What is the name of a wild cat. The largest representatives of the cat

The cat family is very cautious, mysterious, graceful and unusually attractive animals. Unfortunately, many of them are already listed in nature conservation books or are even on the verge of extinction, and hunting is prohibited. We decided to make Top 20 most beautiful representatives of the cat family living all over 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 of a man and a lion, Friendship of a man and a tiger.

20. Serval (bush cat)

Predatory mammal of the cat family. Servals are distributed almost throughout Africa, excluding the Sahara, foreststhe equatorial zone and the extreme south of the mainland (Cape Province). North of the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco) this beast is now extremelyrare, but still quite common in East and West Africa. There are about 14 subspecies. HThey inhabit open spaces with shrubs and grassy thickets, settling, as a rule, near water. Theyavoid deserts, dry plains and tropical rainforests, keeping to the edges of the latter.It is an object of fishing, as its skin is used for fur products; it is also valued in parts of Africa due toyour meat. It is also exterminated due to attacks on poultry.As a result, in the densely populated areas of Africa, the number of servals has dropped markedly. Quite easily tamed andcan be kept in captivity as pets. Serval males can mate with ordinary domestic cats, giving hybrids -"savannah".

19. Jaguarundi

A species of predatory mammals, which also includes the genus Puma. Outwardly, the jaguarundi somewhat resembles a member of the familymustelids or viverrids: she has an unusually elongated, flexiblea body on short strong legs and a long thin tail, which in general makes it look like a weasel or Madagascar fossa.Demonstrates great flexibility in the choice of habitats. These cats were found in the savannas, in the thorny thickets of chaparral, duringhumid tropical forests. Features of the structure of the body allow him to easily make his way among the thick grass and shrubs.Jaguarundis often settle near water - in wetlands, along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes. In the mountains they climb to a height of up to3200 m above sea level. Secretive animals leading a predominantly solitary lifestyle (with the exception of the mating season).Unlike most cats, jaguarundis are active mainly during the day; the peak of their activity falls on 11hours of the morning. Jaguarundis are terrestrial animals, however they can climb and swim well. Due to its wide range, this animal is notbelongs to the protected species, although in the southern United States it has become rare. Little is known about its abundance and ecology.

Wild cat of Southeast Asia: in the eastern Himalayas, Sumatra and Borneo. Marble cats are slightly larger than domestic cats. Their length is about 55 cm, not including the 50 cm tail. The coat pattern is reminiscent of a clouded leopard. Their immediate habitat is tropical forests. Being a nocturnal hunter, the marbled cat feeds on rodents, especially squirrels, 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 compete with each other. Hunting for it is prohibited in Bangladesh, China (only in Yunnan), India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

Wild small cat from the genus of Asian cats. A close relative of the Bengal cat. The smallest member of the cat family. Lives only in India and Sri Lanka. The species is threatened with extinction as the species has fewer than 10,000 adults.representatives with a constant decline, due to changes in the natural habitat.Ceylon rusty cats live in the rainforest, while the Indian population inhabits dry open areas.Rusty cats are nocturnal and live alone. Their behavior is very close to that of a Bengal cat. To theirprey include mice, lizards and insects. Despite being good at climbing trees, rusty cats most of the timeusually carried out on the ground.

16. Cheetah

A predatory mammal of the cat family, the fastest land animal. Noticeably different from other members of the cat family. The body is slenderwith well-developed muscles and practically no body fat, it even seems fragile. The claws are partially retractable, which is not typical for cats and except forthe cheetah is observed only in the fishing cat, Sumatran and Iriomote cats. Cheetahs are diurnal predators. They are huntingmainly on medium-sized ungulates: gazelles, impalas, wildebeest calves, as well as on hares. Three cheetahs can defeat an ostrich.87% of the cheetah's prey is Thomson's gazelle. Cheetahs usually hunt early in the morning.or in the evening, when it is no longer very hot, but still light enough. They navigate more by sight than by smell. Unlike other cats,cheetahs hunt by stalking prey, not by ambush. In pursuit of the victim, it develops speed up to 110-115 km / h, accelerates 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 the cheetah needs up to half an hour to rest after the chase. The cheetah only eats the animals it has killed.himself, sometimes drags prey into the bushes,to hide it from predators and eat it later, but more often it hunts again each time.

