This wild cat species list shows the 40 wild cats in the Felidae family - their common and scientific names, and the continent where they occur.

Note there are a few multi-continent species and there are no wild cats in Australasia.

  • The table is grouped by Continent to start.
  • Click on the other column headings to sort by that column.
  • Use the Search bar to filter for a particular term.

Download Wild Cat List by Continent.pdf

See Wild Cat Lists for more lists.

Background image: Wild Cats of the World Poster by Ellen Chester.


References:

Best Documentary about Wild Cats

Best documentary about all 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.

DVD   Prime Video

(Outside the USA the original documentary is Big Cats by BBC Earth.)

Wild Cat List by Continent

Wild Cat Common NameWild Cat Species NameWild Cat Continent Range
Black-footed CatFelis nigripesAfrica
African Golden CatProfelis aurataAfrica
ServalLeptailurus servalAfrica
CheetahAcinonyx jubatusAfrica
LionPanthera leoAfrica
CaracalCaracal caracalAfrica, Asia
LeopardPanthera pardusAfrica, Asia
Jungle CatFelis chausAfrica, Asia
Sand CatFelis margaritaAfrica, Asia
Afro-Asiatic WildcatFelis lybicaAfrica, Asia
Chinese Mountain CatFelis bietiAsia
Pallas's CatOtocolobus manulAsia
Snow LeopardPanthera unciaAsia
TigerPanthera tigrisAsia
Mainland Leopard CatPrionailurus bengalensisAsia
Sunda Leopard CatPrionailurus javanensisAsia
Fishing CatPrionailurus viverrinusAsia
Rusty-spotted CatPrionailurus rubiginosusAsia
Asiatic Golden CatCatopuma temminckiiAsia
Marbled CatPardofelis marmorataAsia
Mainland Clouded LeopardNeofelis nebulosaAsia
Sunda Clouded LeopardNeofelis diardiAsia
Bornean Bay CatCatopuma badiaAsia
Flat-headed CatPrionailurus planicepsAsia
Iberian LynxLynx pardinusEurope
European WildcatFelis silvestrisEurope
Eurasian LynxLynx lynxEurope, Asia
BobcatLynx rufusNorth America
Canada LynxLynx canadensisNorth America
Andean CatLeopardus jacobitaSouth America
Pampas CatLeopardus colocolaSouth America
Guina / KodkodLeopardus guignaSouth America
Geoffroy's CatLeopardus geoffroyiSouth America
Northern Tiger CatLeopardus tigrinusSouth America
Southern Tiger CatLeopardus guttulusSouth America
MargayLeopardus wiediSouth America
OcelotLeopardus pardalisSouth America
JaguarundiHerpailurus yagouaroundiSouth America
JaguarPanthera oncaSouth America
PumaPuma concolorSouth, North America

Wild Cat List by Continent.pdf