In the same family as the Tiger, cats, especially rare cats, seem to be close to people. Most of them live on land but are very good at swimming and have many habits that no other animal has… And especially, although they are domesticated animals that are friendly to humans, there are still 11 wild cat species that are classified as extremely endangered, precious, rare and protected globally.
The rarest wild cats on Earth
- Caracal caracal – Widely distributed and drought-tolerant
This is the most widely distributed cat species in the world, occurring in the wild in 60 countries in Asia and Africa. The Asian population is listed in CITES Appendix I – International trade for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. The African population is listed in CITES Appendix II.
Among the felids, the caracal is a medium-sized species and is popular as a pet. The caracal has a strong body, long legs, a short face, long tufted ears and long fangs. The fur is reddish brown or sandy, while the belly is lighter with small red patches. The body length reaches 40–50 cm and the weight reaches 8–19 kg.
They have a distinctive narrow black stripe running from the eye to the nose and down the middle of the forehead, and yellow-brown eyes with round pupils instead of slits. Juveniles have red spots on the underside that adults do not have.
The lynx prefers forests, woodlands, savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts and scrublands, but is particularly fond of dry areas with low rainfall and plenty of cover. They can also be found in montane habitats such as the Ethiopian Highlands.
The lynx is also strictly carnivorous and preys mainly on antelope, hares, rodents, small monkeys and birds. The lynx can survive without water because it can store water from eating its prey. Climate, region and sex all influence the size of an individual’s home range. A male’s home range is usually twice that of a female’s. The size of the home range is also influenced by water availability.
In arid climates, a much larger range of home ranges is maintained. In parts of Africa, a single male’s territory ranges from 31 to 65 km2. Females in the same area will maintain ranges from 4 to 31 km2.
In parts of Asia, males typically maintain ranges from 200 km2 to over 300 km2. There is gender variation in the exclusivity of territories defended. A male’s territory may overlap with the ranges of several other males, while a female defends her entire territory for her own use.
This is a polygynous species in which two or more males mate with two or more females. They are capable of mating at any time of the year, but most often mate between August and December. The gestation period is 10 to 11 weeks. Litters usually consist of three young. The serval can live for over 20 years in captivity and individuals from the African population are popular as pets.
- Black-footed cat Felis nigripes – The smallest, least numerous but polygamous cat
The black-footed cat is also listed on CITES Appendix I and is found only in the savannas and grasslands of southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Lesotho). The terrain where they live has an average rainfall of 100 to 500 mm per year. They nest in abandoned burrows or termite mounds and also take temporary shelter in bushes.
The black-footed cat is the smallest of the African species. It is covered in light brown fur with black to dark brown spots covering its back, sides, and belly. Dark brown stripes similar to the spots appear on its cheeks, forelegs, flanks, and tail.
The tail tip is also jet black (about twice as thick as the stripes around the tail). The tail averages 150 to 200 mm in length, about half the length of the body. The underside of the paws, which are often visible due to their digitigrade gait, is black, giving the species its common name. Males are slightly larger than females, averaging 1.93 kg (4.3 lb), compared to 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) for females. The black-footed cat is polygamous, as the male’s territory overlaps up to five female ranges, while the female’s range usually overlaps only one male’s home range.
Prior to mating, females spray increased amounts of urine to advertise their availability to local males. Breeding is the only time black-footed cats have been seen mating, with the exception of females and their kittens. Males and females only mate for 5 to 10 hours to mate.
They are also a relatively long-lived cat, reaching 15.6 years in captivity. The diet of black-footed cats is quite varied: 98% of them are mammals and birds, with mammals making up 72% and birds making up 26% of the diet. Animals weighing less than 40 g make up more than half of their prey.
Larger animals are mainly caught during winter, when smaller prey is unavailable. These larger animals can be stored for later use. The remaining 2% of prey consists of small amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. The black-footed cat population is declining due to habitat degradation, threats from hunters, and poison baits for other predators.
The black-footed cat population is declining, with an estimated 9,700 individuals remaining in the wild.
- Leopardus geoffroyi – A species that prefers to move habitats
This species is native to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay) and inhabits a variety of tropical and subtropical terrestrial habitats. These habitats include dry mountain grasslands and shrublands, coastal floodplain grasslands, savannas and wetlands, temperate grasslands, steppes and shrublands, and dry broadleaf forests. The habitats can be moist or dry and have varying vegetation densities, but still provide enough cover for the leopard cat to hunt effectively.
