Cat family. Big and small cats. Wild cats

The cat family is very careful, mysterious, graceful and unusually attractive animals. Unfortunately, many of them are already listed in environmental books or are even on the verge of extinction; hunting is prohibited. We decided to compile Top 20 most beautiful representatives of the cat family, living throughout the world and occupying a wide variety of habitats. You can also check out the Rating of the most beautiful cat breeds.

In addition, on the site you can see a collection of photographs on the topic: Friendship between man and lion, Friendship between man and tiger.

20. Serval (bush cat)

A predatory mammal of the cat family. Servals are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Africa, excluding the Sahara, forestsequatorial zone and the extreme south of the mainland (Cape Province). North of the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco) this animal is now extremelyrare, but still quite common in East and West Africa. There are about 14 subspecies. Ninhabit open spaces with bushes and grassy thickets, settling, as a rule, not far from water. TheyThey avoid deserts, dry plains and tropical rainforests, staying on the edges of the latter.It is an object of trade, as its skin is used for fur products; it is also prized in some areas of Africa due toyour meat. It is also exterminated due to attacks on poultry.As a result, in densely populated areas of Africa, the number of servals has dropped noticeably. They are quite easily tamed andcan be kept in captivity as pets. Male servals can mate with ordinary domestic cats, producing hybrids -"savannah".

19. Jaguarundi

A species of predatory mammals, which also includes the genus Puma. Externally, the jaguarundi somewhat resembles a member of the familymustelids or civets: she has an unusually elongated, flexiblethe body has short strong legs and a long thin tail, which overall gives it a resemblance to a weasel or Madagascar fossa.Shows great flexibility in choosing habitats. These cats were found in savannas, in the thorny thickets of chaparral, intropical rainforests. The structural features of the body allow it to easily make its way through thick grass and bushes.Jaguarundi often live near water - in wetlands, along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes. In the mountains they climb to heights of up to3200 m above sea level. secretive animals leading a predominantly solitary lifestyle (except for the mating season).Unlike most felines, jaguarundis are active mainly during the day; their peak activity occurs at 11o'clock in the morning. Jaguarundis are terrestrial animals, but they can climb and swim well. Due to its wide range, this animal is notIt is a protected species, although it has become rare in the southern United States. Little is known about its abundance and ecology.

Wild cat of southeast Asia: in the eastern Himalayas, Sumatra and Borneo. Marbled cats are slightly larger than domestic cats. Their length is about 55 cm, not including the 50 cm tail. The fur pattern resembles a clouded leopard. Their immediate habitat is tropical forests. Being a nocturnal hunter, the marbled cat feeds on rodents, especially from the squirrel family, toads, birds and insects. Unlike the Bengal cat living on the ground, it moves mainly in the branches of trees, and thus both species do not pose much competition to each other. Hunting it is prohibited in Bangladesh, China (only in Yunnan province), India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

A wild small cat from the genus of Asian cats. A close relative of the Bengal cat. The smallest representative of the cat genus. Lives only in India and Sri Lanka. The species is endangered as there are fewer than 10,000 adults in the speciesrepresentatives with a constant decline due to changes in their natural habitat.Ceylon rusty cats live in tropical forests, while the Indian population inhabits dry, open areas.Rusty cats are nocturnal and solitary. Their behavior is very close to that of the Bengal cat. To theirprey includes mice, lizards and insects. Despite their ability to climb trees well, cats are rusty most of the time.usually carried out on the ground.

16. Cheetah

A predatory mammal of the cat family, the fastest land animal. Noticeably different from other representatives of the cat family. The body is slender,with developed muscles and practically no fat deposits, he even seems fragile. The claws are partially retractable, which is not typical for cats, exceptThe cheetah is observed only in the fishing cat, Sumatran and Iriomotean cats. Cheetahs are diurnal predators. They are huntingmainly on small ungulates: gazelles, impalas, wildebeest calves, as well as hares. Three cheetahs can defeat an ostrich.87% of the cheetah's prey is Thomson's gazelle. Cheetahs usually hunt early in the morningor in the evening, when it is no longer very hot, but still quite light. They navigate more by sight than by smell. Unlike other cats,Cheetahs hunt by stalking prey rather than by ambush. In pursuit of the victim, it reaches speeds of up to 110-115 km/h, accelerating to 75 km/h in2 seconds. In Africa, the cheetah is the weakest of the large predators. Hyenas, leopards and lions can take prey from cheetahs,taking advantage of the fact that a cheetah needs up to half an hour to rest after a chase. The cheetah only eats the animals it kills.himself, sometimes drags prey into the bushes,to hide it from predators and eat it later, but more often it hunts anew each time.

The Margay is sometimes kept as a domestic cat in South America. Forest margays differ from ordinary pets in their strong, long legs, and in addition, they are somewhat larger. The length of the cat without a tail is about 60 centimeters. They are also called a smaller copy of an ocelot. But the margay's tail is special - it is two-thirds the length of the entire cat, it is decorated with stripes and rings. This is why the margay is also called a long-tailed cat. It balances with its tail, moving in the crowns along thin branches. It lives in trees and finds its prey there. Just like an ordinary cat, the margay hunts lizards or small birds. The only one of all cats, the margay can twist its ankles 180 degrees and climb a tree just like a squirrel - up or down. Due to deforestation and the zeal of hunters, margays are becoming increasingly rare, and are already recognized as an endangered animal. Alas, they reproduce very poorly in zoos.

