeks and up to the top of the head, while the ears are black with a central grey area. 

• Golden cats with leopard-like spots have been found in China, resembling a large leopard cat. This spotted fur is a recessive characteristic.

Marbled Cat

The marbled cat is similar in size to a domestic cat, with a more thickly furred tail (which may be longer than the body), showing adaptation to its arboreal life-style, where the tail is used as a counterbalance.

In addition to its long tail, the marbled cat can also be distinguished by its large feet. It also possesses unusually large canine teeth, resembling those of the big cats, although these appear to be the result of parallel evolution. The species was once considered to belong to the pantherine lineage of "big cats".

Caracal LineageCaracalAfrican Golden Cat

Serval

Caracal

•The caracal is distinguished from Felis by the presence of a long tuft on the tip of the ear, exceeding half the length of the ear. •It is a slender, long-legged cat of medium size with a relatively short tail.

African Golden Cat

• The African golden cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa.

• It is a close relative of both the caracal and the serval, but current classification places it as the only member of the genus Profelis.

Serval The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal.

Ocelot LineageOcelotMargayAndean Mountain CatPampas CatGeoffroy’s CatKodkodTigrina

Ocelot• The ocelot, also known as the dwarf leopard.

• The ocelot is similar in appearance to a domestic cat.

• Its fur resembles that of a clouded leopard or jaguar and was once regarded as particularly valuable.

• As a result, hundreds of thousands of ocelots were once killed for their fur.

• The feline was classified a "vulnerable" endangered species from 1972 until 1996, and is now rated "least concern" by the 2008 IUCN Red List.

Margay Cat• The Margay (Leopardus wiedii) is a

spotted cat native to the Americas.• Named after Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, it

is a solitary and nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest.

• They are hunted mainly for their fur and this has resulted in a large population decrease, they average at around 14,000 killed a year.

• The loss of habitat they suffer from is also a significant part of this decline.

Andean Mountain Cat

• The Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobita) is a small wild cat. 

•  Fewer than 2,500 individuals are thought to exist.

•  This cat is one of about two dozen small wild cat species found around the world.

• In comparison to their larger cousins which may have millions of dollars dedicated to conservation efforts, conservation efforts exist on budgets in the thousands for small wild felids like the Andean mountain cat.

Pampas Cat

• The Pampas cat (Leopardus pajeros).• It is named after the Pampas, but occurs

in grassland, shrubland, and dry forest. • The split is not supported by genetic work, leading

some authorities to maintain it as a subspecies of the colocolo.

•  Confusingly, when the colocolo includes the Pampas cat and Pantanal cat as subspecies, the "combined" species is sometimes referred to as the Pampas cat.

Geoffroy’s Cat • Geoffroy's cat is about the size of a domestic cat.

• Their fur has numerous black spots, but the background colour varies from region to region: in the north, a brownish-yellow coat is most common; farther south, the coat is grayish.

• As with most wild cats, the fur of the underbelly is paler, being cream-colored or even white.

• There are dark bands on the tail and limbs.

Kodkod• The kodkod (Leopardus guigna), also called guiña.

• In 2002, the IUCN classified the kodkod as Vulnerable as the total effective population size may be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a declining trend due to habitat and prey base loss and persecution, and no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 1,000 mature breeding individuals.

Tigrina• The oncilla (Leopardus

tigrinus), also known as the little spotted cat, tigrillo, or tiger cat, is a small spotted felid found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

• It is a close relative of the ocelot and the margay, and has a rich ochre coat, spotted with black rosettes.

• The oncilla is a nocturnal animal that hunts rodents and birds.

Lynx Lineage

Iberian LynxEurasian LynxCanadian LynxBobcat

Iberian Lynx

• The Iberian lynx, (Lynx pardinus), is a critically endangered species of felid.

• The Iberian lynx is most prevalent in the Iberian Peninsula located in Southern Europe.

•  They are listed as the only endangered wild feline species, and categorized as critically endangered by many institutions.

•  A rabbit specialist, the Iberian lynx is unable to significantly alter its diet and, as a result, its population declined sharply when its main prey was decimated by two diseases in the 20th century.

Eurasian Lynx• The Eurasian lynx (Lynx

lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia.

• It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx.

• Eurasian lynx make a range of vocalizations, but are generally silent outside of the breeding season. They have been observed to mew, hiss, growl, and purr, and, like domestic cats, will "chatter" at prey that is just out of reach. Mating calls are much louder, consisting of deep growls in the male, and loud "meow"-like sounds in the female.

Canadian Lynx

• The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis).• It is a close relative of the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx). • However, in some characteristics the Canada lynx is

more like the bobcat (Lynx rufus) than the Eurasian Lynx.

• With the recognized subspecies, it ranges across Canada and into Alaska as well as some parts of the northern United States.

Bobcat• The most common

wildcat in North America, the bobcat is named for its short, bobbed tail.

• They are medium-sized cats and are slightly smaller but similar in appearance to their cousin, the lynx.

• Their coats vary in color from shades of beige to brown fur with spotted or lined markings in dark brown or black.

Puma LineagePumaJaguarundiCheetahCougar

Puma

Puma is a member of Felidae that contains the cougar (also known as the puma, among other names) and the jaguarundi, and may also include several poorly known Old World fossil representatives (for example, Puma pardoides, or "Owen's panther," a large cougar-like cat of Eurasia's Pleistocene).

