Ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ) is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico , but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad , in the Caribbean . The ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ) , pronounced \/ Ë É 's É Ë lÉ ' t \/ , also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney 's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico , but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad , in the Caribbean .