A wild cat of the genus Catopum that lives in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Previously, it was classified as a member of the now abolished genus of golden cats. Today it is believed that its similarity to the African golden cat is based on convergent evolution. The species is named after the Dutch zoologist Konrad Temminck. More than twice the size of a normal domestic cat. Its length is 90 cm, not counting its tail, which is 50 cm long. The Temminck cat's range stretches from the Himalayas and southern China to the Indochina Peninsula, and it is also found in Sumatra. Inhabits forest biotopes. Due to deforestation and hunting, the Temminka cat has become a rare animal. In China, its meat is considered a delicacy, and its bones are used in traditional Chinese medicine. In Thailand, there are a lot of legends around her, according to one of which it is believed that burning the fur of the Temminka cat drives tigers away from the surrounding area, and carrying at least one hair from her fur, according to local superstitions, protects against tiger attacks.

A predatory mammal from the cat family, common in Central America, northern and centralparts of South America. The northernmost region inhabited by ocelots is the American state of Texas. Its population is concentrated inThe ocelot avoids tropical forests and open spaces. Ocelots live solitary lives and hunt primarily at night. DuringDuring the heat of the day, they like to hide in tree hollows. Despite their excellent ability to climb trees and rocks, they huntearth. Ocelots' prey includes mainly small mammals and birds, howeversometimes they do not disdain snakes. The largest specimens of the ocelot also overpower small donkeys and pigs.Due to intensive hunting for it, the ocelot has become an extremely rare animal in our time. Thanks to the new interstateAgreements prohibit ocelot hunting, as well as the sale of any products made from ocelots.

A member of the cat family, living in Southeast Asia. It vaguely resembles a leopard and is considereda rather ancient species, as well as a possible ancestor of the current large cats. Its value corresponds approximatelythe size of a shepherd dog. The clouded leopard is found in southeast Asia: from southern China to Malacca and from the eastern Himalayas toVietnam. The subspecies found in Taiwan has become extinct. Its biotopeare tropical and subtropical forests located at altitudes up to 2000 meters. They live alone and move around usuallyin the thickets. The long tail helps them maintain balance in difficult environments. Among the felines, smokyLeopards are the best at climbing trees. They are also good swimmers. Their prey includesdeer, wild boars, monkeys, birds, goats, reptiles. They wait for their victims on branches and suddenly jump on top of them.Because of its precious skin, the clouded leopard has been hunted a lot in the past. Today it is threatened by poaching, butthe greatest danger to its preservationrepresents the progressive deforestation of the tropical forests that are its home.

Species of the cat family. The sand cat is distinguished by the smallest size among wild cats: its body length is 65-90 cm,with 40% occupied by the tail. The feet are covered with hard fur, which protects the soles of the paws from burns from hot sand.The fur is thick and soft, protecting the body from low night temperatures. The range of the sand cat looks like a stripe startingin the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco, Chad, Niger) and across the Arabianpeninsula to Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and Pakistan. Lives exclusively in hot, dry climatesareas. Its habitats are very diverse, from sandy deserts. Dune cats are strictly nocturnal.Only the Pakistani subspecies is active mainly at dusk in winter and early spring. They escape from the heat of the day inshelters - in old burrows of foxes, corsacs, porcupines, as well as in expanded burrows of gophers and gerbils.Cats are carnivores; Their diet includes almost all the game they can find. It is based on gerbils,jerboas and other small rodents, lizards, spiders and insects. Sometimes tolai hares and birds whose nests are destroyed.The sand cat is also known for its hunting of poisonous snakes (horned viper, etc.). In winter it sometimes approaches villages,but does not attack domestic cats and birds. Dune cats get most of their moisture from food and cando without water. Natural enemies of sand cats are snakes, large birds of prey and jackals.Sometimes they independently dig shallow holes or holes where they hide in case of danger. Palmost devoid of vegetation, to rocky valleys overgrown with bushes. They are not huntedhowever, they are caught for sale. They also suffer from the destruction of their natural habitat.In general, the sand cat is the most “prosperous” species among wild cats.

A predatory mammal of the cat family. He received his second name - Pallas's cat - in honor of the German naturalistPeter Pallas, who discovered the Pallas cat on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the 18th century. Manul is an animal the size of a domestic cat.Pallas's fur is the fluffiest and thickest among cats. Distributed in Central and Central Asia, from South Transcaucasia andwestern Iran to Transbaikalia, Mongolia and Northwestern China. Pallas' cat habitats are characterized by sharply continentalclimate with low winter temperatures and low snow cover; It is most numerous in areas with little snow. InhabitsPallas's cat inhabits steppe and semi-desert areas. Leads a sedentary lifestyle. Active mainly at dusk and early morning; sleeps during the dayin the shelter. The slowest and clumsiest of wild cats. Pallas's cat feeds almost exclusively on pikas and mouse-likerodents, occasionally catches gophers, tola hares, marmots and birds. The Pallas's cat is not adapted to fast running. In case of danger forit is characterized by hiding; he also escapes from enemies by climbingon stones and rocks. An alarmed Pallas' cat emits a hoarse rumbling or sharp snorting.Pallas's cat is rare or extremely rare, and its numbers continue to decline. In some places it is on the verge of extinction.included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in the IUCN Red List with the status of “close to threatened”. Hunting for manulaprohibited everywhere.

