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This is a countdown of ten fascinating wild cat species. You probably already know all
about lions, tigers, and even leopards, but although these ten felines are less famous
than their cousins, that doesn't make them any less interesting.
Number 10:
The Caracal.
The caracal, sometimes called the 'desert lynx,' is native to Africa, parts of Asia,
and India. Its name comes from a Turkish word meaning 'black ear,' a reference to the distinctive
black tufts on the back of its ears.
The largest of the small cats in Africa, caracals can grow up to 40 lbs or 18 kg in weight and
reach about 3 feet or a meter in length. Caracals were once used by humans in India and Iran
to hunt birds, but in the wild they will hunt birds, rodents, lizards, and snakes. They
will also kill prey larger than they are, like small antelope.
Number 9:
The Andean Mountain Cat.
The Andean Mountain Cat is a small wild cat native to the Andes mountains in South America.
Although they do not weigh much more than a large domestic cat at about 12 lbs or 5.5kg,
they can grow much longer, with a length of up to 33 inches or 85 cm, not including their
tail. An Andean Mountain Cat's tail is long and bushy, with dark rings around it.
Relatively little is known about this rare and elusive feline, but it has been classified
as an endangered species due to loss of habitat and prey animals.
Number 8:
The Flat-Headed Cat.
Native to a small area of southeast Asia, the flat-headed cat is most recognizable by
the unusual shape of its long, flattened head and rounded ears. It's about the size of a
housecat, with a head and body length of up to 20 inches or 50 cm and a weight of about
5 lbs or 2.5 kg. Unlike domestic cats, however, flat-headed cats have pronounced webbing between
the toes of their paws that help them travel through wet and muddy environments.
Flat-headed cats live exclusively in lowland tropical rainforests, where they eat mostly
fish and frogs. Due to the destruction of the forests where they live, flat-headed cats
are endangered.
Number 7:
The Margay.
The margay is a small cat native to central and South America. They are larger than domestic
cats with a head and body length of 31 inches or 79 cm and a weight of more than 8 lbs or
4 kg. Margays are skillful climbers and may spend their entire lives in the trees, catching
and eating the birds and monkeys that live there.
Although Margays are not yet endangered, their populations are declining as the forests in
which they live are cut down or converted to farmland.
Number 6:
The Sand Cat.
Native to north Africa and southwest Asia, the sand cat is the only cat in the world
that is found mostly in true deserts. Sand cats are well adapted to the harsh conditions:
they can be found in areas very far from water, and are able to survive on the moisture that
is found in their prey. They also have special long hairs on their feet that help protect
them when they walk on the hot sand. When temperatures are hot, sand cats will retreat
to burrows in the ground to keep cool.
They are fairly small, with a head and body length of up to 20 inches or 52 cm and weights
of about 7 lbs or 3 kg, and they eat mostly rodents, birds, reptiles, hares, and insects.
Number 5:
The Serval.
The serval is a medium sized cat, reaching a head and body length of up to 36 inches
or 92 cm and a weight of up to 40 lbs or 18 kg. It can be found in much of sub-Saharan
Africa, mostly on the savanna and at the fringes of forests. They are able to climb and swim,
but they usually don't.
Servals' favorite prey are rodents, which they can hear moving about with their large
ears, but they will also eat birds, reptiles, insects, fish and frogs.
Number 4:
The Jaguarundi.
Native to central and South America, the jaguarundi is a small to medium wild cat, with head and
body lengths of up to 30 inches or 77 cm and weights of up to 20 lbs or 9 kg. Jaguarundis
have an almost weasel-like appearance, with long, slender bodies, short legs, and a small,
flat head with rounded ears.
They are excellent climbers and jumpers, sometimes jumping as high as two meters off the ground
to attack birds in the air, but jaguarundis will eat almost any small animal they can
catch.
Number 3:
The Kodkod.
The kodkod is the smallest cat in the Americas, with a maximum weight of 5 and a half lbs
or 2.5 kg and a typical length of about 20 inches or 51 cm, not including the tail. Found
only in Chile and small areas of Argentina, kodkods prefer to live in temperate rainforests
where they eat birds, lizards, and rodents.
Due to logging that is shrinking their habitats, kodkod populations are declining.
Number 2:
The Fishing Cat.
A medium sized cat native to south and southeast Asia, the fishing cat is about twice the size
of a housecat. Their head to body length can reach up to 31 inches or 78 cm, although their
tail is somewhat short, and they can weigh up to 35 lbs or 16 kg. Fishing cats are at
home in the water, and can swim a long way, even underwater. They eat mainly fish, but
will also eat snakes, amphibians, birds, insects, and rodents.
Fishing cats are endangered due to the continued destruction of the wetlands where they live.
Number 1:
The Black-Footed Cat.
Native to the southern tip of Africa, the black-footed cat is the smallest cat in Africa
and one of the smallest cats in the world. At their maximum size, they weigh less than
5 and a half lbs or 2 and a half kg, and reach a head and body length of only 17 inches or
43 cm. Although it is called the 'black-footed' cat, only the pads and the underparts of their
feet are black.
Black footed cats live in open savanna and semidesert. Unlike many other cats, they are
poor climbers, choosing instead to dig burrows to shelter from the heat. Due to their small
size, they eat mostly rodents and small birds, but will occasionally kill birds and mammals
larger than themselves.
I hope you enjoyed learning about these amazing wild cats, and stay tuned for more creature
countdowns from FreeSchool!