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

A wild cat from the genus Catopum that lives in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Previously, it was attributed to the now abolished genus of golden cats. Today it is believed that its resemblance to the golden cat found in Africa 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 the tail, which is 50 cm long. The range of the Temminka cat stretches from the Himalayas and southern China to the Indochinese 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 hair of the Temminka cat drives away tigers from the surroundings, and carrying at least one hair from her wool, according to local signs, protects against tiger attacks.

Predatory mammal from the cat family, common in Central America, northern and centralparts of South America. The northernmost region where ocelots live is in the US state of Texas. Its population is concentrated intropical forests, ocelot avoids open spaces. Ocelots live alone and hunt primarily at night. Duringduring the heat of the day, they like to hide in the hollows of trees. Despite their excellent ability to climb trees and stones, they huntearth. Ocelot 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 the intense hunting for it, the ocelot has become an extremely rare animal in our time. Thanks to new interstateunder the agreements, the hunting of ocelots, as well as the sale of any products made from ocelots, is prohibited.

A member of the cat family that lives in Southeast Asia. It vaguely resembles a leopard and is considereda fairly ancient species, as well as a possible ancestor of the current large felines. Its value corresponds to approximatelyshepherd size. Clouded leopard is found in southeast Asia: from southern China to Malacca and from the eastern Himalayas toVietnam. The subspecies found in Taiwan is extinct. His biotopeare tropical and subtropical forests located at altitudes up to 2000 meters. Live alone and move around normallyin the thickets. The long tail helps them keep their balance in difficult environments. Among the feline smokyLeopards are the best at climbing trees. They also swim well. Their prey includesdeer, wild boars, monkeys, birds, goats, reptiles. They wait for their victims on the branches and suddenly jump on them from above.Because of the precious skin, the clouded leopard was hunted a lot in the past. Today it is threatened by poaching, butgreatest danger to its conservationrepresents the progressive deforestation of the tropical forests that are its home.

Type of cat family. The dune cat is the smallest among wild cats: its body length is 65-90 cm,with 40% occupied by the tail. The feet are covered with hard wool, which protects the soles of the paws from burns with hot sand.The fur is thick and soft, protecting the body from low night temperatures. The range of the dune cat looks like a strip startingin the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco, Chad, Niger) and through the Arabianpeninsula to Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and Pakistan. Lives exclusively in hot, dryareas. 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. From the heat of the day they are saved inshelters - in the old holes of foxes, corsacs, porcupines, as well as in the expanded minks of ground squirrels and gerbils.Cats are carnivorous; their diet includes almost all the game that they can find. Its basis is made up of gerbils,jerboas and other small rodents, lizards, spiders and insects. Sometimes tolai hares and birds whose nests are ruined.The dune cat is also known for its hunting of poisonous snakes (horned viper, etc.). In winter, she sometimes approaches the villages,but does not attack domestic cats and birds. Most of the moisture dune cats get from food and can for a long timego without water. The natural enemies of dune cats are snakes, large birds of prey and jackals.Sometimes they dig shallow holes or pits on their own, where they hide in case of danger. Ppractically devoid of vegetation, to rocky valleys overgrown with shrubs. They are not huntedhowever, they are caught for sale. They also suffer from the destruction of their natural habitat.In general, the dune cat is the most “prosperous” species among wild cats.