A species of mammal of the lynx genus, the northernmost of the cat species; in Scandinavia it is found even beyond the Arctic Circle.It was once quite common throughout Europe, but by the middle of the 20th century it was exterminated in most countries of Central Europe.and Western Europe. Successful attempts have now been made to revive the lynx population. Preference is given to deaf dark conifersforests, taiga, although it is found in a wide variety of plantations, including mountain forests; sometimes enters the forest-steppe and forest-tundra.She climbs trees and rocks very well and swims well.She also survives well in the snow (in the Arctic Circle), catching fur-bearing animals. When there is an abundance of food, the lynx lives sedentary, whendisadvantage - wanders. It can travel up to 30 kilometers per day. The basis of its diet is hares. She alsoconstantly hunts grouse birds, small rodents, and less often small ungulates, such as roe deer, musk deer, spotted andreindeer, occasionally attacks domestic cats and dogs, and also attacks foxes, raccoon dogs and other small animals.According to Russian zoologist Mikhail Kretschmar, there is not a single confirmed case of a lynx attacking a person.Moreover, the lynx is known as one of the most easily tamed animals.

A predatory mammal of the cat family. For a long time, the caracal was classified as a lynx, which it resembles in appearance, but a number ofgenetic characteristics separated it into a separate genus. Despite this, the caracal is closer to lynxes than other cats.Although the caracal looks like a lynx, its morphological characteristics are closest to the puma. The caracal is also close to the Africanserval, with which it interbreeds well in captivity. Found in savannas, deserts and foothills of Africa, in the deserts of Arabiapeninsula, Asia Minor and Central Asia. It is rare in the CIS: it is found in the deserts of Southern Turkmenistan, along the coastThe Caspian Sea reaches the Mangyshlak Peninsula, in the east it sometimes appears in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan.The caracal is active mainly at night, but in winter and spring it also appears during the day. Its shelters are rock crevices andporcupine and fox burrows; sometimes they are used for several years in a row. Rodents (gerbils,jerboas, ground squirrels), tolai hares, partly small antelopes, and in Turkmenistan - goitered gazelles. Sometimes it catches hedgehogs, porcupines,reptiles, insects, small predatory animals such as foxes andmongoose, young ostriches. Can abduct poultry and attack lambs and goats. Caracals are easy to tame. In Asia(India, Persia) with tame caracals they hunted hares, pheasants, peacocks and small antelopes. In Africa, especially South,The caracal is quite common and is considered a pest. There is a special culture of caracal hunting: it is lured with instruments,imitating the cry of a wounded hare or mouse, and at night they shoot from under the headlights. In addition, in South Africa, caracals are usedto drive away birds (mainly guinea fowl) from the runways of military airfields.Asian subspecies of caracal are much rarer.

7. Leo

A species of predatory mammals, one of four representatives of the panther genus, belonging to the subfamily of big catsas part of the cat family. Is the second largest living cat after the tiger -the weight of some males can reach 250 kg. The historical range of the lion was much wider than the modern one - even in the earlyIn the Middle Ages, the lion was found throughout Africa, except for deserts and tropical forests, and it could also be seenin the Middle East, Iran and even in a number of places in southern Europe (for example, it lived in part of the territory of modern southern Russia,rising to approximately the 45th parallel north). In Northern and Northwestern India, the lion was a common predator. HoweverHuman persecution and habitat destruction have meant that in Africa the lion remains only south ofSahara, its range is currently disrupted. In Asia, a small population exists in the Gir Forest (in the Indian stateGujarat). Lions are a vulnerable species due to an irreversible decline in their population. For the last twodecades, the number of lions in Africa has decreased by 30-50%. Populations are vulnerable outside protected areas.The cause of the decline is not fully understood, but the biggest threats are habitat loss and conflict with a person.

6. Black Panther

The name of dark-colored individuals of a number of species of large cats, which are a genetic variant of coloration - a manifestationmelanism, caused by a gene mutation and is characteristic almost exclusively of females. An example of a strong mutation spread,which leads to melanism, in the cat population, is the populationleopard in Malaysia, where about 50% of animals are black in color.The black panther is not an independent species. Most often it is a leopard or jaguar. The existence of melanistic pumasnot confirmed. The word "panther" is often applied not only to individuals with a black color, but also to others with a normal color(reddish or spotted), even white - the so-called “white panthers”.

5. Jaguar

Big cats. The only representative of the genus in North and South America. The third largest in the world, and the mosta large representative of the cat family in the New World. The species range extends from Mexico south to Paraguay and northArgentina. The main habitats of the jaguar are tropical rain forests and grasslands. Jaguars have a solitary lifestyle.The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. His most active hunting hours are after sunset and beforeat dawn. Its main prey are capybaras and ungulates such as mazama deer, peccaries and tapirs, but it also attacks birds,monkeys, foxes, snakes, rodents. The jaguar also hunts turtles - its powerful jaws are capable of biting through their shell. In contrastfrom the puma, the jaguar willingly and often attacks livestock. The predator is an excellent swimmer and rarely misses a prey that is looking forrescue in water. He also digs out of the sand on the ocean coastturtle eggs, sometimes rushes at sleeping alligators or snatches fish from the water. Throughout much of its former rangethis species is almost or completely exterminated. Human changes in the natural habitats of jaguars and fishing played a rolefor the sake of valuable skins, as well as shooting by cattle breeders who feared for the safety of their herds.The jaguar is listed in the International Red Book and is protected in many countries. Shooting of jaguars in limited quantitiesallowed in Brazil, Mexico and some other countries. Hunting for trophies is allowed in Bolivia.

