Leopard cat
Scientific name
Prionailurus bengalensis
Size and weight
39 to 75cm from head to tail base, 41cm tall
0.6 to 7.1 kg
Diet
Small mammals such as shrews and squirrels, birds, reptiles and fish
Conservation status
Least concern
Native habitat
Forests in Asia, from the tropics to the foothills of the Himalayas.
Lifespan
10 to 12 years
Meet our leopard cats
Our leopard cats, Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite, are sisters. It can be quite hard to tell who is who as they look similar at first glance, but their behaviour is always a giveaway! Athena is very shy, Aphrodite is very nosey and likes to follow her keepers around the enclosure, and Artemis is very relaxed and chilled, often spotted snoozing in a sunny spot. They love being outside and playing with food hung up high. You can also spot them snoozing on the platforms inside, enjoying the warmth of their enclosure.
About the leopard cat
Leopard cats might be about the same size as a pet cat, but they’re certainly not tame! Their beautifully patterned coats help them blend into the forest when hunting. They’re skilled climbers and feel right at home in the trees where they sometimes rest.
Leopard cats are widely spread throughout Asia and look so different across their huge range that they were once thought to be several species.
Habitat loss, hunting for fur and body parts and the exotic pet trade threaten leopard cats. They’re also bred with domestic cats to create the hybrid Bengal cat, increasing demand for more leopard cats to breed from.
Did you know?
- leopard cats are great climbers and pretty good swimmers too
- they use their long tails for balance and communication
- they have been recorded at 3,254 m above sea level in Nepal – that’s pretty high up!
- they make the same sounds as domestic cats – purring when they’re being affectionate, hissing when they’re annoyed
- leopard cat fossils found in Chinese Stone Age villas suggest they lived there as ‘mousers’ long before African wildcat became domestic cats