Predatory mammal of the cat family. His second name - Pallas cat - he received in honor of the German naturalistPeter Pallas, who discovered manul on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the 18th century. Manul is an animal the size of a domestic cat.The fur of the manul is the most fluffy and thick among the cats. Distributed in Central and Central Asia, from South Transcaucasia andwestern Iran to Transbaikalia, Mongolia and Northwestern China. Manul habitats are characterized by sharply continentalclimate with low temperatures in winter and low snow cover; it is most numerous in areas with little snow. Inhabitsmanul steppe and semi-desert areas. leads a sedentary lifestyle. Active mainly at dusk and early morning; sleeps during the dayin shelter. The slowest and most clumsy of wild cats. Manul feeds almost exclusively on pikas and mouse-likerodents, occasionally catches ground squirrels, tolai hares, marmots and birds. Manul is not adapted to fast running. At risk forit is characterized by hiding; he also escapes enemies by climbingon stones and rocks. An alarmed manul makes a hoarse rumbling or a sharp snort.Manul is rare or extremely rare, and its numbers continue to decline. In some places it is on the verge of extinction,listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in the IUCN Red List with the status of "close to threatened". manul huntinguniversally prohibited.

A species of mammals from the genus lynxes, the northernmost of the cat species; in Scandinavia, it is found even beyond the Arctic Circle.It was once very common throughout Europe, but by the middle of the 20th century it had been exterminated in most countries of Central Asia.and Western Europe. Successful attempts have now been made to revive the lynx population.forests, taiga, although it occurs in a variety of plantations, including mountain forests; sometimes enters the forest-steppe and forest-tundra.She climbs trees and rocks perfectly, swims well.She also survives well in the snow (beyond the Arctic Circle), catching fur-bearing animals. With an abundance of food, the lynx lives settled, withdisadvantage - roams. It can travel up to 30 kilometers per day. Hares form the basis of its diet. She alsoconstantly hunts grouse birds, small rodents, less often - small ungulates, such as roe deer, musk deer, spotted andreindeer, occasionally attacks domestic cats and dogs, in addition - foxes, raccoon dogs and other medium-sized animals.According to Russian zoologist Mikhail Krechmar, not a single confirmed case of a lynx attack on a person is known.Moreover, the lynx is known as one of the most easily tamed animals.

Predatory mammal of the cat family. For a long time, the caracal was attributed to lynxes, to which it looks similar, but a number ofgenetic features allocated it to a separate genus. Despite this, the caracal stands closer to lynxes than other cats.Although outwardly the caracal looks like a lynx, morphologically it is closest to the puma. The caracal is also close to the Africanserval, with which it crosses well in captivity. Found in the savannas, deserts and foothills of Africa, in the deserts of the Arabianpeninsulas, Asia Minor and Central Asia. Not numerous in the CIS: 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. Sheltered in rock crevices andburrows of porcupines and foxes; sometimes they are used for several years in a row. Its main food is rodents (gerbils,jerboas, ground squirrels), tolai hares, partly small antelopes, in Turkmenistan - gazelles. Sometimes it gets hedgehogs, porcupines,reptiles, insects, small predatory animals like foxes andmongoose, young ostriches. It can steal poultry, attack lambs and goats. Caracals are easily tamed. In Asia(India, Persia) with hand caracals hunted hares, pheasants, peacocks and small antelopes. In Africa, especially Southcaracal is quite common and is considered a pest. There is a special culture of caracal hunting: it is lured by 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 used,to drive away birds (mainly guinea fowl) from the runways of military airfields.Asian subspecies of caracal are much rarer.