4. Leopard

In the 20th century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. However, in many African countries, the relatively high number of leopards makes it possible to allocate an annual quota for their production. A large cat, however, is significantly smaller in size than a tiger and a lion. The leopard's range is wider than that of any other member of the cat family, with the exception of the domestic cat. The plasticity of the species is explained by its secretive lifestyle and its ability to hunt a wide variety of animals. The range of the leopard in the Caucasus by the middle of the 20th century had declined catastrophically, its numbers are negligible, and in fact this subspecies is on the verge of complete extinction. Inhabits forest, partly forest-steppe regions, savannas and mountainous regions of Africa and the southern Anterior and southern half of East Asia. The leopard feeds mainly on ungulates: antelopes, deer, roe deer and others, and during periods of starvation - rodents, monkeys, birds, and reptiles. Sometimes attacks domestic animals (sheep, horses). Like a tiger, he often kidnaps dogs; Foxes and wolves suffer from it. It does not disdain carrion and steals prey from other predators, including other leopards. The number of leopards throughout their range is steadily declining. The main threat to it is associated with changes in natural habitats and a reduction in food supply. The main concern is the poaching of animals for the needs of oriental medicine.

3. Puma (mountain lion, cougar)

Species of the cat family. The word "puma" comes from the Quechua language. The puma's closest relatives are the jaguarundi and the extinct North American genus Miracinonyx. The cougar is the second largest feline in the Americas; The only thing bigger than her is the jaguar. Historically, the cougar's range was the largest of any land mammal in the Americas. Even now, in terms of the breadth of its distribution, the puma is comparable (among the felines) only to the red lynx, forest cat and leopard. Pumas were originally found almost everywhere from southern Patagonia to southeastern Alaska; the area of ​​its distribution coincided quite accurately with the area of ​​its main prey - various deer. Nowadays, in the United States and Canada, the puma remains mainly in the mountainous western regions. In eastern North America, the puma was completely exterminated; the exception is the tiny population of the subspecies Puma concolor coryi in Florida. Cougars lead a strictly solitary lifestyle. The puma hunts mainly at night. Its diet consists mainly of ungulates: black-tailed, white-tailed, pampas deer, elk, elk, caribou, bighorn sheep and livestock. However, the cougar can feed on a wide variety of animals - from mice, squirrels, opossums, rabbits, muskrats, porcupines, Canadian beavers, raccoons, skunks, armadillos to coyotes, bobcats and other cougars. They also eat birds, fish and even snails and insects. Unlike tigers and leopards, the puma does not distinguish between wild and domestic animals, attacking livestock, dogs, cats and birds when the opportunity arises. At the same time, she slaughters more animals than she can eat. Although cougars are hunted and their range is shrinking due to environmental destruction, most subspecies are quite numerous because cougars are easily adapted to life in different landscapes. It is also interesting to note that some people have now begun to tame pumas as their pets.

2. Snow leopard (irbis or snow leopard)

A large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in the mountains of Central Asia.Weighs up to 55 kg. Due to the inaccessibility of the habitat and the low density of the species, manyaspects of its biology. Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small; in the 20th century it was included in the Red BookIUCN, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2012, hunting snow leopards is prohibited.The snow leopard's range in central and southern Asia covers approximately 1,230,000 km² of mountainous regions andextends through the territory of the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.The snow leopard is a characteristic representative of the fauna of the high rocky mountains of Central and Central Asia. Among the big catsThe snow leopard is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands. It predominantly inhabits alpine meadows, treelessrocks, rocky areas, rocky outcrops, steep gorges and often found in snowy areas. Active at dusk, but sometimes during the day.The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass.The main prey of the snow leopard almost everywhere and all year round is ungulates. It should be noted that due to the constantDue to human persecution, the number of snow leopards is continuously declining.

1. Tiger

A species of predatory mammals of the cat family, one of four representatives of the panther genus, which belongs to the subfamilybig cats. Among the representatives of this species there are the largest animals of the cat family. Tiger is one oflargest land predators, second in mass only to the white and brown bears. Nine subspecies of tiger have been identified.In the 20th century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries.As of 2012, tiger hunting is banned worldwide. The tiger is an exclusively Asian species. Historical range of the tiger(now strongly divided into separate populations, sometimes very distant from one another) is located on the territory of the FarEastern Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and Southeast Asian countries, including the Sunda Archipelago(Indonesian Islands). In the wild, tigers mainly feed on ungulates, sometimes they can hunt domestic animals,such as dogs, cows, horses and donkeys. Throughout its range, the tiger is the top of the food pyramid and almostdoes not experience competition from other predators.

Did you know that there are currently 41 species of cats living in the world? They are all wild. Absolutely all are predatory. Many of the species and subspecies are on the verge of extinction. In this article I would like to show all the diversity and beauty of the cat family. But first, I would like you not to be confused about the terms.

So, all cats belong to the order of predators, and then this order is divided into two suborders: canids and felines. Felidae include hyenas, mongooses, viverrids and felids. They are all very distant relatives, but cats are only those that are part of the feline family!

The entire cat family is divided into subfamilies: small cats and big cats.

Each subfamily is in turn divided into genera. There are especially many of them in the subfamily of small cats:

Genus Cheetahs (Acinonyx)
- genus Caracal
- genus Catopuma (Catopuma)
- genus Cats (Felis)
- genus Tiger cats (Leopardus)
- genus Serval (Leptailurus)
- genus Lynx (Lynx)
- genus Marbled cats (Pardofelis)
- genus Asian cats (Prionailurus)
- genus Golden cats (Profelis)
- genus Puma (Puma)

For the subfamily of big cats, everything is simpler:

- genus Clouded leopards (Neofelis)
- Panther genus

Now that we have determined which family cats belong to and divided them into subfamilies and genera, all that remains is to divide them into species! And there are 41 of these species. Each type is presented below.
Most likely, you will be trying to find your domestic cat breed or, for example, the Far Eastern leopard among all the species below. And you won't find them. Why? Because your domestic cat, like the Amur leopard, is a subspecies.

