Little Spotted Cat

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Tiger Cat redirects here. For the Tom and Jerry Tales episode, see Tiger Cat (Tom and Jerry Tales episode).
iLittle Spotted Cat
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Leopardus
Species: L. tigrinus
Binomial name
Leopardus tigrinus
(Schreber, 1775)

The Little Spotted Cat (Leopardus tigrinus, sometimes Oncifelis tigrinus or Felis tigrina) is also known as Oncilla, Tigrillo, Cunaguaro or Tiger Cat. It is a close relative of the Ocelot and the Margay; its habitat is the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. The Little Spotted Cat is a nocturnal animal, which hunts for rodents and birds. The Tiger Cat grows to be about 40-50 cm (18" to 2') long, plus 30-40 cm (10-20") long in the tail. While this is somewhat larger than the average house cat, Leopardus tigrinus is slightly lighter, weighing 2-3 kg (5-10 lbs.), less than a standard domestic cat.

[edit] Subspecies

[edit] References

  • Cat Specialist Group (2002). Leopardus tigrinus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened