Rare Wild Cat Species

We all know about leopards, tigers, lions, cougars, and jaguars, but there’s a whole world of rare wild cat species that exists, that are small and/or weird varieties that you’ve probably never seen or even heard of!

Cats evolved into a distinct family (Felidae) roughly 25 million years ago. Since then, they’ve expanded all over the world and have evolved to match their environments. They still retain some things in common, however – just like your fluffball at home, very few cats can taste sweetness. They are all obligate carnivores – they do not simply favor meat, they can’t subsist on anything else. Besides lions, very few cats display any sort of strong social behavior, though some others do hunt together or form loose colonies. It’s no wonder our domesticated kitties are such haughty, individualistic souls! (Source: BoredPanda.com)

Here are a few of the cats that you have never heard of or even seen before. These cats are located around the world.

1 Sand Cat (Felis Margarita)

Source Imgur

This is one of the more difficult cats to study in the wild. Their foot coverings allow them to walk on sand without sinking, leaving their footprints nearly invisible.  They have learned to crouch down and shut their eyes when a light is shone on them, which prevents the light from reflecting their eyes for tracking. That combined with their protective coat color makes them blend right into their habitat. They also bury all of their excrement making it impossible to find and analyze so their diet can be studied.

Habitat: Sandy and stony deserts.

Distribution: From the Sahara through the Middle East to Turkestan.

(Source: BigCatRescue.org)

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2 Black-footed Cat (Felis Nigripes)

The black-footed cat is perhaps the smallest species of wild cat in Africa, black-footed cats average only 2.4 lb. to 4.2 lb. when fully grown. As with many other animals the females are usually smaller than the males.

Head and body length (not counting tails): The males are around 14 to 17 inches long. Their tails are about 6 to 8 inches long. Again females are normally smaller than the males.

Height: The males are usually around 8 to 10 inches tall when measuring that the shoulder.

Habitat: Black-footed cats are nocturnal inhabitants of the arid lands of southern Africa, and are typically associated with open, sandy grassy habitats with sparse scrub and tree cover. Although poorly studied in the wild, optimal habitat seems to be savannah areas having long grass with high rodent and bird densities. During the day, they live in abandoned burrows dug or in holes in termite mounds.

During the course of a year males will travel up to 8.5 sq. mi. while females travel up to 4 sq. mi. A male’s territory overlaps the territories of one to four females.

Distribution: Black-footed cats are native to arid regions of the southern parts of Africa like Nambia, Zimbabwe, Angola but not is the driest or sandiest parts of the Namib or Kalahari deserts. Before its numbers decreased so much it had once been known to inhabit Botswana. Sadly, none have been seen in Botswana for a long time. (Source: BigCatRescue.org)

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3. Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa)

Named for the large cloud-like spots on its body, the clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat that sports a grayish or yellowish coat. The spots, which are generally dark brown with a black outline, provide excellent camouflage in the leopard’s forest habitat. Clouded leopards have long, strong tails and powerful, stout legs. They are also known to be one of the best climbers in the cat family.

Historically clouded leopards were found in much of Southeast Asia from Nepal to southern China. Today, four subspecies are found in the following regions: Nepal to Burma; southern China to eastern Burma; Sumatra, Borneo and Java; Taiwan (thought to be extinct in the wild). The Bornean clouded leopard has been identified as a new cat species. (Source: Defenders.org)

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Pallas Cat (Otocolobus Manul)

Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) is about the size of a domestic cat but looks much larger due to its stocky build and long, dense coat, which helps shield it from the cold in its frosty habitat ^{(2) (5)}. The fur, which is nearly twice as long on the underparts and tail as it is on the top and sides ⁽⁵⁾, seasonally changes colour, from a frosted grey in winter to a grey/fox-red in the spring. Hair length and density also varies seasonally, being longer and heavier in the cold seasons ⁽⁶⁾. The short, stocky legs are marked with indistinct black bands and the bushy black-tipped tail is encircled with dark rings towards the end ⁽⁵⁾. Contrasting patches of pale white-cream fur exists on the chin, throat, inner ears and just beneath the eye, while two dark stripes run diagonally across each cheek and the crown is patterned with little black spots ⁽⁵⁾. The colour and patterning of the hair provides Pallas’s cat with a high level of camouflage and amongst rocks it can remain perfectly concealed ⁽⁶⁾. The small, rounded ears are set low on the sides of the short, broad head, an adaptation to stalking prey in open country where there is little cover ^{(3) (5)}. Unlike other small cats, the pupils in the large eyes of Pallas’s cat contract to small circles rather than slits ⁽³⁾.

Widely distributed but rare, Pallas’s cat is found from the Caspian Sea in the west through Kazakhstan, Pakistan and northern India to parts of China and Mongolia ⁽⁴⁾. The species is now thought to be most abundant on the cold grasslands of Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau. Elsewhere it is considered vulnerable to rare and uncommon ⁽⁵⁾. (Source: Arkive.org)

Read more about other rare wild cats at Boredpanda.com.    You can also visit the following sites to read more about the cats referenced in this article at Arkive.org,  Defenders.org,   BigCatRescue.org, BoredPanda.com.

Rare Wild Cat Species