Species comparison
Flat-headed Cat vs Sunda Leopard Cat
A side-by-side look at Prionailurus planiceps and Prionailurus javanensis across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The sunda leopard cat averages about 1.5 times the body mass of the flat-headed cat.
- Both species use tropical rainforest and mangrove.
- Their ranges both include Asia.
- Red List categories differ: Flat-headed Cat is listed as Endangered, Sunda Leopard Cat as Least Concern.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Flat-headed Cat
Prionailurus planiceps
Sunda Leopard Cat
Prionailurus javanensis
Flat-headed Cat
Prionailurus
Sunda Leopard Cat
Prionailurus
Flat-headed Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Sunda Leopard Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Flat-headed Cat
Small cats
Sunda Leopard Cat
Small cats
Flat-headed Cat
Kucing hutan
Sunda Leopard Cat
Javan leopard cat
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Flat-headed Cat
16 in – 20 in (41–50 cm)
Sunda Leopard Cat
16 in – 24 in (40–60 cm) Longer
Flat-headed Cat
5 in – 8 in (13–20 cm)
Sunda Leopard Cat
7 in – 12 in (17–30 cm) Longer
Flat-headed Cat
7 in – 9 in (18–22 cm)
Sunda Leopard Cat
8 in – 10 in (20–26 cm) Taller
Flat-headed Cat
3.3–5.5 lb (1.5–2.5 kg)
Known from a small number of measured specimens.
Sunda Leopard Cat
3.3–9.9 lb (1.5–4.5 kg) Heavier
Consistently lighter than northern mainland leopard cats.
Flat-headed Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Flat-headed Cat
8–10 years
Sunda Leopard Cat
8–12 years Longer
Flat-headed Cat
10–14 years
Sunda Leopard Cat
13–16 years Longer
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Flat-headed Cat
wetland, tropical rainforest, mangrove
Peat swamp forest, riverine forest and freshwater swamp in lowland areas, almost always within a short distance of water.
Sunda Leopard Cat
tropical rainforest, montane forest, agricultural mosaic, mangrove
Lowland and hill forest, secondary growth, plantation edges and farmland; the species uses oil-palm landscapes where rodents are abundant and cover remains.
Flat-headed Cat
Asia
Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, Borneo and Sumatra, in an increasingly fragmented set of lowland wetland sites.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Asia
Java, Bali, Borneo, Sumatra, Palawan and other Philippine islands, and smaller islands across the Sunda Shelf.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Flat-headed Cat
fish, amphibians, small mammals, insects
Fish, frogs and crustaceans dominate, with rodents and insects taken as well.
Sunda Leopard Cat
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Rats and mice dominate, along with birds, lizards, frogs and invertebrates.
Flat-headed Cat
Solitary
Very rarely observed; almost all modern records come from camera traps set along watercourses.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Solitary
Common in many surveys and comparatively tolerant of modified landscapes, provided some cover and rodent prey persist.
Flat-headed Cat
Nocturnal
Night active, with occasional records around dusk.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Nocturnal
Strongly night active, with camera-trap records clustering well after dark.
Flat-headed Cat
Shallow-water grabbing
Hunts by wading in shallow water and seizing prey with the forepaws, plunging the head beneath the surface.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Active ground search
Patrols plantation rows, forest edge and stream banks, hunting rodents and ground-nesting birds.
Flat-headed Cat
Capable
Climbs adequately but forages almost entirely at water level.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Strong More developed
Climbs and dens in trees, though most hunting is terrestrial.
Flat-headed Cat
Exceptional More developed
Highly aquatic, with partially webbed feet and a strong association with permanent water.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Strong
Swims capably, which has helped the species reach numerous islands.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Flat-headed Cat
EN — Endangered
Assessed 2015
Sunda Leopard Cat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2021
Flat-headed Cat
Decreasing
Sunda Leopard Cat
Decreasing
Flat-headed Cat
Drainage of peat swamp forest, Conversion to oil-palm plantation, Water pollution and fish depletion, Snaring, Extreme habitat fragmentation
Assessed as Endangered, with a very small estimated population. Over two-thirds of the lowland wetland habitat it depends on has been drained, converted or degraded.
Sunda Leopard Cat
Forest conversion to plantation, Snaring and hunting for skins, Rodenticide use in plantations, Road mortality, Pet trade
Still widespread and locally common, but hunting for skins, snaring and the conversion of forest to plantation reduce numbers in parts of the range.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Flat-headed Cat
- Its eyes are set unusually far forward, giving the wide binocular field needed to judge prey underwater.
- The claws retract only partly, leaving them permanently ready for gripping.
- Captive individuals have been recorded washing food in water before eating.
Sunda Leopard Cat
- The species was separated from the mainland leopard cat in 2017 on genetic and morphological evidence.
- It is one of the few wild cats that appears to benefit, at least temporarily, from rodent booms in plantation landscapes.
- Island populations vary enough in size and markings that further taxonomic work is likely.
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.
- World Wildlife Fund Range descriptions, threat summaries and conservation programme reporting.
- 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.