7. Leo

A species of carnivorous mammals, one of four representatives of the panther genus, belonging to the subfamily of big catswithin the cat family. It 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 rainforests, and it could also be seenin the Middle East, Iran, and even in a number of places in southern Europe (for example, he lived in part of the territory of the modern south of Russia,rising to about the 45th parallel north). In North and Northwest India, the lion was a common predator. Howeverhuman persecution and habitat destruction have led to the fact that in Africa the lion survived only south ofSahara, its range is currently broken. In Asia, a small population exists in the Gir forest (in the Indian stateGujarat). Lions are considered vulnerable species due to the 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 reason for 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 color variant - a manifestationmelanism caused by a gene mutation and is characteristic almost exclusively of females. An example of a strong spread of mutation,which leads to melanism, in the feline population, is the populationleopard in Malaysia, where about 50% of the animals are black in color.The black panther is not a separate species. Most often it is a leopard or a jaguar. The existence of melanistic cougarsnot 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 mostlargest representative of the cat family in the New World. The range of the species extends from Mexico south to Paraguay and northArgentina. The main habitats of the jaguar are tropical rainforests and grasslands. The lifestyle of jaguars is solitary.The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. His most active hunting hours are after sunset and beforedawn. Its main prey is capybaras and ungulates like mazama deer, peccaries and tapirs, but it also attacks birds,monkeys, foxes, snakes, rodents. The jaguar also hunts turtles - its powerful jaws are able to bite through their shell. In contrastfrom the cougar, the jaguar willingly and often attacks livestock. The predator is an excellent swimmer and rarely misses the prey that is looking forrescue in the water. He also digs out of the sand on the ocean coastturtle eggs, sometimes throwing themselves at sleeping alligators or snatching fish from the water. Over much of its former rangethis species is almost or completely exterminated. The change by people of the natural habitats of jaguars, fishingfor the sake of a valuable skin, 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 jaguars in limited quantitiesallowed in Brazil, Mexico and some other countries. Hunting for trophies is allowed in Bolivia.

4. Leopard

In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the security 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 prey. The big cat, however, is much smaller than the tiger and lion. The range of the leopard is wider than the range of any other member of the cat family, with the exception of the domestic cat. The plasticity of the species is explained by the secretive way of life and its ability to hunt a wide variety of animals. By the middle of the 20th century, the range of the leopard in the Caucasus was catastrophically reduced, its numbers are negligible, and in fact this subspecies is on the verge of complete extinction. Inhabits forest, partially forest-steppe regions, savannahs and mountainous regions of Africa and the southern Front and southern half of East Asia. The leopard feeds mainly on ungulates: antelopes, deer, roe deer and others, and during the period of starvation - rodents, monkeys, birds, reptiles. Sometimes attacks domestic animals (sheep, horses). Like a tiger 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 the 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)

Type of cat family. The word puma comes from the Quechua language. The closest relatives of the cougar are the jaguarundi and the extinct North American genus Miracinonyx. The cougar is the second largest feline in America; only the jaguar is bigger than her. Historically, the range of the cougar was the most extensive among all land mammals in America. Even now, in terms of the breadth of distribution, the cougar is comparable (of the cats) only with the red lynx, forest cat and leopard. Initially, cougars were found almost everywhere from southern Patagonia to southeast Alaska; the area of ​​its distribution quite accurately coincided with the range of its main prey - various deer. Now in the United States and Canada, the cougar has survived mainly in the mountainous western regions. In the east of North America, the cougar was completely exterminated; the exception is a tiny population of the Puma concolor coryi subspecies in Florida. Cougars lead a strictly solitary lifestyle. Puma hunts mainly at night. Its diet consists mainly of ungulates: black-tailed, white-tailed, pampas deer, wapiti (American red deer), elk, caribou, bighorns and livestock. However, the cougar can eat 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 cougar does not distinguish between wild and domestic animals, attacking livestock, dogs, cats and birds when the opportunity arises. In doing so, she slaughters more animals than she can eat. Despite the fact that cougars serve as an object of hunting and their range is declining due to environmental destruction, most subspecies are quite numerous, since cougars easily adapt to life in different landscapes. It is also interesting to note that now some people have begun to tame cougars as their pets.

2. Snow leopard (irbis or snow leopard)

A large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in the mountain ranges 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. At present, 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 security documents of other countries. As of 2012, snow leopard hunting is prohibited.The range of the snow leopard in central and southern Asia covers the territory of mountainous regions with an area of ​​approximately 1,230,000 km² andextends through the territory of the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.The irbis is a characteristic representative of the fauna of the high rocky mountains of Central and Central Asia. Among the large catsthe irbis is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands. It mainly inhabits alpine meadows, treelesscliffs, rocky areas, rocky outcrops, precipitous gorges and is often found in the snow zone. 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 constanthuman persecution, the number of snow leopards is continuously declining.

