Marbled Cat

• HB Length:45-62 cm (17-24″)
• Tail Length: 35-55 cm (14-22″)
• Height: Approx. 28 cm (11″)
• Weight: 2-5 kg (4.4-11 lbs)
• Pop. Trend: Decreasing

Marbled Cats Pardofelis marmorata have been compared to small Clouded Leopards Neofelis nebulosa, as both bear the distinctive marbling pattern on their coats, with the combination of large, irregular shaped dark blotches, lined with black.

The background colour of the coat is a brownish grey through reddish brown, with narrow, longitudinal, black stripes on the crown, neck and back. Their fur is thick and soft with a well-developed underfur. The underparts are light grey or off white, marked with solid black spots. The head is short, and more rounded than other felines, with a wide forehead, large brown pupils, and marked with three dark stripes on either side. The backs of the short rounded ears are black with a grey bar. The legs are relatively short and end in broad foot pads. The Marbled Cat’s round, bushy tail is very long, and sometimes even exceeds the length of the head and body. It is black tipped with dull spotting down its length. When walking, the tail is held horizontally in a straight line from the body.

Distribution

Dependent on forest habitats, the Marbled Cat occurs throughout Southeast Asia, from south of the Himalayan foothills to Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Although they have a relatively wide geographical distribution, their range is highly fragmented.

The species has never been studied in the wild, with the exception of one radio-collared female in Thailand that was tracked for a month. Her home range was calculated as 5.3 km².

Habitat

The Marbled cat is forest dependent and appears to be mainly associated with moist and mixed deciduous-evergreen tropical forests. It seems to have a preference for remote moist forests and primary forests. There have also been observations of the species in secondary forests, cleared areas or agricultural plantations, and at lower elevations. In Borneo one cat was observed in an isolated forest that had been logged six years previously. On Sumatra, the species has been recorded by camera traps located in very small fragments of remnant forest within a landscape of coffee plantations, as well as in lowland secondary and primary forests.

Ecology

The ecology and behaviour of the Marbled cat are poorly known. It was originally thought to be primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. One radio collared individual in Thailand was mainly active at night, and several observations in Borneo were in the late evening. However, recent camera trap studies for other species on Sumatra, Borneo, Thailand and Lao indicate the Marbled cat may be primarily diurnal.

Known as a very good climbers, these cats are able to climb down a tree headfirst. They were thought to spend most of their time in the trees, and in the past this has been thought to account for the rarity of sightings. An individual was observed at night resting on a tree branch 25 m above the ground in Borneo. It subsequently climbed among the branches and descended the tree face first to escape the spotlight.

However, there have now been numerous camera trap photographs of the species on the ground. In 2008, a primate researcher observed an adult individual resting on the ground under a fruiting tree. The individual remained resting at a distance of 1.2 m from the observer for over an hour before calmly moving off. Two individuals were observed visiting a salt lick in Thailand, and one individual was observed sitting in the middle of a road during a night survey on Borneo. This implies that the species may not be as arboreal as previously thought.

They are thought to be relatively solitary, but two individuals were observed traveling together at a salt lick in Thailand. Two individuals were also photographed traveling together on Sumatra and in Laos. It is unknown whether these records constitute mated pairs, or siblings.

Reproduction

Based only on two captive births, one to four kittens are born after a gestation of approximately 66-81 days. Weight at birth was 100 – 115 grams. Their ears unfolded from their head at five days, and their eyes were open by 14 days. Sexual maturity was reached around 21-22 months. Their vocal repertoire is basically similar to that of the domestic cat although the meow resembles a twittering bird call and they purr infrequently. Maximum longevity has been reported to be 12 years in captivity.

Threats

• deforestation – Southeast Asia has one of the highest and fastest deforestation rates mainly due to logging and forest conversion for human settlements, agriculture, oil palm, coffee, rubber and other plantations
• hunted for its fur, meat and bones
• hunted for eating, commercial purposes, or medicine
• indiscriminate snaring

Conservation

Status and distribution of the Marbled cat are poorly studied and population trends are unknown. There is some indication that the species may be relatively rare when compared with other felids in the same habitat.

The Marbled cat seems to be sensitive to changes and disruptions caused by humans. It is not commonly found in close proximity to human settlements; although on Sumatra and in the eastern Himalaya, villagers outside of national parks indicate that the species very occasionally predates poultry. The species has also been photographed in agricultural landscapes.

More investigation and research is needed to understand their ecology, distribution and status. An important aspect to study would be their tolerance for secondary or disturbed forests over the long-term.

Range Map IUCN Red List (2008)

Updated 2019