You know about lions and tigers, but have you ever heard of a sand cat? Many amazing wild cat species never get their due respect. These often overlooked and underestimated predators are among the planet’s most skilled carnivores.The jaguarundi shares most of its range with the ocelot. Found from southern Texas to northern Argentina, jaguarundis have a fairly wide distribution. They are closely related to cougars, but they are much smaller. This species tends to be more gregarious than other cats and tolerates eachother’s company fairly well.The aptly named wild cat is the ancestor of all domestic cats, which were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent 9,000-10,000 years ago. There are five subspecies in the wild which are all found across Africa and Eurasia.The Chinese mountain cat is actually a subspecies of the wild cat, but it looks quite different from the European and African subspecies. Until 2007, they were only known from skins in museums and six captive specimens in Chinese zoos.Margays are beautifully patterned cats native to dense, forested areas in Central and South America. Until the 1990s, they were pursued for the wildlife trade, which decimated their populations.Sand cats truly are sand cats. They are found throughout the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The long hairs growing between their toes allow them to comfortably walk across hot sand.The jungle cat is the largest of the Felis species, and it has a very wide distribution. It is found from Egypt to Southeast Asia. Oddly enough, despite the name, they are not found in rainforests.Not many cats like water, but fishing cats are one of the few exceptions.They can swim long distances and are happy above and below the water. And, as you’d expect, fish makes up 75% of their diet. Fishing cats are actually odd among cats for a number of other reasons. The nocturnal, roughly 15- to 35-pound creatures have curiously narrowly-spaced eyes set in a long, low skull perched on a thick and muscular neck. Their tail is decidedly short, but not bobbed like that of the lynxes.Leopard Cat The leopard cat (completely unrelated to leopards) is another wild cat species that inhabits Asia, generally in forests and plantations. They often climb trees in search of prey and have been recorded as high as 14 feet (4 meters) off the ground.The rusty-spotted cat looks quite similar to your average housecat, and they’re among the smallest of all cat species. This species is only native to India and Sri Lanka, and their spopulations are unfortunately in decline; Less than 10,000 currently exist in the wild.You’re probably already quite familiar with bobcats. The reason they’re included on this list is that while most Americans have heard of the bobcat, few have ever seen one. The reason for this is because the bobcat is one of the most elusive creatures in all of North America. Bobcats are native to North America, and unlike most wildcats, they are not limited to a specific habitat. They are highly adaptable and found in forests, swamps, deserts, and even urban environments.The serval is a magnificent-looking cat native to sub-Saharan Africa. They’re excellent hunters, and can run up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers an hour), and they can leap 12 feet (3.6 meters) from a stationary position.The flat-headed cat is native to the tropical rainforests of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra. Endangered due to habitat loss, fewer than 2,500 exist in the wild. They are equally as rare in captivity: Less than 10 exist in Malaysian and Thai zoos.The black-footed cat is a wildcat native to southern Africa. Along with the rusty-spotted cat, the black-footed cat is among the smallest of all cat species. Much like the rusty-spotted cat, it looks very much like your average housecat, but is even more antisocial than domestic cats, fleeing at the slightest sound and attacking if cornered. Unlike most cats, these animals are poor climbers.Found throughout much of Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, the caracal is another widely distributed wildcat. Unlike most cats, their pupils shrink to circles, rather than slits. Yet, they are very effective hunters and are capable of taking down 12 pigeons in one leap.Geoffrey’s cats are native to southern South America and are no bigger than a domestic cat. They are unique among cats because they have been observed standing on their hind legs to view the surrounding landscape.Like Geoffrey’s cat, Pallas’s cat is the size of a domestic cat. Pallas’s cats are found in the grasslands and steppes of Central Asia. Like caracals, their pupils form circles, rather than slits, when contracted.Ocelots, also known as dwarf leopards, are found from southern Texas throughout Central America and in the majority of South America. Twice the size of the average housecat, they’re excellent hunters and utilize trees when pursuing prey. These cats are nocturnal and highly territorial. In territorial disputes, they may fight to the death.This rare subspecies of leopard has adapted to live far from the jungle, in the Russian Far East. Prized by poachers for its beautiful spotted skin, there are now fewer than 100 Amur Leopards in the wild — the latest population estimates say less than 60 remain.These cats are fantastically effective predators, and can seemingly take on anything they find in their chilly, boreal home. They tackle standard fare like hares, rodents, weasels, and fowl, but will unflinchingly stalk and successfully attack boars, young moose, and deer. In fact, Eurasian lynxes are the only lynx species known to regularly hunt hoofed animals—a habit more attributed to the “big cat” species. Unfathomably strong for their size, Eurasian lynxes are known to take down elk in excess of 450 pounds.Snow leopards are magnificent looking creatures weighing between 50 and 150 pounds. Their coats are long and thick, ranging in color from smoky gray to light tan and equipped with a dense pattern of black rosettes.The Bornean bay cat (Catopuma badia) is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN list and is predicted to lose up to another 20% of its population by 2020. Less than 2,500 individuals currently inhabit the island, threatened primarily by habitat loss. Bay cats are normally chestnut in color with lighter hued tails and limbs and long white-streaked tails. The animals boast rounded ears and are generally about two feet in length, weighing between six and nine pounds.