1. Tiger

A species of carnivorous mammals of the cat family, one of the four representatives of the panther genus, which belongs to the subfamilybig cats. Among the representatives of this species are the largest animals of the cat family. The tiger is one ofthe largest land predators, yielding in mass only to the white and brown bears. Nine subspecies of the tiger have been identified.In the 20th century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the security 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 dissected into separate populations, sometimes very distant from one another) is located on the territory of the FarEastern Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and the countries of Southeast Asia, 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 at the top of the food pyramid and almostdoes not experience competition from other predators.

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Everyone loves cats. Or almost everything.

We are in the editorial website we simply adore these graceful and majestic creatures that truly adorn our planet. Today we invite you to get acquainted with rare cats, many of which we have not even heard of. Until this day.

1. Black-footed cat

One of the smallest felines, the black-footed cat is native to southern Africa. Its weight rarely exceeds 2.5 kg, and its length, including the tail, is 50 cm. The lifestyle and habits of these cats are poorly understood, but it is known that they choose abandoned termite mounds and porcupine burrows as their home.

2. Fishing cat

Unlike most members of the family, the angler cat swims and catches fish very well. Their paws are also not like everyone else's - fishermen have membranes between their fingers, which help them swim well, but do not allow them to retract their claws. Although their body size is not so large - the length of the male rarely exceeds 1.2 m, these cats have gained a reputation as fighters: once a cat kept in one of the zoos broke out of the cage and killed the leopard.

3. Pyrenean lynx

The Iberian lynx is one of the rarest felines whose existence is threatened. Once these big cats inhabited all of Portugal and Spain, but today their habitat is practically limited to the Coto Doñana National Park. Despite the name, it is distantly related to the common lynx and is 2 times smaller in size.

4. Jaguarundi

The jaguarundi is one of the few felines that are diurnal. Jaguarundis live in Central and South America, but it is quite difficult to see them in the wild, which is why the animals are little studied. Scientists do not even have data on their life expectancy - it is only known that in captivity they live up to 15 years.

5. Chilean cat

The Chilean cat, which lives in the southern region of South America, spends most of its life in the dense canopy of trees, from where it tracks down its prey. Among the locals, the Chilean cat is considered a real vampire because of the two punctures from the fangs that she leaves on pets, which she fails to kill.

6. Long-tailed cat

A neighbor of the Chilean cat in South America, the long-tailed cat also spends most of its life in the crowns of trees. These cats have an amazing feature: they can jump from branch to branch and climb down from the tree head down - just like squirrels do. In addition, her hind legs are so strong that she can hang upside down on them for quite a long time.

7. Rusty cat

The rusty cat is one of the smallest representatives of the cat, whose weight reaches no more than 1.5 kg. These babies, whose population does not exceed 10 thousand individuals, live only in Ceylon and India, and if the "island" cats live in the humid jungle, then the "continental" ones live in arid open places. The meowing of these cats is very similar to the meowing of domestic ones, and it is quite easy to tame them.

8 Clouded Leopard

If the length of an ordinary leopard, excluding the tail, can reach 190 cm, then the smoky ones grow no more than 1 m. It is believed that this particular cat became the progenitor of all large modern cats, but its habits are in many ways similar to the behavior of domestic cats. A significant part of the time clouded leopards spend on trees, in addition, females use hollows as "maternity hospitals".

9. Oncilla

A miniature copy of the jaguar, the oncilla is one of the least studied species among cats. Little is known about their way of life - despite the fact that they are found in Brazil, Argentina and several other countries, it is difficult to see them in their natural habitat, because their color allows them to hide perfectly in the crowns of trees.