Individual lynxes exhibit some flexibility in habitat selection and will move between naturalised national parks and adjacent farmlands. Movement between these locations is often motivated by predator avoidance and to take advantage of high rodent populations on agricultural land.
The lynx is dark in colour and solidly circular or elliptical in shape, measuring 15 to 20 mm in diameter. The spots on the back are arranged in almost vertical rows. Occasionally, these spots may cluster together, especially along the spine, creating the illusion of black stripes. A smoky grey to fawn bony plate surrounds the dorsal spots.
Ventrally, the spots are surrounded by a cream to white membrane. The lynx may also have a pigmented coat. The lynx is small in size and exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being larger than females.
The average weight of the Serval is 4.3 kg. The head-body length of the Serval ranges from 498 to 750 mm for males and 390 to 515 mm for females.
The tail of the Serval is relatively long compared to its body length and ranges from 300 to 410 mm in males and 265 to 275 mm in females. The length of their hind paws ranges from 115 to 150 mm in males and 110 to 216 mm in females.
This species has very rounded ears that vary in length from 45 to 62 mm in males and 47 to 57 mm in females.
The Serval is a carnivore. Within its range, it mainly hunts small mammals, birds, snakes, insects, amphibians and fish. In southern Brazil, the Andean lynx preys on Brazilian marsh mice and terrestrial rats.
Prey switching can occur between seasons and can lead to a narrowing or expansion of their food niche. The Andean lynx is also a species with the highest level of protection – CITES Appendix I.
- Andean lynx Leopardus jacobita – The longest-tailed, highest-altitude cat
Along with the Andean lynx, the Andean lynx is only distributed in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru). The Andean lynx has an ash-gray coat, with a gray head, face and rounded ears. The nose and lips are black with white surrounds; two dark brown lines run from the corners of the eyes across the cheekbones. There are some black spots on the forelegs, yellowish-brown spots on the flanks and up to two narrow, dark rings on the hind legs.
Adults measure 57.7 to 85cm from head to body with a 41.3 to 48.5cm tail, about 36cm at the shoulder and weigh up to 5.5kg.
The Andean Mountain Cat is restricted to high altitudes in the Andes: from 1,800m in the southern Andes to over 4,000m in Chile, Bolivia and central Peru. This arid terrain, sparse vegetation, rocky and steep terrain suggests that the Andean Mountain Cat prefers temperate and terrestrial habitats.
With fewer than 1,500 individuals in the wild and a declining population, the Andean Mountain Cat is listed on CITES Appendix I.
- Leopardus tigrinus – The World’s Smallest Cat
A CITES Appendix I species, the Leopardus tigrinus is found throughout Brazil and the Guianas (i.e. Guyana, Guyane, Suriname) and in parts of Venezuela, Colombia, Equador, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is a species that lives at altitudes from sea level to 3,200m. It prefers forest habitats and is found in a variety of forest ecosystems, including dense tropical forests at altitudes from sea level to 1500m.
The Miniature Spot weighs between 1.5kg and 3kg. Males are slightly larger than females and can weigh up to 3kg, while females typically weigh between 1.5 and 2.0kg. The head and body length of males ranges from 805 to 830mm, with a tail length of 317 to 360mm. Females range from 763 to 780mm, with a tail length of 270 to 305mm.
The Miniature Spot has a short, dense coat that is light brown to grey in colour and has a dark brown asterisk with a black border. The vent is usually paler than the rest of the body, but is still marked with an asterisk. The tail has 7 to 13 dark rings and ends in a dark tip. The limbs are covered with randomly arranged black spots and the backs of the ears are black with a white spot near the centre of the pinna. The eyes are light to dark brown.
The margay typically lives 10 to 14 years in the wild and can live up to 23 years in captivity. Their main prey consists of birds and small mammals such as rodents. The population of the margay is estimated to be around 10,000 individuals and is declining. Therefore, the margay is protected at the highest level (CITES Appendix I).
- The margay (Leopardus wiedii) – A good climber
The margay is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of Central and South America. It weighs 2.6-4kg, with a body length of 48-79cm, and a tail length of 33-51cm.
Unlike most cats, females have only two nipples. The fur is brown, with rows of dark brown or black spots and vertical stripes. The belly is paler, ranging from buff to white, and the tail is darkly banded with a black tip.
