This endangered cat species list shows all the wild cat species and certain subspecies by Endangered Status.
The list is sorted from the most severe Endangered Status to the least severe, according to the IUCN Red List extinction risk categories.
Any regional assessments are indicated, otherwise the status shown is at the global level.
The subspecies listed have been assessed separately as they are more threatened than the rest of that particular species.
The taxonomy used on the IUCN Red List for Felidae is still generally based on Wozencraft (2005), which is prior to the revised taxonomy of 2017.
Click on the Common Name to find that cat's assessment under the Facts and Information section.
An 'a' next to the Year Published means it is an amended version of the last published assessment, i.e. a new assessment was not conducted.
List reference: IUCN 2022. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2022-1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. 15 Nov 2022.
Background image: Wild Cats of the World Poster by Ellen Chester.
Best Documentary about Wild Cats
Stalking in the shadows, prowling almost every continent, cats are one of the world's most diverse and successful predators.
Filmed over 600 days in 14 countries and featuring 31 species of cat, this groundbreaking three-part miniseries uncovers the secret lives of wild cats and introduces behaviors captured on film for the first time, using the latest camera technology and scientific research.
(Outside the USA the original documentary is Big Cats by BBC Earth.)
Felidae Endangered Status List @ November 2022
| Species / Subspecies | Common Name (Region) | Endangered Status | Assessment Published | Population Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX Extinct | ||||
| Panthera tigris balica | Bali Tiger | EX | 2008 | not applicable |
| Panthera tigris sondaica | Javan Tiger | EX | 2008 | not applicable |
| Panthera tigris virgata | Caspian Tiger | EX | 2011 | not applicable |
| RE Regionally Extinct | ||||
| Panthera leo | Lion (Mediterranean) | RE | 2010 | not applicable |
| Panthera tigris | Tiger (Mediterranean) | RE | 2010 | not applicable |
| CR Critically Endangered | ||||
| Acinonyx jubatus hecki | Northwest African Cheetah | CR | 2008 | decreasing |
| Acinonyx jubatus venaticus | Asiatic Cheetah | CR | 2008 | stable |
| Leptailurus serval | Serval (Mediterranean) | CR | 2010 | decreasing |
| Lynx lynx balcanicus | Balkan Lynx | CR | 2015 | stable |
| Panthera pardus | Leopard (Mediterranean) | CR | 2010 | decreasing |
| Panthera pardus delacouri | Indochinese Leopard | CR | 2019 | decreasing |
| Panthera tigris amoyensis | South China Tiger | CR | 2008 | unknown |
| Panthera tigris jacksoni | Malayan Tiger | CR | 2015 | decreasing |
| Panthera tigris sumatrae | Sumatran Tiger | CR | 2008 | decreasing |
| Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis | Iriomote Cat | CR | 2015 | decreasing |
| EN Endangered | ||||
| Acinonyx jubatus | Cheetah (Mediterranean) | EN | 2010 | stable |
| Catopuma badia | Borneo Bay Cat | EN | 2016 | decreasing |
| Leopardus jacobita | Andean Cat | EN | 2016 | decreasing |
| Lynx lynx | Eurasian Lynx (Mediterranean) | EN | 2010 | decreasing |
| Lynx pardinus | Iberian Lynx | EN | 2015 | increasing |
| Neofelis diardi borneensis | Bornean Clouded Leopard | EN | 2008 | decreasing |
| Neofelis diardi diardi | Sumatran Clouded Leopard | EN | 2008 | decreasing |
| Panthera leo persica | Asiatic Lion | EN | 2008 | stable |
| Panthera pardus melas | Javan Leopard | EN | 2021 | decreasing |
| Panthera tigris | Tiger | EN | 2015, 2022 | decreasing |
| Panthera tigris altaica | Amur Tiger | EN | 2011 | stable |
| Panthera tigris corbetti | Indochinese Tiger | EN | 2011 | decreasing |
| Panthera tigris tigris | Bengal Tiger | EN | 2011 | decreasing |
| Prionailurus planiceps | Flat-headed Cat | EN | 2015 | decreasing |
| VU Vulnerable | ||||
| Acinonyx jubatus | Cheetah | VU | 2015, 2022 | decreasing |
| Caracal aurata | African Golden Cat | VU | 2015 | decreasing |
| Felis bieti | Chinese Mountain Cat | VU | 2015, 2022 | decreasing |
| Felis nigripes | Black-footed Cat | VU | 2016 | decreasing |
| Leopardus guigna | Guiña, Kodkod | VU | 2015 | decreasing |
| Leopardus guttulus | Southern Tiger Cat | VU | 2016 | decreasing |
| Leopardus tigrinus | Northern Tiger Cat | VU | 2016 | decreasing |
| Neofelis diardi | Sunda Clouded Leopard | VU | 2015 | decreasing |
| Neofelis nebulosa | Mainland Clouded Leopard | VU VU | 2016 2021 | decreasing decreasing |
| Panthera leo | Lion | VU | 2016 | decreasing |
| Panthera pardus | Leopard | VU | 2016, 2019a, 2020a | decreasing |
| Panthera pardus kotiya | Sri Lankan Leopard | VU | 2020 | decreasing |
| Panthera uncia | Snow Leopard | VU | 2017 | decreasing |
| Prionailurus bengalensis rabori | Visayan Leopard Cat | VU | 2008 | decreasing |
| Prionailurus viverrinus | Fishing Cat | VU | 2016 | decreasing |
| NT Near Threatened | ||||
| Caracal caracal | Caracal (Mediterranean) | NT | 2010 | unknown |
| Catopuma temminckii | Asiatic Golden Cat | NT | 2015 | decreasing |
