Species comparison
Asian Golden Cat vs African Golden Cat
A side-by-side look at Catopuma temminckii and Caracal aurata across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The asian golden cat averages about 1.2 times the body mass of the african golden cat.
- Both species use tropical rainforest and montane forest.
- Their ranges do not overlap: Asian Golden Cat lives in Asia, African Golden Cat in Africa.
- Red List categories differ: Asian Golden Cat is listed as Near Threatened, African Golden Cat as Vulnerable.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Asian Golden Cat
Catopuma temminckii
African Golden Cat
Caracal aurata
Asian Golden Cat
Catopuma
African Golden Cat
Caracal
Asian Golden Cat
Bay cat lineage
African Golden Cat
Caracal lineage
Asian Golden Cat
Medium-sized cats
African Golden Cat
Medium-sized cats
Asian Golden Cat
Temminck's cat, Fire cat
African Golden Cat
Golden cat
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Asian Golden Cat
2 ft 2 in – 3 ft 5 in (66–105 cm) Longer
African Golden Cat
2 ft – 3 ft 4 in (61–101 cm)
Asian Golden Cat
16 in – 22 in (40–57 cm) Longer
African Golden Cat
6 in – 18 in (16–46 cm)
Asian Golden Cat
18 in – 22 in (45–56 cm) Taller
African Golden Cat
15 in – 22 in (38–55 cm)
Asian Golden Cat
20–35 lb (9–16 kg) Heavier
Males average heavier than females.
African Golden Cat
12–35 lb (5.5–16 kg)
Based on a small number of measured specimens.
Asian Golden Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
African Golden Cat
Not reliably measured
No field measurement exists.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Asian Golden Cat
10–12 years
African Golden Cat
10–12 years
Asian Golden Cat
17–20 years Longer
African Golden Cat
12–15 years
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Asian Golden Cat
tropical rainforest, montane forest, dry forest
Evergreen and mixed forest from lowland to about 12,000 feet in the Himalaya, including bamboo, secondary growth and drier deciduous woodland.
African Golden Cat
tropical rainforest, montane forest
Moist tropical forest, bamboo zones and montane forest up to about 11,500 feet; the species is strongly associated with dense, undisturbed canopy.
Asian Golden Cat
Asia
From Nepal and north-east India through Bhutan, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra.
African Golden Cat
Africa
The rainforest belt of West and Central Africa, from Senegal and Guinea east through the Congo Basin to western Kenya and Uganda.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Asian Golden Cat
small mammals, birds, medium ungulates, reptiles
Rodents, hares, birds and reptiles, plus muntjac and young ungulates; the species is strong enough to take prey considerably larger than itself.
African Golden Cat
small mammals, birds, primates, medium ungulates
Rodents, tree hyrax, duikers, monkeys and forest birds; there are documented cases of golden cats following monkey groups to catch animals disturbed from the canopy.
Asian Golden Cat
Solitary
Mostly terrestrial and territorial. Field observations remain sparse despite the cat's relatively large size.
African Golden Cat
Solitary
Extremely secretive; density estimates rely almost entirely on camera-trap arrays, and even experienced field teams rarely see the animal directly.
Asian Golden Cat
Crepuscular and partly diurnal
Camera-trap studies show more daytime activity than early accounts suggested, with peaks around dawn and dusk.
African Golden Cat
Cathemeral
Camera-trap records show activity spread across day and night, with local variation that may reflect prey and disturbance.
Asian Golden Cat
Ground stalking in forest
Hunts on the forest floor, using cover for a close approach before a short rush.
African Golden Cat
Ground stalk in dense forest
Hunts mainly on the forest floor, ambushing rodents and small ungulates in thick undergrowth.
Asian Golden Cat
Strong
Climbs well and will follow prey into trees, though it hunts mainly on the ground.
African Golden Cat
Strong
Capable in trees and recorded hunting hyrax in the canopy, though most hunting is terrestrial.
Asian Golden Cat
Limited
No strong association with water.
African Golden Cat
Limited
No substantial record of swimming behaviour.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Asian Golden Cat
NT — Near Threatened
Assessed 2015
African Golden Cat
VU — Vulnerable
Assessed 2015
Asian Golden Cat
Decreasing
African Golden Cat
Decreasing
Asian Golden Cat
Deforestation, Indiscriminate snaring, Trade in skins and bones, Prey depletion, Retaliatory killing near livestock
Assessed as Near Threatened. Deforestation across South East Asia and pervasive snaring for the wild-meat and skin trade are the main pressures.
African Golden Cat
Deforestation and logging, Bushmeat snaring, Prey depletion, Mining expansion, Very limited baseline data
Rainforest loss and the commercial bushmeat trade are the main pressures. The cat is caught in snares set for other animals and is also taken deliberately in some regions.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Asian Golden Cat
- At least six coat morphs have been recorded, an unusual level of variation for a wild cat.
- Local names in several range countries translate as "fire cat" or "rock cat".
- A spotted morph photographed in China initially confused researchers, who suspected a new species.
African Golden Cat
- Colour morphs vary so widely that early naturalists described several separate species.
- It is the only forest-dwelling member of the caracal lineage.
- Much of what is known about its diet comes from analysis of scats collected on forest trails.
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.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.
- Panthera Field research programmes and species profiles for big and small wild cats.