To make it easier for you to understand what a subspecies means, I’ll show you with an example where your domestic cat is located in the chain:

Family - felines / subfamily - small cats / genus - cats (felis) / species - forest cat / subspecies - your breed of domestic cat

And the Far Eastern leopard is here:

Family - felines / subfamily - big cats / genus - panther (Panthera) / species - leopards / subspecies - Far Eastern leopard.

I will describe the subspecies separately, otherwise this article will turn into such a big one that only a cat maniac like me can read it at once!

Well, now let’s finally get acquainted with all types of cats and admire them:

Subfamily - Small cats (Felinae)

genus - Cheetahs (Acinonyx)

species - cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus):

genus - Caracal

view - :

genus - Catopumas (Catopuma)

view - Kalimantan cat (Catopuma bada):

view - Asian golden cat (Temmincki cat) (Catopuma temmincki):

genus - Cats (Felis)

view - Chinese cat (Gobi gray cat) (Felis bieti):

view - jungle cat (House) (Felis chaus):

view - ):

species - (Felis margarita):

view - :

view - forest cat (Felis silvestris). This is exactly the subspecies of the forest cat - your domestic cat:

view - steppe cat (Felis libyca):

genus - Tiger cats (Leopardus)(not to be confused with leopards!)

view - :

view - Pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo):




view - Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi):

view - Chilean cat (kodkod) (Leopardus guigna):

view - Andean cat (Leopardus jacobitus):

view - ocelot (Leopardus pardalis):

view - oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus):

view - long-tailed cat (margi, margay) (Leopardus wiedii):

genus - Servals (Leptailurus)

view - :

genus - Lynx (Lynx)

species - Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis):

view - common lynx (Lynx lynx):

view - :

view - red lynx (Lynx rufus):

genus - Marbled cats (Pardofelis)

- Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata):

genus - Asian cats (Prionailurus)

- Bengal cat (Prionailurus bengalensis):

view - Iriomota cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis):

view - Far Eastern forest cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus):

view - Sumatran cat (Prionailurus planiceps):

view - spotted red cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus):

view - fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus):

genus - Golden cats (Profelis)

view - :

genus - Puma

species - puma (Puma concolor):

Our planet is inhabited by 37 species of representatives of the cat family. Most of them are large animals, predators. Lions and tigers, panthers and pumas, leopards and cheetahs are considered the largest wild cats in the world. Representatives of this large family have distinctive features in behavior, color, habitat, etc.

In nature there are animals that amaze with their incredible size. In this article we will talk about some of them, and you will also find out the name of the largest wild cat in the world.

Cheetah

An animal that combines the traits and characteristics of both cats and dogs. Long and slender legs, like dogs, a short body and the ability, like cats, to climb trees. This is not the largest cat in the world. Her height does not exceed 90 cm and her weight is 65 kilograms. The body is slender with well-developed muscles and almost no fat deposits; it may even seem fragile.

The cheetah's head is small, with high-set eyes and small rounded ears. The cheetah's short fur is sand-colored with black spots.

Most of the population of these predators is found in African countries: Angola, Algeria, Botswana, Benin, Congo, etc. There are not very many cheetahs left in Asia: according to unconfirmed reports, habitats are preserved only in the central part of Iran.

Animals prefer flat and large spaces, since the hunting style of these wild cats is quite unusual: they are able to quietly approach prey at a distance of less than 10 meters, and then make a rapid dash, developing enormous speed. However, they can only pursue their prey for only 400 meters. If she managed to escape during this time, the cheetah rests and waits for a new victim.

Puma

It is one of the largest wild cats in the world and the second largest in the Americas. The height at the withers is about 70 cm with a body length of 180 cm. The average weight of the predator is 100 kg. The body is elongated, rather massive, the hind legs are longer than the front legs, the head is small, proportional to the body. Color - gray or reddish.

The puma lives mainly in South America or western North America, as well as in Yucatan. The animal settles in almost any area - from plains to mountains. This cat is not too picky about food, can feast on ungulates, and does not disdain insects. Cases of attacks on people have been recorded; as a rule, these were short people walking alone, or children.

Leopard

Of the world's largest wild cats, the leopard is considered the most cunning predator. Despite the fact that its size is smaller than that of a tiger or a lion, it is in no way inferior to them in the power of its jaws. Height at the withers does not exceed 80 cm, and weight - 100 kg. The length of the body can be more than 195 cm. The leopard is distributed in savannas, mountainous regions of Africa and in the southern half of East Asia.

The predator has its own characteristics:

• climbs trees well;
• overcomes water obstacles without difficulty;
• can eat fish;
• sits in ambush for a very long time;
• goes out hunting alone at night;
• to protect its prey, it drags it up a tree.

Leopards are considered more aggressive, whose color is predominantly black, which animals receive due to the high content of the hormone melatonin.

a lion

This mighty animal is one of the largest wild cats in the world. A lion, whose weight reaches and sometimes exceeds 250 kg, with a height at the withers of 123 cm and a body length of up to 250 cm, is a formidable and dangerous predator. The color of the thick coat with a dense undercoat varies from sandy to dark brown. The characteristic features of a lion are a luxurious mane, which only males have, and a tuft at the tip of the tail. These predators live mainly in Africa; small populations remain in India.

The lion notifies the surrounding area that it is going out to hunt with a menacing roar that can be heard several kilometers from the animal’s location. These are the only representatives of the family living in prides (large families), led by the leader of the pack, a young and strong lion. During the hunt, the males are in ambush, and the females drive the prey.

Tigers

These beautiful animals are considered to be the largest wild cats in the world. The size and weight of these giants is impressive. Often the weight of a tiger exceeds 250 kg, and the height of the animal at the withers is 1.2 meters. The body length of an adult male often exceeds three meters.

