Species comparison
Andean Mountain Cat vs Margay
A side-by-side look at Leopardus jacobita and Leopardus wiedii across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The andean mountain cat averages about 1.3 times the body mass of the margay.
- The two species occupy different habitat types with no overlap in our classification.
- Their ranges both include South America.
- Red List categories differ: Andean Mountain Cat is listed as Endangered, Margay as Near Threatened.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Andean Mountain Cat
Leopardus jacobita
Margay
Leopardus wiedii
Andean Mountain Cat
Leopardus
Margay
Leopardus
Andean Mountain Cat
Ocelot lineage
Margay
Ocelot lineage
Andean Mountain Cat
Small cats
Margay
Small cats
Andean Mountain Cat
Andean cat, Gato andino
Margay
Tree ocelot, Gato maracajá
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Andean Mountain Cat
22 in – 2 ft 9 in (57–85 cm) Longer
Margay
19 in – 2 ft 7 in (48–79 cm)
Andean Mountain Cat
16 in – 19 in (41–48 cm) Longer
Margay
13 in – 20 in (33–51 cm)
Andean Mountain Cat
13 in – 15 in (33–38 cm) Taller
Margay
12 in – 15 in (30–38 cm)
Andean Mountain Cat
8.8–12 lb (4–5.5 kg) Heavier
Very few animals have ever been weighed.
Margay
5.7–10.8 lb (2.6–4.9 kg)
Sexes are similar in size, unusual among cats.
Andean Mountain Cat
Not reliably measured
No field measurement exists.
Margay
Not reliably measured
Not measured; the margay is an agility specialist rather than a runner.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Andean Mountain Cat
10–12 years
Margay
10–12 years
Andean Mountain Cat
12–15 years
Margay
18–20 years Longer
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Andean Mountain Cat
rocky alpine, steppe
Arid, rocky terrain above the treeline in the high Andes, and rocky steppe in northern Patagonia, generally between 10,000 and 16,000 feet.
Margay
tropical rainforest, montane forest, cloud forest
Almost exclusively continuous forest with a closed canopy, from lowland rainforest to cloud forest above 9,000 feet. The species tolerates disturbance poorly.
Andean Mountain Cat
South America
Southern Peru, western Bolivia, northern Chile and north-western Argentina, with a disjunct population in the Patagonian steppe.
Margay
North America, South America
From northern Mexico through Central America and Amazonia to northern Argentina and southern Brazil.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Andean Mountain Cat
small mammals, birds, reptiles
Mountain viscachas dominate the diet, supplemented by chinchillas, tuco-tucos, birds and lizards.
Margay
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Tree-dwelling rodents, opossums, squirrels, birds, lizards and large invertebrates, taken mostly above ground.
Andean Mountain Cat
Solitary
Densities are extremely low, and individuals appear to range widely across rocky outcrops that hold viscacha colonies.
Margay
Solitary
Rarely observed; ranges are large relative to body size, and litters almost always consist of a single kitten.
Andean Mountain Cat
Crepuscular and nocturnal
Most records fall around twilight, with some daytime activity in cold, clear weather.
Margay
Nocturnal
Strongly night active, spending daylight hours resting in tree hollows and on branches.
Andean Mountain Cat
Ambush around rock colonies
Hunts by waiting near viscacha colonies and rushing over broken rock.
Margay
Arboreal pursuit and ambush
Hunts within the canopy, chasing rodents and birds along branches; field researchers in Brazil have documented a margay imitating the calls of pied tamarins, apparently to draw them closer.
Andean Mountain Cat
Strong
Highly capable on rock and scree; trees are absent from most of its range.
Margay
Exceptional More developed
The benchmark climbing cat of the Americas: it descends head first, hangs by one hind foot and moves confidently through fine branches.
Andean Mountain Cat
Very limited
No meaningful records; the habitat offers little standing water.
Margay
Limited More developed
Rarely recorded in water.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Andean Mountain Cat
EN — Endangered
Assessed 2016
Margay
NT — Near Threatened
Assessed 2015
Andean Mountain Cat
Decreasing
Margay
Decreasing
Andean Mountain Cat
Decline of mountain viscacha populations, Killing for traditional and ceremonial use, Mining expansion in high-altitude basins, Habitat fragmentation, Dogs accompanying herders
Assessed as Endangered with a small and declining population. Its dependence on a single main prey species, itself hunted by people, makes the situation fragile.
Margay
Deforestation, Forest fragmentation, Road mortality, Illegal pet trade, Very low reproductive output
Dependence on unbroken forest makes the margay especially sensitive to clearance and fragmentation, and its low reproductive rate slows any recovery.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Andean Mountain Cat
- Fewer than 1,500 mature individuals are estimated to survive.
- Dried specimens appear in some Andean ceremonial traditions, which is a documented source of mortality.
- The tail can approach three-quarters of head-body length and is unusually thick and heavily ringed.
Margay
- Litters of a single kitten are the norm, one of the lowest reproductive rates among cats.
- The ankle rotation that allows head-first descent is shared with only a handful of felids worldwide.
- Its eyes are proportionally larger than an ocelot's, an adaptation to hunting in dark canopy.
Sources used for this comparison
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Global assessment categories, population trends and documented threats.
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group Species accounts, distribution notes and Cat News reporting for every wild felid.
- Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation Dedicated research and field reporting on the lesser-known felids.
- Wildlife Conservation Society Field programmes, camera-trap surveys and population monitoring.
- National Geographic — Animals General natural-history reference for behaviour, range and ecology.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.