10. Dune cat

In addition to Central Asia, dune cats live in one of the most extreme places on our planet - in the arid Sahara Desert. These cats are the smallest representatives of wild cats, whose length is no more than 90 cm, of which almost half falls on the tail. Sand cats can live for a long time without water, getting its supplies from food.

11. Forest cat

Despite the significant difference in appearance, the forest cat is the closest relative of the dune cat. But in color they resemble ordinary striped domestic cats, and this is not surprising, because it was wild cats that 10 thousand years ago nailed to humans and became the ancestors of our pets. However, modern wild cats do not at all strive for closeness to humans and try to stay away from him.

12. Geoffroy's cat

The size of the Geoffroy cat, which lives in the southern part of the South American continent, is the same as that of an ordinary domestic cat, moreover, they are quite capable of interbreeding. However, unlike domestic cats, Geoffroy's cats can swim and can eat "hand-caught" fish. In addition, they are able to store food by arranging storage in the foliage of trees.

Do you know that there are currently 41 cat species in the world? They are all wild. Absolutely all 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 get confused in terms.

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

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

Each subfamily is in turn divided into genera. Especially a lot of them in the subfamily of small cats:

Genus Cheetahs (Acinonyx)
- genus Caracals (Caracal)
- catopuma genus (Catopuma)
- genus Cats (Felis)
- genus Tiger cats (Leopardus)
- genus Servals (Leptailurus)
- genus Lynx (Lynx)
- genus Marble cats (Pardofelis)
- genus Asiatic cats (Prionailurus)
- genus Golden cats (Profelis)
- genus Puma (Puma)

In the subfamily of big cats, everything is simpler:

- genus Clouded leopards (Neofelis)
- genus Panther (Panther)

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

To make it easier for you to understand what a subspecies means, I will show you with an example where your domestic cat is 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 long 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 - Caracals (Caracal)

view - :

genus - catopums (Catopuma)

view - Kalimantan cat (Catopuma bada):

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

genus - Cats (Felis)

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

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

view - ):

view - (Felis margarita):

view - :

view - forest cat (Felis silvestris). This is just 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 (margay, margay) (Leopardus wiedii):

genus - Servals (Leptailurus)

view - :

genus - Lynx (Lynx)

view - Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis):

view - common lynx (Lynx lynx):

view - :

view - red lynx (Lynx rufus):

genus - Marble cats (Pardofelis)

- Marble cat (Pardofelis marmorata):

genus - Asian cats (Prionailurus)

- Bengal cat (Prionailurus bengalensis):

view - Iriomote 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)

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genus - Cougars (Puma)

view - puma (Puma concolor):

Tigers, lions, cougars, panthers, leopards are considered one of the largest animals among the cat family living in the wild. Everyone knows about them. In our top biggest wild cats in the world includes lesser known species that also deserve due attention.

1. manul opens the ranking of the largest wild cats in the world. The animal resembles the usual domestic "purrs", but is somewhat larger than them. The body length of the predator, excluding the tail, is 52-65 cm, and with it - about 1 meter. The largest representatives of this species can gain weight up to 5 kg. The predator lives mainly in Central and Central Asia. But it is also found in other regions, including Russia. Its diet consists of mice, ground squirrels, partridges, lizards and other medium-sized animals. On average, manul lives 12 years.

1. The ninth place of the top is occupied by pampas cat, other name - grass cat. The length of her body is on average 76 cm, and together with the tail, about 1 m. At the withers, the animal can reach 35 cm. The weight does not exceed 7 kg. The cat lives in the grassy plains of South America, feeding mainly on small rodents, birds and eggs. Fear of large predators. Life expectancy is 12 years on average.

1. long-tailed cat or margai occupies the eighth position among the largest wild cats in the world. She is a relative of the ocelot, but much smaller than him. The body length of margayya is 60-80 cm, and taking into account the tail - 1-1.2 m. By weight, this is a rather miniature cat weighing up to 8 kg. The predator prefers to live in dense green forests of Central and South America. It feeds on birds, small mammals, lizards and frogs. Sometimes it can eat porcupines and sloths. On average, the animal lives for about 10 years.