Predators have a strong and muscular body, a large round head with a convex skull, a beautiful and bright color - rich red with black stripes. These animals today survive in 16 countries - Bhutan and Bangladesh, India and Vietnam, Iran and Indonesia, China and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand and Russia. It is believed that there is a small population in the DPRK, but this information has not been officially confirmed.

Tigers live in tropical rainforests, bamboo thickets in the tropics, mangrove swamps and dry savannas, semi-deserts, bare rocky hills and in the north in the taiga. Their feeding territory extends in different areas for 300-500 km. The predator hunts in the evening and in the morning. It attacks from ambush, sniffing out its prey.

Tigers are surprisingly clean. Before each hunt, the predator must bathe in order to fight off the smell that could scare away the future victim. A person can become the easiest prey for this cat. But it attacks only when people violate the boundaries of its territory or the predator’s food supply dries up. Nowadays, cases of tigers attacking people are extremely rare. This is due to a decrease in the population of almost all species of this animal. All subspecies of tigers are steadily decreasing in number and are included in the Red Book.

Ligers and Tiglons

And finally, the largest wild cat in the world (you can see the photo below) is a hybrid of a female tiger and a male lion. Ligers grow rapidly, gaining up to 500 grams per day. The offspring obtained from a lioness (mother) and a tiger (father) are called tiglons. Such animals are as rare as ligers, but are inferior in size.

Ligers usually grow larger than their parents, and tiglons are close in size to tigers. Ligers, like tigers, love to swim, but are more sociable, which is typical for lions. They can only live in captivity. It is quite natural that this hybrid cannot be born in nature, since tigers and lions do not have a common habitat and do not intersect in the wild.

The liger is the largest wild cat in the world. Until recently, there was a misconception that it grows throughout life due to hormonal characteristics. But then it was found that after reaching the age of six, this animal stops growing, like tigers and lions.

Standing on its hind legs, the liger reaches a height of four meters. Females of these cats weigh 320 kg and their body length is three meters. Quite often they retain the ability to reproduce, while the males are sterile. This is one of the problems in the reproduction of such hybrid offspring.

Cubs that were born from a ligress mother are called liligers. There is data on the maximum weight of such an animal being 540 kg, and in the USA, in the state of Wisconsin - 725 kg. In 1973, the Guinness Book of Records was updated with information about the largest liger at that time. The weight of this hybrid cat was 798 kilograms. The animal lived in South Africa, in one of the zoological centers.

Hercules

Today, the largest wild cat in the world, Hercules, lives in a Miami park. The animal is 16 years old. He was born in 2002 from the union of a lion and a tigress. He took a worthy place in the Guinness Book of Records thanks to his weight of 408 kilograms. The height of the animal is 183 centimeters, and the diameter of the muzzle is 73 centimeters. Hercules is a unique liger, because he was born only because his parents were kept in the same enclosure.

Scientists believe that artificial breeding of these animals is associated only with geographical features. In the distant past, when the habitats of tigers and lions coincided, ligers were not something special in the wild and these giants regularly updated the population. And today there is no possibility of mating of the largest wild cats in natural conditions.

Reasons for the huge growth

The genetic material of the father lion transmits the ability to grow cubs, and the female tigress has genes that do not interfere with the growth of the offspring. As a result, the cub's size is virtually left uncontrolled, and the cub is actively growing.

1. The claws of these animals reach 5 cm in length.
2. Little liger cubs have both spots and stripes in color.
3. Today, no more than 20 ligers live on our planet, kept in zoos around the world.
4. In Russia, the first lig cub was born at the Novosibirsk Zoo in 2012.

