There are 36 species of cats in this family. Species in this family are found in all areas of the world, except for Australia and Antarctica. They vary in size from the domestic cat to the lion.
The members of this family are built for hunting. They stalk, chase, and pounce on their prey. Unlike the claws found in most carnivores, the claws of species in the cat family are retractable and can be drawn into their paws. This protects their sharp claws from wearing down.
They have sharp canine teeth that help them kill their prey. Most species in this family sever the spinal cord of their prey with their canines. Species in this family have rounded heads and short muzzles. They have excellent eyesight and hearing and a good sense of smell.
The big cats in this family, like the lion, tiger, jaguar and leopard, can roar, but they can't purr. The small cats in this family, along with the pumas and the cheetah, can purr, but they can't roar! Most species in this order are solitary and hunt at night.
Species in this family include the cheetah, the caracal, the Chinese desert cat, the jaguarundi, the ocelot, the serval, the Eurasian lynx, the fishing cat, the lion, the tiger, and the snow leopard.
The African golden cat is about twice the size of a large domestic cat.
African golden cats are found throughout much of equatorial Africa.
Lions are the only members of the cat family to have males and females that look distinctly different.
The male African lion has a thick mane.
The African lion is the only truly social cat species. They live in prides of 5-37 individuals.
Lions may rest or sleep about 20 hours each day to conserve their energy.
African lions live in most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Andean mountain cat is considered to be one of the most endangered wild cats in the world.
Andean cats are found in the Andean mountain region of southern Peru and Bolivia to northern Chile and northwestern Argentina.
The black-footed cat is the smallest wild cat in Africa.
The black-footed cat is found in the dry steppe and savannah regions of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The bobcat has a 2-8 inch long tail.
Rabbits and hares make of a large part of the bobcat's diet.
Bobcats were once found throughout most of North America from northern Mexico to southern Canada.
The bay cat is found island of Borneo.
About 75% of the lynx's diet is made up of the snowshoe hare.
Caracals can jump up to 10 feet in the air to catch flying birds.
Carcals have long, black-tufted ears.
Caracals hunt small birds, rodents and other small mammals.
The caracal is found over much of Africa, Central Asia and southwestern Asia.
The cheetah is the fastest land mammal in the world.
Cheetah hide in the tall grasses when hunting.
Unlike most other cats, the cheetah usually hunts during daylight, preferring early morning or early evening.
The cheetah is solitary, except when raising cubs.
Cheetahs hunt medium-sized animals like gazelles and impala, and a variety of small mammals.
The cheetah is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In Malaysia, this arboreal cat is known as the “tree tiger.” In China it is called the "mint leopard" because its spots look like mint leaves.
The clouded leopard is named after the 'clouds' on its coat - ellipses partially edged in black, with the insides a darker color than the background color of its coat.
Clouded leopards are found south of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan. They are also found in northeastern India, Myanmar, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and mainland Malaysia.
The clouded leopard is found from Nepal, Bangladesh and eastern India through Indochina to Sumatra and Borneo and northeastward to southern China.
Eurasian lynx are found throughout Europe and Siberia.
The Eurasian lynx is native to Central Asian, European, and Siberian forests.
The fishing cat like water and likes to fish!
Fishing cats are found in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Java, and Pakistan.
The flat-headed cat has a flattened head and small, rounded ears.
The historical range of the flat-headed cat is restricted to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.
Geoffroy's cat is found throughout most of the southern half of South America.
The guigna is the size of a tiny house cat.
The guigna is also known as the kodkod. It is found in central and southern Chile and Argentina.
The Iberian lynx is also known as the Spanish lynx.
The Spanish lynx is found in the Iberian Peninsula in Spain.
Jaguars are completely at home in the water, and are seldom far from a river or lake.
The jaguar's name comes from the native Indian name ‘yaguara', meaning ‘a beast that kills its prey with one bound.
Jaguars are found from southern Arizona and New Mexico south toward northern Argentina and northeastern Brazil.
The jaguar’s strong legs make its a great climber and swimmer.
The jaguarundi is long and slender, with short legs, a small, flattened head, short, rounded ears, and a long tail.
The rusty-spotted cat is only found in the southern parts of India, Gujarat, Jammu, and Kashmir, and in Sri Lanka.
The jungle cat is found in Asia and North Africa.
Leopards are the largest cats to climb trees on a regular basis.
Leopards are found in Africa and some parts of Asia.
The Amur leopard is considered to be one of the most critically endangered big cats in the world, with just 35 remaining in the wild, all in the Russian Far East.
The leopard cat is found from Java and Bali, north to southeastern Siberia and Manchuria, as far east as India, and westward to Korea and the Philippines.
This small spotted cat has an extremely long tail.
Marbled cats are found in Nepal and Sikkim through northern Myanmar to Thailand, Indochina, Malaya, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Margays are found in forested regions from Northern Mexico to Uruguay and northern Argentina.
Mountain lions can jump 18 feet from the ground into a tree!
The mountain lion is also known as the puma or the cougar.
Mountain lions are solitary, except during mating season.
With a running start, the mountain lion can leap 45 feet.
Mountain lions are very territorial.
Historically, mountain lions had the most extensive distribution of all American terrestrial mammals. They ranged from coast to coast in North America, and from southern Argentina and Chile to southeastern Alaska.
Ocelots pluck off all the feathers and fur from animals that they catch before they eat them!
The ocelot's spots help camouflage it.
Ocelots are solitary, but a male and female pair may share the same territory.
Ocelots are powerful climbers, and their webbed forepaws make them good swimmers.
The ocelot is found from Southwestern Texas to northern Argentina.
The little spotted cat have been reported as far north as Costa Rica and Panama south to southeastern Brazil and northern Argentina.
Pallas' cat is about the size of a domestic cat.
The Pallas' cat is found throughout Central Asia, from western Iran to western China.
The colocolo is also known as the Coloco.
Colocolo are found in the forested slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia; the cloud forests of Chile; the Paraguayan chaco; open woodland areas of central, western, northeastern, and southern Brazil; and the the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay, and southern Patagonia.
The rusty-spotted cat is one of the smallest cat species in the world.
The sand cat is well adapted to its arid desert habitat. It gets all the water it needs from its food.
The sand cat is found in three distinct areas of the world: Sahara Desert of Africa in the countries of Algeria, Niger and Morocco; throughout the Arabian Peninsula; and in parts of Central Asia including Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The sand cat eats small mammals, birds, insects and reptiles.
The serval has a long, narrow head with very large ears.
Servals are found throughout the savannas of Africa.
The serval primarily eats small rodents and ground birds.
Snow leopards have been seen at altitudes as high as 18,000 feet.
Snow leopards inhabit the mountain ranges of Central Asia stretching from northwestern China to Tibet and the Himalayas.
Each tiger has its very own stripe pattern!
The tiger is easily recognized by its orange coat and broad black stripes.
Tigers are found in China, Korea, Russia, and parts of India and the Himalayan region.
Sumatran tigers are solitary, except during mating season and when raising young.
Sumatran tigers may travel more than 20 miles to find suitable prey.
Wild cats are found throughout continental Europe, southwestern Asia, and the savannah regions of Africa.
Wild cats are larger than domestic cats.