1. reed cat or marsh lynx confidently among the ten largest of the breed of feline wild animals. The predatory mammal has quite impressive dimensions compared to the domestic cat. The length of its body without a tail can reach 60-90 cm. In mass, the predator gains up to 12 kg. The habitat is quite wide: Asia Minor, Central Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan, etc. Despite this, the reed cat is a very rare species that is on the verge of extinction, and is listed in the Red Book of Russia. The animal prefers to hide in reed beds and bypasses open areas. The predator, like many of its relatives, feeds on rodents, hares, ducks, pheasants, cubs of artiodactyls. He is also a good swimmer who is not averse to hunting for fish.

1. Far Eastern (Amur) forest cat ranks sixth in the ranking of the largest wild cats in the world. The body, excluding the tail, is 0.75-0.9 m long, the tail is 35-37 cm. The weight of the predator most often does not exceed 6 kg. The animal chose the Far East and the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan as its habitat. The main delicacy of the Amur cat are small rodents, birds, their eggs, chipmunks and hares. Also, a large predator is not averse to hunting roe deer. Average life expectancy is 10-12 years.

1. Representative of the forests of Equatorial Africa golden cat is one of the largest among its closest relatives. Her body, together with the tail, is 0.9-1.2 m long and 50 cm high at the withers. Males are larger and can weigh up to 14 kg. This is a rather rare species of the cat family, which prefers to exist alone. At night, the predator goes hunting, and during the daytime it rests in the crown of a tree.

1. spotted cat or cat angler ranks fourth among the largest wild representatives of the cat breed. The length of his body is 0.96-1.2 m, and the height at the withers is 40.6 cm. The animal weighs no more than 15 kg. The predator received the second nickname because of its virtuoso ability to catch fish. An excellent swimmer and fisherman, he has a very powerful and strong physique, and is quite capable of coping with cubs of artiodactyls.

1. The top three largest cats in the world opens serval or bush cat. This graceful long-legged animal reaches 65 cm at the withers, and the body has a length of 0.9-1.35 m. During the hunt, the serval is capable of jumping up to 3 meters in height. These are born hunters who are able to extract food, both from underground, water, and catch it in the air, making high soaring jumps. The lynx is considered close relatives of the predator. The population is distributed almost throughout Africa. A feature of servals is that, unlike their close wild relatives, they are easily tamed and able to live in captivity. Males can mate with normal domestic cats. As a result of this, the Savannah hybrid appeared, which is considered the largest among domestic cats.

1. Second place in the top is Gobi (Chinese) cat. This species can be found exclusively in China in the highlands. The length of the animal with a tail is 0.98-1.4 m, and the weight reaches 9 kg. The height at the withers can reach 35 cm. Outwardly, the predator is somewhat reminiscent of a lynx due to small tassels on the ears. It is one of the rarest animals: the population is estimated at 10 thousand individuals. Its diet includes not only small animals, but also larger rodents - moles, rabbits, zokors. Also, these individuals can eat reptiles and birds. The average life expectancy is 12 years.

1. Top 10 is headed by the largest wild cat in the world ocelot. Its dimensions are very impressive: the length of the animal reaches 1-1.4 m and about half a meter at the withers. An adult weighs about 16 kg. The habitat of the population is the tropical forests of America. The main diet of ocelots is small mammals, birds, reptiles and even snakes. The largest predators are able to cope with a pig and even a donkey.

South America is a continent of contrasts, where the densest forests grow alongside arid deserts and mountain ranges. The fauna here is as diverse as the climate. This place has become home to 9 species of rare cats - from the majestic jaguar to the cute little Chilean cat.

1. Jaguar

The jaguar is the largest predator in South America and the third largest of the panther family. An adult weighs approximately 160 kg, has a sandy coloration with ringed or solid spots and powerful jaws that allow it to hunt large game. An excellent swimmer, he is at home in the rainforests of South America. Like most cats, the jaguar lives and hunts alone.

Males and females come together only during the breeding season. After mating, the male immediately leaves, leaving the female to take care of the offspring. Jaguars breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 100-110 days.

There are up to 4 cubs in a brood. They are also patterned, like their parents, only the colors of newborns are more muted, matte, and the spots are solid, black.

2. Ocelot

This predatory cat recently stood on the verge of extinction. Due to the unusually beautiful color, the animal was a “tidbit” for poachers, but the 1996 ban. to destroy them, saved the species from extinction.

Outwardly, Ocelot resembles a strong, short-tailed cat. Their length, often, does not exceed 1.5 meters, with 1/3 of the size falling on the tail, and weight - no more than 16 kg. Such parameters allow him to perfectly hunt small animals and birds.

In South America, there are more than 10 varieties of these predatory cats. Indians often tame young ocelots, however, they do not turn out to be real pets.

3. Jaguarundi

Despite the name, this feline has nothing to do with jaguars. Outwardly, it looks more like a weasel or a marten. The jaguarundi has a small, round head and small, rounded ears. The maximum weight of an animal is 9 kilograms.

Unlike other cats, he is diurnal. The Indians of Latin America, before the advent of Europeans, tamed the jaguarundi to protect their homes from small rodents and other pests. Young animals are really easy to tame and get used to people.

Eight subspecies of the jaguarundi are known, they live throughout the Americas and are not protected species.

4. Geoffroy's cat

Geoffroy's cat is the size of a domestic cat. The length of her body is approximately 60 cm, and the tail is 30 cm. These cats have a gray or yellowish-brown color, depending on the habitat.
Geoffroy's cat feeds on small rodents and fish. For her love of fishing, she is also called the angler cat.

Unlike other cats, she does not have their natural gracefulness, climbs trees reluctantly and loves to swim. It prefers to live in forest thickets, next to water bodies.

5. Andean cat

This cat has chosen the hard-to-reach regions of the Andes Mountains as its place of residence. Individuals of this species have thick long hair, even in the ears, which protects it well from the cold. Their body is no more than 1 meter in length, and the maximum weight is 7 kg.

The Andean cat is a little-studied, rare species that is listed in the Red Book and is protected by the Washington Convention. A close relative of this cat is the Pampas cat, which lives in the same region.

6. Margay

Margi or long-tailed cat lives in the evergreen forests of South America, up to Mexico. The body length of an adult is 60-80 cm, not counting the 40-cm tail, and the average weight is 6-8 kg.

Margay is very similar to his closest relative - Ocelot, who lives in the same forests. A distinctive feature of Marga is her long legs and tail, due to life in the trees. It feeds on birds, lizards, rodents, frogs and small monkeys.


Now margay in the wild is on the verge of extinction - the reason for this is its fluffy, valuable fur of amazing colors.

7. Pampas cat

In the flat areas, among the bushes and swamps of South America, the Pampas or Grass cat lives. Its body is dense, densely covered with long, coarse hair.

The Pampas cat prefers to hunt at night and leads a solitary life. It feeds on small rodents, lizards and birds. Virtually untamed.

8. Oncilla

This amazing cat is distributed throughout South and Central America, but practically does not catch the eye of a person. These cats have the most unusual ear color - completely black, with a white mark in the middle. Every fifth oncilla born is completely black.

Outwardly, Oncilla resembles a Jaguar, and in size it is no larger than a domestic cat. An adult does not exceed a meter in length, and its weight is only 2-3 kg.
The menu of a tiger cat is varied: it includes rodents, birds, and frogs with snakes.

Now only about 50,000 thousand individuals live on the planet, and their number is rapidly decreasing.

9. Chilean cat

The Chilean cat, known as Kodkod, lives in the forests and mountain slopes of South America. Locals know many myths and legends about this cat. One of them says that the Chilean cat trades in vampirism and completely bleeds its prey.