Representatives of the cat family are predators and, without exception, feed on meat. All of them - from the small black-footed cat to the huge Amur tiger - are excellent hunters.
Canines and molars: All cats have long, curved, cone-shaped fangs with which they grab, hold and kill prey. Small cats usually kill prey with a bite to the neck, squeezing the victim's vertebrae with sharp fangs. Big cats try to bite into the victim's throat in order to avoid meeting the sharp horns. The cheetah has rather poorly developed fangs, so it can only strangle prey with them. The molars of cats have sharp peaks, and when the jaws are clenched, the upper teeth fit tightly onto the lower ones. With their help, animals easily tear meat into pieces. These "scissor teeth" are a common characteristic of all predators.
Retractable Claws: Felines have the sharpest claws of any carnivorous animal. This innate “tool” helps them when the need arises to climb trees, catch, hold and kill prey. To prevent the weapon from becoming dull or breaking, cats retract their claws into special grooves on their fingers while jumping and running. Some cats have retractable claws only on their front paws. Tree-dwelling cats, such as the ocelot, are able to retract their claws on all four paws. In a cheetah, all the claws are not retractable; they help it develop greater speed while chasing prey, performing the same function as the spikes on the shoes of runners. Some species of felines use their claws not only to climb trees and deal with prey, but also to mark their territory. To do this, they “sharpen” their claws on tree trunks.
Color: Each type of cat has a special fur pattern that best camouflages the animal in its habitat. The coat can be sandy-colored like a lion, striped like a tiger, or spotted like an ocelot—the coloring of each serves to help a predator better hide and remain undetected while hunting or stalking its prey. But beautiful fur has long attracted the attention of people, so hunters, wanting to show off or for profit, mercilessly kill wild cats. The modern cat family includes about 35 species of animals. Felines inhabit regions of the globe that are safe for life and are home to many wild animals. Over the centuries, felines have adapted perfectly to their environment. Avoiding enemies or waiting for prey, they trust their sensitive hearing, keen sense of smell and protective skin color.
REPRODUCTION. Most cats live alone. Cats do not leave their territories throughout the year, and only during the breeding season do males go beyond the boundaries of their possessions in search of females ready to mate. Most cats have one litter per year, but female big cats typically give birth to cubs every 2-3 years.
Males do not participate in raising offspring. There are 1-6 kittens in a litter. Females feed them milk, eventually teaching them to eat meat. Newborn kittens are blind and completely helpless. They quickly become covered with fur, the pattern of which is mostly spotted. The cubs live with their mother until they learn to hunt on their own. On average, predatory cats live about 15 years.
Origin of cats. The first cat-like animals appeared on our planet about 50 million years ago. Over the next 25 million years, in the process of evolution, they formed the early modern species of cats that inhabit the globe today.
One of the most famous prehistoric predators was the saber-toothed tiger, which lived in the forests of 30 million years ago. For reasons unknown to science, it became extinct about 8 thousand years ago. The saber-toothed tiger, however, from a typological point of view, stood closer to hyenas than to cats. By this time, very few fossil remains had been discovered that could tell about the development of the modern cat family. It is likely that the first cats appeared in Asia, from where they gradually spread throughout the world, with the exception of Antarctica and Australia. These predators appeared in South America quite late.
All cats are surprisingly similar in appearance to each other, but biologists distinguish 4 genera in this family and divide all cats into large and small.
Lone HUNTERS. All cats, except lions, hunt alone. They have developed a hunting style based on stalking prey, followed by a lightning-fast jump and killing it. Thanks to this, a solitary animal lives in a certain territory, is able to provide food and survive the hungry period. Surprisingly, some types of cats decide to attack prey that is larger than them. Thus, the lynx hunts roe deer and deer, the tiger is able to overcome deer and elk, and it also does not miss the opportunity to attack baby elephants and rhinoceroses. Another large cat, the leopard, hunts antelope and lifts the prey up a tree so that the carcass does not fall to animals that feed on carrion. Some cats chase the prey for a long time, others briefly but quickly (cheetah). Small cats also demonstrate incredible strength and agility in hunting small prey.
BIG AND SMALL CATS. The cat family belongs to the group of predators, and is still divided into two subfamilies - large and small cats. Big cats include lions, snow leopards, leopards, jaguars, and small cats include jaguarundi, ocelot, forest cat, steppe cat and others. Moreover, the actual size of the animal often turns out to be a relative value. The puma, for example, is included in the group of small cats, although it is larger in size than the clouded leopard, which is included in the group of large cats.
The main criterion in determining the place of a species in the system is anatomical characteristics. In big cats, part of the base of the tongue consists of cartilage, but in small cats it is completely ossified, which is why big cats can growl, and small cats can purr. The next distinguishing feature is the area between the upper lip and nose, which in small cats is covered with hair, but in large cats remains bare. Significant differences between the two groups of cats can also be found in their behavior. Big cats eat prey while lying down, while small cats eat prey while standing or sitting. When resting, the front paws of big cats are extended forward and the tail is thrown back, while small cats hide their front paws under themselves and wrap their long tail around the body.
HEARING AND VISION. All cats have a keen sense of smell. These predators have excellent vision, which helps them identify prey. Due to the fact that cats' eyes are set in front of the head, these animals see objects in volume, so they can accurately estimate the distance to the prey. In addition, cats distinguish colors well and clearly recognize prey. Cats have the same daytime vision as humans, but at night they see 6 times better. The retina of their eyes is structured like the retina of nocturnal animals, it contains a mirror (TareSht IisiAit), reflecting the light that has passed through the light-sensitive cells. Thanks to this, they see well in the dark. Nature has endowed cats with excellent hearing. Their large mobile ears catch even the slightest rustle. Representatives of small cats even hear high-frequency sounds and ultrasounds that small mammals produce.

Almost all wild cats, from huge and rather menacing to small and adorable, are in one way or another endangered. We invite you to pay attention to these amazing graceful animals, which are a real rare treasure of wild nature.

1. Asiatic cheetah

This magnificent cat once graced the expanses of the Middle East, Central Asia, Kazakhstan and southeast India.

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Currently, due to the destruction of their habitat, poaching and excessive hunting, there are approximately 70-110 Asiatic cheetahs living in the wild on the entire planet. All of them live in the arid conditions of the central plateau of Iran.

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2. Irbis (snow leopard)

Found in the rugged mountains of Central Asia, snow leopards are well adapted to the cold desert landscapes of their habitat.

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Unfortunately, the luxurious fur of the snow leopard attracts a huge number of hunters. For this reason, there are only 4000-6500 of these beautiful cats left in the world.

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3. Fishing cat (speckled cat)

Unlike many of its family members, who prefer to avoid water procedures, this cat is a professional swimmer, living on the banks of rivers, streams and mangrove swamps.

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In 2008, this species joined the list of endangered animals, as the favorite habitats of fishing cats - swamps - are gradually drained and become the subject of human attention.

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4. Kalimantan cat

Also known as the Borneo cat, this animal can only be found on the island of Borneo. This extremely rare representative of the cat family is listed in the Red Book by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The photograph in front of you is one of the few photographs of such a rare species.

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5. Sumatran cat

This cat with a slender body and an unusual (slightly flattened) head shape loves to feast on fish and walks by itself in the vast expanses of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sumatra. It has been listed in the Red Book since 2008 due to habitat destruction. The current number of individuals living on the planet is estimated to be less than 2,500.

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6. Andean cat

Among the two dozen small species of wild cats that exist in the world, one of the rarest, information about which is rather scarce, is an animal called the Andean cat. Alas, while millions of dollars are allocated to preserve the populations of its larger relatives from the cat family, there are hardly thousands left from the budgets of protective organizations to support such small cats.

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7. Iberian lynx

The Iberian lynx or Iberian lynx is considered the most endangered species of wild cat. Also, this species is currently one of the rarest mammals on the planet.

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A disease called myxomatosis in the 1950s wiped out Spain's rabbit population (the mainstay of lynx's diet) on a huge scale. There are now only about 100 individuals of this wild cat species left in the wild.

8. Pallas's cat

These beauties prefer to spend the morning hours in caves, crevices and even marmot holes, going out to hunt only in the afternoon. Due to the impoverishment of their habitat, a decrease in food supplies and incessant hunting, in 2002 this species became endangered.

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9. Long-tailed cat (margay)

Margai are created to be ideal tree climbers. Only these cats have the ability to rotate their hind limbs 180 degrees, which allows them to run upside down through trees, like squirrels. Margay can even hang from a branch, clinging to it with only one paw. Every year, people kill about 14,000 long-tailed cats for their skins. This predation trend is fatal for margays because it takes them two years to produce offspring, while the risk of kitten mortality is 50%.

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10. Serval (bush cat)

These cats love to roam the African savannah. The serval has the longest paws in relation to the body compared to any other representative of the cat genus. Unfortunately, in pursuit of their elegant skin, hunters do not skimp on bullets and traps, subsequently offering tourists serval fur, passed off as leopard or cheetah.

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11. Caracal

Also known as the desert lynx, this cat is capable of making barking sounds that serve as warning signals. The caracal is considered an endangered species in North Africa and is considered rare in Central Asia and India.

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12. African golden cat

Only relatively recently have people been able to obtain photographs of this rare nocturnal resident in its habitat.

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The golden cat is only twice the size of our usual domestic cat. Life expectancy in natural conditions for individuals of this species has not been established, but it is known that in captivity they can live up to 12 years.

13. Temminka the Cat

This cat lives in tropical and subtropical moist evergreen and dry deciduous forests. Deforestation, as well as hunting for skins and bones, have become the reasons why this species is under threat of total extinction.

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14. Dune cat

This unique cat has an extended head shape and fur growing between its toes to protect it when walking on hot surfaces. The sand cat is listed as a threatened species, and therefore hunting it is prohibited in many countries.

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15. Far Eastern leopard

The Amur (Far Eastern) leopard is endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, as well as the constant danger posed by people. According to the latest data, in the wild there are currently Only 30 individuals of this species were recorded.

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16. Sumatran tiger

The Sumatran tiger is the last existing tiger species in Indonesia to survive in the wild.

Despite the active policy of protective organizations in the fight against poaching, these tigers are constantly hunted, dooming them to extinction. World markets are constantly being replenished with products made from these wild cats. Under these circumstances, there are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world.

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17. Clouded leopard

The clouded leopard is considered an intermediate evolutionary link between large and small cats. This species is facing gradual loss of habitat as a result of large-scale deforestation. Commercial poaching aimed at the wildlife trade also contributes to the extermination of this species. The total clouded leopard population is currently believed to be less than 10,000 adults.

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18. Marble cat

This cat is often mistaken for a marbled leopard, but its size is much more graceful and its tail is highly bushy. The destruction of the habitat conditions of this species in the forests of Southeast Asia, as well as the reduction in food supply, lead to a rapid decrease in the population of marbled cats in the world.

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19. Bengal cat

The color of the beautiful Bengal cat's skin can vary from gray to red and white with a very light chest. This is the first species to successfully undergo an experiment of crossing wild and domestic cats. The result was a beautiful and quite friendly beast.

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20. Maltese (blue) tiger

This species in the East is considered almost mythical. Most Maltese tigers belong to the subspecies of the South China tiger, which is endangered due to the frequent use of body parts of this animal in traditional medicine. Individuals distinguished by their “blue” skin may currently have been completely exterminated.

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21. Golden Striped Tiger

“Golden Tabby” is not a species name, but a definition of color deviation.

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As a rule, such individuals are the result of targeted breeding of animals in captivity, but in India there is evidence of a meeting with a golden tiger dating back to 1900.

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22. White Lion

White lions are not albino. They are the owners of a rare genetic set that was distributed in only one place on Earth, the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Two decades before the creation of the Society for the Protection of White Lions, this species was almost completely exterminated, so a unique program is now being carried out to restore the population in their natural habitat.

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23. Anatolian leopard

For the past 30 years, this Turkish leopard species was thought to be extinct. However, in 2013, a shepherd in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir killed a large cat that attacked his herd. Biologists later determined that it was an Anatolian leopard. Although this story has such a sad outcome, it still gives hope that this rare species may still exist.

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24. Rusty cat

The rusty or red-spotted cat, whose length including the tail is only 50-70 cm, and whose weight is about 2-3 kg, is the smallest wild cat in the world. Humans know practically nothing about this species, whose representatives lead an extremely secretive life. Unfortunately, despite this, the rusty cat has already managed to be included in the list of “vulnerable” species, since most of its natural habitats have now been turned into farmland.

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25. Scottish forest cat

Known in the UK as the "Highland Tiger", the Scottish Forest Cat is now critically endangered, with a recent population estimate of fewer than 400 individuals.

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26. Black-footed cat

The smallest of all African wild cats, the black-footed cat has black fur on the soles of its paws to protect it from the hot desert sand. These animals are no strangers to rummaging through garbage in search of food, and this habit exposes them to great danger, since in this way they fall into traps set for other animals.

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