The backs of the ears are black with circular white spots in the center. Margays eat a wide variety of prey, including terrestrial and arboreal mammals, birds and their eggs, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, and fruit.
Margays are notable for their climbing ability and temperament. They are capable of turning on their hind legs and can hang from their hind legs when diving like a squirrel.
Active both day and night, margays are social, with temporary pair bonds forming during the breeding season, and are relatively long-lived (20 years) in captivity.
Margays are threatened by the commercial trade for their fur, and habitat destruction and fragmentation. Although the wild population is not known, recent studies have shown that it is in serious decline. The margay is listed on CITES Appendix I.
- Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus – The Species with the Smallest Natural Range in the World
The Iberian lynx is one of two carnivores endemic to Europe (the other being the European weasel). It is found on the Iberian Peninsula, mainly in the southwestern part of Spain and much of Portugal.
Although once present throughout Europe, the Iberian lynx’s range has shrunk at an alarming rate over the past century and a half. A century ago, the species was still present in northern Iberia and maintained relatively high densities in the south.
Within 50 years, they were nearly extinct in the north and are in rapid decline in the south. The most significant decline was between 1960 and 1990, when their range was reduced by almost 80%.
There are about 880 to 1,150 adult Iberian lynx, and by 2008 the Iberian lynx population had declined rapidly to about 475 to 680 adults, with the highest concentration in the Donana National Park (1,500 km2), which is just 50 m above sea level and is strictly protected. Although once present in Portugal, the Iberian lynx is now thought to be completely extinct in the country.
The Iberian lynx is similar in appearance to its close relative, the Eurasian lynx, but is about half the size. They have relatively small heads, long legs and very short, black-tipped tails, which are common to Lynx.
They have short, flat faces and tufts of black hair on the ears and jaws that give them the appearance of whiskers, which are particularly noticeable in adults. They have a tawny coat, speckled with black spots that vary greatly in size, shape and intensity of colour.
The oldest wild Iberian lynx was 13 years old at the time of death. Mortality is the highest among all lynx species (48% annually), most of which were not breeding at the time of their death. Mortality is usually caused by humans and includes road collisions, illegal hunting (5% annually), bycatch (6% annually), dogs, falling into wells and forest fires.
Like most felids, the Iberian lynx hunts alone and kills its prey with a single bite to the neck. Their small size and well-camouflaged coat make them well adapted to hunting small mammals.
Their main prey is the European rabbit, which accounts for 80 to 100% of their daily biomass intake. An adult Iberian lynx requires between 600 and 1,000kcal per day, approximately the amount of energy contained in a rabbit. An adult female with young requires up to three rabbits per day.
Iberian lynx are considered specialist hunters and their prey preferences show little geographic or seasonal variation. When European rabbits are scarce, alternative prey include small vertebrates including rodents and European hares.
They also eat birds, including red-legged grouse, ducks and geese, and have occasionally been known to prey on juvenile ungulates such as red deer and fallow deer.
The Iberian lynx was once considered a pest and was thought to have a significant negative impact on the game industry. As a result, it was hunted for its fur. However, declining lynx abundance could harm the small game industry by increasing the incidence of ichthyosis and haemorrhagic disease, two diseases that negatively affect European rabbits.
The Iberian lynx is estimated to have about 160 wild individuals (critically endangered) and is listed on CITES Appendix I.
- Pardofelis marmorata – The Longest Tailed Cat
A CITES Appendix I species, the clouded cat is only found in the wild from the eastern Himalayas to Upper Burma and Indochina. This range includes northern India, Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
In the Malaysian region, the marbled cat is found only inland. Habitats include mixed deciduous evergreen forests, secondary forests, clearings, 6-year-old logging forests, and rocky scrub. Life expectancy is 12 years and 3 months in captivity.
In captivity, the marbled cat is docile and is said to be easy to tame. They are also characterized as being very active, with excellent climbing and jumping abilities. Their forefeet is webbed, flexible with heel pads twice as wide as their length.
They also have double, retractable claws, making them well suited for climbing. The marbled cat has a bushy tail that is 35 to 54 cm long (75% or more of its body length) and is ideal for balancing.
The main prey of the clouded cat are birds and small arboreal mammals (tree squirrels, shrews, rats and mice, small primates and fruit bats), pheasants, lizards, frogs and insects.