| Felis margarita | Sand Cat (Mediterranean) | NT | 2010 | unknown |
| Leopardus colocola | Pampas Cat | NT | 2016 | decreasing |
| Leopardus wiedii | Margay | NT | 2015 | decreasing |
| Panthera onca | Jaguar | NT | 2017 | decreasing |
| Pardofelis marmorata | Marbled Cat | NT | 2016 | decreasing |
| Prionailurus rubiginosus | Rusty-spotted Cat | NT | 2016 | decreasing |
| LC Least Concern | ||||
| Caracal caracal | Caracal | LC | 2016 | unknown |
| Felis chaus | Jungle Cat | LC | 2016, 2021a | decreasing |
| Felis margarita | Sand Cat | LC | 2016 | unknown |
| Felis lybica | Afro-Asiatic Wildcat | LC | 2022 | unknown |
| Felis silvestris | European Wildcat | LC | 2022 | decreasing |
| Felis silvestris | Wildcat (Europe) | LC | 2007 | decreasing |
| Felis silvestris | Wildcat (Mediterranean) | LC | 2010 | decreasing |
| Herpailurus yagouaroundi | Jaguarundi | LC | 2015 | decreasing |
| Leopardus geoffroyi | Geoffroy's Cat | LC | 2015 | stable |
| Leopardus pardalis | Ocelot | LC | 2015 | decreasing |
| Leptailurus serval | Serval | LC | 2015, 2019a | stable |
| Lynx canadensis | Canada Lynx | LC | 2016 | stable |
| Lynx lynx | Eurasian Lynx | LC | 2015 | stable |
| Lynx lynx | Eurasian Lynx (Europe) | LC | 2018, 2020a | stable |
| Lynx rufus | Bobcat | LC | 2016 | stable |
| Otocolobus manul | Pallas's Cat, Manul | NT LC | 2016 2020 | decreasing decreasing |
| Prionailurus bengalensis | Leopard Cat | LC | 2015, 2022 | stable |
| Puma concolor | Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar | LC | 2015 | decreasing |
| DD Data Deficient | ||||
| Felis chaus | Jungle Cat (Mediterranean) | DD | 2010 | decreasing |
| Species Reclassified | ||||
| Felis silvestris | Wildcat | LC | 2015 | decreasing |
Felidae Endangered Status Updates - Nov 2016 to Nov 2022
Dec 2021 to Nov 2022
New assessments:
- Afro-Asiatic Wildcat (Felis lybica) - assessed 2019, published 2022 - LC Least Concern, Trend Unknown (first assessment of this species).
- European Wildcat (Felis silvestris) - assessed 2021, published 2022 - LC Least Concern, Trend Unknown.
- Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) - assessed 2021, published 2022 - still VU Vulnerable and Decreasing.
- Tiger (Panthera tigris) - assessed 2021, published 2022 - still EN Endangered and Decreasing.
- Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis bieti) - assessed 2021, published 2022 - still VU Vulnerable and Decreasing.
- Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) - assessed 2021, published 2022 - still LC Least Concern and Stable.
The Wildcat assessments are the first assessments since Felis silvestris (all Wildcats) was reclassified into Felis lybica (Afro-Asiatic Wildcat) and Felis silvestris (European Wildcat) in 2017.
No assessments as yet for Sunda Leopard Cat (Prionailurus javanensis).
Dec 2020 to Nov 2021
New assessments:
- Mainland Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) - assessed 2020, published 2021 - still VU Vulnerable and Decreasing.
- Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas) - assessed 2021, published 2021 - CR Critically Endangered (2008) to EN Endangered and Decreasing.
Amended assessments:
- Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) - 2021a amendment to 2016 publication.
- Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) Europe region - 2020a amendment to 2018 publication.
No assessments as yet for African-Asian Wildcat (Felis lybica) or Sunda Leopard Cat (Prionailurus javanensis).
Dec 2019 to Nov 2020
- Pallas's Cat (Otocolobus manul) - assessed 2019, published 2020 - Near Threatened to Least Concern and trend still Decreasing.
- Serval (Leptailurus serval) - 2019a - amended version of 2015 publication.
- Leopard (Panthera pardus) - 2020a - amended version of 2019a - amended version of 2016 publication.
- Indochinese Leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri) - assessed 2019, published 2019 - Critically Endangered and trend Decreasing.
- Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) - assessed 2019, published 2020 - Vulnerable and trend Decreasing.
- No assessments as yet for African-Asian Wildcat (Felis lybica) or Sunda Leopard Cat (Prionailurus javanensis).
Dec 2018 to Nov 2019
- No changes.
- No assessments as yet for African-Asian Wildcat (Felis lybica) or Sunda Leopard Cat (Prionailurus javanensis).
Dec 2017 to Nov 2018
- Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) Europe region - assessed 2018, published 2018 - remains Least Concern and trend Unknown.
- The two additional species as determined in the 2017 revised Felidae taxonomy by the IUCN Cat Specialist Group have not yet been assessed separately, so do not yet appear on the IUCN Red List: African-Asian Wildcat (Felis lybica) and Sunda Leopard Cat (Prionailurus javanensis).
Dec 2016 to Nov 2017
- Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) assessed 2016, published 2017 - Endangered to Vulnerable and trend Decreasing.
- Jaguar (Panthera onca) assessed 2016, published 2017 - remains Near Threatened and trend Decreasing.
See Wild Cat Lists for more lists.
