The Central and South American wild cat family currently consists of ten small wild cat species. The Cougar, or Puma as it is more usually known in South America, ranges from the Yukon in northern Canada to the southern tip of the South American continent.
Click on the links below to learn more about these wild cats!
Small Cats of South America
Geoffroy’s Cat Leopardus geoffroyi
Jaguarundi Herpailurus yaguarondi
Kodkod or (Guina) Leopardus guigna
Savanna Tiger Cat Leopardus tigrinus
Atlantic Tiger Cat Leopardus guttulus
Clouded Tiger Cat Leopardus paranoides
Big Cats of South America
See Also:
Photo Gallery – Cats of Argentina
Leopardus ID – Ocelot, Margay, Oncilla
Updated 2024
Pat Bumstead
No idea what kind of cats were around 2,000 years ago, but if I had to guess I would say Pampas Cat.
laurie
which cat do you suppose is depicted in the newly discovered (large) petroglyph in Peru?
Pat Bumstead
We’re not aware of any other Canadian groups dealing with wild cats in Central and South America. There are a few Canadian NGO’s doing general conservation work down there, but none of them specialize in wild cats.
Gabriel
Hi,
Do you know of any other Canadian charities (or just NGOs) that also deal with Central and South American cats?
Thanks!
Gabriel
Pat Bumstead
Yes, thank you we did receive it. We emailed you an acknowledgement but were having some problems with our email at that time and it obviously didn’t make it through. Thanks for thinking of the small cats!
Maureen
Hi, I mailed in a 50 dollar money order about five months ago. I just want to make sure you received it. Thanks, Maureen.
Pat Bumstead
We don’t have any donation programs set up with the Wildcats of Brazil project at this time but we could look into it. Was there a specific reason you want to support that project? Please email us at smallwildcats [at] gmail.com and we’ll be happy to discuss it.
Andre
I’d like to become a member and donate specifically to the project supporting wildcats of Brazil? Is that possible?
Pat Bumstead
If you saw a small cat there it could easily have been a Pampas Cat. Their markings can resemble puma kittens but Pampas Cats are only about the size of a house cat. Check our Pampas Cat page for more info.
Paul Griffith
Is there a smaller wildcat that can be seen north of Puerto Aisen in the Patagonian Coast Range? Otherwise this must have been a Puma kitten!
Pat Bumstead
If you can email the information to us at smallwildcats@gmail.com we can help you with identification. Based on your location it could be either cat but we would need photos or video to know for sure.
Maxwell Brewster
I recently caught a Leopardus Guttulus or Leopardus Weidii on video on my land in the Atlantic Rainforest in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, but I have been unable to identify which it is from the video. I wonder if anyone could help.
Brin Daniels
I love cats! They are pure marvelousness.
Pat Bumstead
This sounds like a Fishing Cat, which is found throughout tropical Asia. You can read more about them on our website here
patrice
Had read as a child about what used to be named the true panther. It showed a wild cat, medium sized, its habitat in the Far East. Liked to hunt in water and had a special sweet tooth for fish. To the present I have not been able to find it in the internet. Might be extinct? 🙁
Pat Bumstead
Sure we’ll be happy to talk to you. Just email us at smallwildcats@gmail.com
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