Species comparison
Geoffroy's Cat vs Jaguarundi
A side-by-side look at Leopardus geoffroyi and Herpailurus yagouaroundi across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The jaguarundi averages about 1.3 times the body mass of the geoffroy's cat.
- Both species use semi-arid scrub and dry forest.
- Their ranges both include South America.
- Both are currently listed as Least Concern on the Red List.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Geoffroy's Cat
Leopardus geoffroyi
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi
Geoffroy's Cat
Leopardus
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus
Geoffroy's Cat
Ocelot lineage
Jaguarundi
Puma lineage
Geoffroy's Cat
Small cats
Jaguarundi
Small cats
Geoffroy's Cat
Gato montés
Jaguarundi
Eyra cat, Otter cat
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Geoffroy's Cat
17 in – 2 ft 2 in (42–66 cm)
Jaguarundi
21 in – 2 ft 6 in (53–77 cm) Longer
Geoffroy's Cat
9 in – 14 in (24–36 cm)
Jaguarundi
12 in – 24 in (31–60 cm) Longer
Geoffroy's Cat
10 in – 12 in (25–30 cm)
Jaguarundi
10 in – 14 in (25–35 cm) Taller
Geoffroy's Cat
4.4–17 lb (2–7.8 kg)
Most adults weigh 3–5 kg; animals in the south of the range are larger.
Jaguarundi
7.7–20 lb (3.5–9 kg) Heavier
Males average slightly larger than females.
Geoffroy's Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Jaguarundi
Not reliably measured
No reliable measurement published.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Geoffroy's Cat
10–14 years Longer
Jaguarundi
8–10 years
Geoffroy's Cat
14–18 years Longer
Jaguarundi
10–15 years
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Geoffroy's Cat
semi-arid scrub, grassland, dry forest, wetland, agricultural mosaic
Chaco thornscrub, pampas grassland, Patagonian steppe and riverside woodland; it also uses farmland with hedgerows and marsh edges.
Jaguarundi
dry forest, tropical rainforest, semi-arid scrub, wetland, savanna, agricultural mosaic
Prefers dense low cover — thorn scrub, secondary growth, forest edge and riverside thickets — more often than closed primary rainforest.
Geoffroy's Cat
South America
Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, reaching the southern tip of the continent.
Jaguarundi
North America, South America
From northern Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina. Historical records exist for southern Texas, where the species is federally listed but has not been confirmed in decades.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Geoffroy's Cat
small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles
Rodents and small birds dominate; fish, frogs and crustaceans are taken where wetlands are available.
Jaguarundi
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, fish
Rodents, ground birds, lizards, frogs, large invertebrates and occasional fruit; most prey weighs under a pound.
Geoffroy's Cat
Solitary
Occupies small home ranges at relatively high density where cover and rodents are plentiful.
Jaguarundi
Solitary
Usually seen alone, occasionally in pairs. It is more terrestrial than most Neotropical cats and moves through thick cover with a distinctly low, gliding gait.
Geoffroy's Cat
Nocturnal
Chiefly night active, with occasional crepuscular movement in undisturbed areas.
Jaguarundi
Diurnal
One of the few strongly day-active cats, with peaks in the morning and mid-afternoon. This may reduce competition with the largely nocturnal ocelot.
Geoffroy's Cat
Ground stalk with frequent climbing
Hunts along cover edges and will climb into low trees after birds, or wade in shallow water after fish.
Jaguarundi
Active ground search
Rather than sitting in ambush, jaguarundis quarter dense cover on foot, flushing and pouncing on small prey; they will also climb after birds.
Geoffroy's Cat
Strong More developed
A capable climber that rests and dens in trees where they are available.
Jaguarundi
Capable
Climbs well but hunts mainly on the ground, unlike the closely sympatric margay.
Geoffroy's Cat
Strong More developed
One of the more water-tolerant small cats, entering streams and marsh to hunt.
Jaguarundi
Capable
Enters water readily and has been observed swimming across small rivers.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Geoffroy's Cat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2014
Jaguarundi
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2015
Geoffroy's Cat
Stable
Jaguarundi
Decreasing
Geoffroy's Cat
Conversion of scrub and grassland to cropland, Road mortality, Killing near poultry, Dog predation, Legacy of intensive fur trapping
Currently secure, having recovered from very heavy fur-trade harvesting in the twentieth century. Habitat conversion and conflict with rural households remain the main local pressures.
Jaguarundi
Loss of dense low cover, Conversion of scrub to farmland, Road mortality, Persecution near poultry, Fragmentation of riparian corridors
Still widespread, but the northern edge of the range has contracted sharply and populations in Mexico and Central America are considered at risk.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Geoffroy's Cat
- Hundreds of thousands of skins were traded in the 1970s and 1980s before controls tightened.
- Melanistic individuals are frequent in some populations, particularly in wetter habitats.
- It is one of very few small cats regularly recorded fishing in shallow water.
Jaguarundi
- Grey and reddish colour morphs were once described as two separate species.
- It produces an unusually varied vocal repertoire, including chirps, whistles and a bird-like call.
- Its build reflects a diet of small ground prey, not the arboreal hunting typical of similarly sized Neotropical cats.
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.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.
- Wildlife Conservation Society Field programmes, camera-trap surveys and population monitoring.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal listing status and recovery planning for cats occurring in the United States.