Leopard Cat

Prionailurus bengalensis

The leopard cat is a small Asian felid, not a miniature leopard in the genus Panthera. It uses a range of wooded and partly open habitats while relying mainly on small animal prey.

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Tree of lifeScientific lineage

Advanced classification

Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

cellular organisms cellular root
Eukaryota domain
Opisthokonta clade
Metazoa kingdom
Eumetazoa clade
Bilateria clade
Deuterostomia clade
Chordata phylum
Craniata subphylum
Vertebrata clade
Gnathostomata clade
Teleostomi clade
Euteleostomi clade
Sarcopterygii superclass
Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
Tetrapoda clade
Amniota clade
Mammalia class
Theria clade
Eutheria clade
Boreoeutheria clade
Laurasiatheria superorder
Carnivora order
Feliformia suborder
Felidae family
Felinae subfamily
Prionailurus genus
Prionailurus bengalensis species

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Physical traits

A spotted coat, pale underside and facial markings are characteristic.

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Habitat and range

Forests, shrubland and grassland with suitable cover can provide habitat.

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Diet and nutrition

Rodents and other small vertebrates are important prey, with additional animals taken opportunistically.

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Behavior and activity

It hunts as a small ambush predator and can use areas near water. Activity patterns vary with local conditions.

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Geographic distribution

The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.

Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