Jaguarundi

The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi syn. Herpailurus yagouaroundi), also called eyra cat, is a small-sized wild cat native to Central and South America. In 2002, the IUCN classified the jaguarundi as 'Least Concern', although they considered it likely that no conservation units beyond the megareserves of the Amazon basin could sustain long-term viable populations. It is probably extinct in Texas. Its presence in Uruguay is uncertain.

Cheetah• The cheetah (Acinonyx

jubatus) is a large feline (family Felidae, subfamily Felinae) inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East.

• It is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx.

• The cheetah can run faster than any other land animal— as fast as 112 to 120 km/h (70 to 75 mph). 

• This cat is also notable for modifications in the species' paws. It is one of the few felids with semi-retractable claws.

Cougar• The cougar (Puma

concolor), also known as the mountain lion, puma, panther, mountain cat, or catamount, is a large cat of the family Felidae native to the Americas.

•  Anadaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in most American habitat types.

• It is the second heaviest cat in the Western Hemisphere, after the jaguar.

• Solitary by nature and nocturnal, the cougar is most closely related to smaller felines and is nearer genetically to the domestic cat than true lions.

Leopard Cat Lineage

Pallas’s CatRusty-spotted Cat

Leopard CatFlat-headed Cat

Palla’s Cat• Pallas's

cat (Otocolobus manul), also called the manul, is a small wild cat having a broad but patchy distribution in the grasslands and montane steppe of Central Asia.

• The species is negatively affected by habitat degradation, prey base decline, and hunting, and has therefore been classified as Near Threatened by IUCN since 2002.

Rusty-Spotted Cat

• The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) is the cat family's smallest member and found only in India and Sri Lanka.

•  It has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN in 2002 as the total effective population size is below 10,000 mature individuals, with a declining trend due to habitat loss, and no subpopulation containing more than 1,000 mature breeding individuals.

Leopard Cat• The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small wild cat of South and East Asia.

• Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of I

• ts range. • There are twelve leopard

cat subspecies, which differ widely in appearance.

• The leopard cat's name is derived from the leopard-like spots prevalent in all subspecies, but its relation to the leopard is distant.

Flat-Headed Cat

• The flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) is a small wild cat patchily distributed in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra.

• Since 2008, it has been listed as endangered by the IUCN due to destruction of wetlands in their habitat.

• It is suspected that the effective population size could be fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 250 adult individuals.

Domestic Cat Lineage

Black-footed CatDesert CatJungle CatWild CatBritish ShorthairBirmanAbyssinian

Black-footed Cat

• The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion.

• It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores.

• The black-footed cat is one of the smallest cat species.

Desert Cat• The desert cat has been

a landrace native to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates for more than 1,000 years.  

• Desert cats are well adapted to the hot, arid Middle Eastern environment.

• The wildcat lives in desert regions near human settlements.

• As early cities spread more and more into the desert, the wildcat ventured closer and closer to humans, because there was more food and shelter, and eventually domesticated.

Jungle Cat

• The jungle cat (Felis chaus) is a medium-sized cat native to Asia from southern China in the east through Southeast and Central Asia to the Nile Valley in the west.

• Geographic variation in the jungle cat is quite considerable. • Due to the small tuft on the ears it is also called the jungle lynx,

though it is not a member of the Lynx genus.• The jungle cat is the largest of the living Felis species. It has a

small tuft on the ears, a comparatively short tail, and a distinct spinal crest.

Wild Cat

• The jungle cat (Felis chaus) is a medium-sized cat native to Asia from southern China in the east through Southeast and Central Asia to the Nile Valley in the west.

• Geographic variation in the jungle cat is quite considerable. • Due to the small tuft on the ears it is also called the jungle

lynx, though it is not a member of the Lynx genus.• The jungle cat is the largest of the living Felis species. It has a

small tuft on the ears, a comparatively short tail, and a distinct spinal crest.

British Shorthair

• British Shorthairs have dense, plush coats that are often described as crisp or cracking, referring to the way the coat breaks over the contours of the cat's body.

• Their eyes are large, round and widely set and can be a variety of colours, though the copper or gold eyes of the British blue are the best known.

• Their heads are round with full, chubby cheeks and their bodies are large and muscular.

• The breed has a broad chest and shoulders, short legs, round paws and a plush tail with a blunt tip, the tail commonly has dark rings around it at the near bottom.

Birman• The Birman, also

called the "Sacred Cat of Burma", is a domestic cat breed.

• The Birman has medium-long hair, a pale colored body with darker points and deep blue eyes.

• Even though the cat is pointed, the paws have white gloves.

Abyssinian

• The Abyssinian has alert, relatively large pointed ears. • The head is broad and moderately wedge shaped.• Its eyes are almond shaped and colors include gold,

green, hazel or copper. • The paws are small and oval. • The legs are slender in proportion to the body, with a

fine bone structure.• The Abyssinian has a fairly long tail, broad at the base

and tapering to a point. • The Abyssinian's nose and chin usually form a straight

vertical line when viewed in profile. A m-shaped marking is often found in the fur on the forehead.

Did you know that your pet cat is related to big cats like lions and leopards? All members of the cat family, including the domestic cat, have similar physical traits. They all have soft fur, sharp claws and teeth, and excellent eyesight and hearing. They also are carnivores—meaning they only eat meat.

Wild members of the cat family are found everywhere except Australia and Antarctica. The tiger, lion, leopard, and jaguar are known as the big cats. Other cats in the wild include the cheetah, the lynx, the ocelot, and the puma.