Living Beings
    Source-identified Prionailurus rubiginosus; documentary image Framed for display
    1 / 1

    Felidae Prionailurus rubiginosus phillipsi 3.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. NasserHalaweh · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Field guide · species

    Rusty-spotted Cat

    Prionailurus rubiginosus

    AnimaliaMammaliaCarnivoraFelidae

    The rusty-spotted cat is a very small South Asian felid. It can be difficult to observe, and its small size should not be confused with domestication or suitability as a household animal.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

    Compare species
    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomAnimalia
    4. PhylumChordata
    5. ClassMammalia
    6. OrderCarnivora
    7. FamilyFelidae
    8. GenusPrionailurus
    9. SpeciesPrionailurus rubiginosus
    Advanced classification

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

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Metazoa kingdom
    5. Eumetazoa clade
    6. Bilateria clade
    7. Deuterostomia clade
    8. Chordata phylum
    9. Craniata subphylum
    10. Vertebrata clade
    11. Gnathostomata clade
    12. Teleostomi clade
    13. Euteleostomi clade
    14. Sarcopterygii superclass
    15. Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
    16. Tetrapoda clade
    17. Amniota clade
    18. Mammalia class
    19. Theria clade
    20. Eutheria clade
    21. Boreoeutheria clade
    22. Laurasiatheria superorder
    23. Carnivora order
    24. Feliformia suborder
    25. Felidae family
    26. Felinae subfamily
    27. Prionailurus genus
    28. Prionailurus rubiginosus species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Physical traits

    Rust-colored spots mark a grayish to brownish coat, with variation between populations.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Dry forests and other covered landscapes provide habitat; observations also occur in some human-modified areas.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Diet and nutrition

    Small mammals and birds are reported foods, with other small prey taken opportunistically.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Behavior and activity

    It is generally solitary outside breeding and maternal care. Much of its natural behavior remains difficult to document directly.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

    Explore network ↗
    Sample ad · Layout preview
    Forest horizontal sample ad design — visual placement demonstration