According to statistics, there are about 10,000 individuals of the clouded cat in the wild and the population is declining due to logging, agriculture and development activities.
- Jungle cat Prionailurus bengalensis – A cat species with a natural distribution throughout most of Asia
It is one of the most widespread carnivores in Asia and can be found in most of southern Asia including Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo, Nepal, Korea, Japan, Cambodia, parts of the Philippines and eastern China.
The jungle cat has the widest distribution range of any cat species, occurring in tropical and temperate forests, coniferous forests, shrubland and grassland habitats. Its distribution is limited to areas with less than 10 cm of snow annually and it is not found in savannas or arid climates.
The jungle cat has a fairly varied diet and can find food in most habitats. It does not appear to be affected by human disturbance as populations in secondary growth and disturbed areas are stable and it is often found near agricultural fields and rural settlements.
However, the outstanding characteristics of the wild cat are its excellent swimming ability, being able to swim across large rivers, moving gently, hunting skillfully and being able to jump from trees to catch prey (mice, frogs, birds, poultry, fish, insects).
The life expectancy of wild cats reaches 20 years in captivity, but individuals living in the wild only reach 4 years of life. Wild cats are the size of large domestic cats. Each individual weighs from 3 to 7 kg on average.
In general, they have light brown, brown fur with a white belly. Their body and tail are covered with rosettes and their tails are often ringed at the tip. Four vertical stripes run from the forehead to the neck. Their head-to-body length ranges from 44.5 to 107 cm and their tails are from 23 to 44 cm.
Wild cats have small heads with short muzzles and rounded ears. There are differences in fur length and colour based on local environmental conditions. In more northern latitudes, their fur is longer and paler and they are often heavier.
Their colour varies according to habitat: individuals in snowy habitats have lighter fur than those in forested habitats, which tend to have dark brown fur.
Although the world’s wildcat population remains stable, the populations in India, Bangladesh and Thailand have the highest level of protection (CITES Appendix I). The wildcat populations in the remaining countries are listed in CITES Appendix II.
- Flat-headed Cat Prionailurus planiceps – The Cat That Can Swim and Dive
The Flathead is small, about the size of a domestic cat. The tail is short, only 1/4 to 1/3 the length of the head and body. They have small, round ears that are set far apart and lower than the top of the skull.
They have long, thick, soft fur. The fur is reddish brown on the top of the head, dark brown on the back, and has white spots on the vent. The individual hairs are tipped with white, buff, or gray, giving them a grizzled appearance.
The face is paler than the body and the muzzle, chin, and chest are white. Their eyelids and the inside of each eye are white but do not form a complete eye circle, and there are two dark stripes running down each side of the head, one from the corner of the eye to below the ear and the other from below the ear. The head is distinctly long and flat compared to other cats.
The Flathead is capable of diving up to 12cm underwater to catch prey, and its preferred prey is fish, frogs, and mice. They have an average lifespan of 14 years.
The flat-headed cat is naturally distributed in Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand and its population is declining (estimated at less than 2,500 individuals). Therefore, the flat-headed cat is protected at the highest level – CITES Appendix I.
- Dusky-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus – Species with a very narrow distribution and the smallest in size
The Dusky Cat is found only in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and India, in dry forest areas of semi-arid and tropical climates.
The Dusky Cat’s coat is short and dark grey-brown. The underside and throat are white with darker spots and stripes. The back and sides are covered with rusty brown spots. There are four black stripes running from above the eyes, between the ears and up to the shoulders.
The cheeks of the face are marked with two darker fur streaks and the ears are small and rounded. The soles of the feet are black, the tail is half the length of the head and body.
At half the size of a domestic cat, this is considered the smallest cat species. Adult females can weigh up to 1.4 kg and adult males reach 1.7 kg.
During the first 100 days of development, males are smaller than females, but after that time, males have a larger average body weight.
They are solitary animals, living alone in the forest, preferring to eat birds, animals, and domestic chickens. In particular, the dark-spotted cat, despite its small body size, can attack species of similar or larger size such as rabbits (at a zoo, a dark-spotted cat weighing 1.6 kg attacked and killed a rabbit weighing 1.77 kg). The life span of the dark-spotted cat is 18 years.
The population is declining, estimated at about 10,000 individuals, and the dark-spotted cat population in India is protected at the highest level (CITES Appendix I). The dark-spotted cat populations in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan are listed in CITES Appendix II.
