Species comparison
Jaguarundi vs Ocelot
A side-by-side look at Herpailurus yagouaroundi and Leopardus pardalis across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The ocelot averages about 2 times the body mass of the jaguarundi.
- Both species use dry forest and tropical rainforest.
- Their ranges both include North America and South America.
- Both are currently listed as Least Concern on the Red List.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi
Ocelot
Leopardus pardalis
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus
Ocelot
Leopardus
Jaguarundi
Puma lineage
Ocelot
Ocelot lineage
Jaguarundi
Small cats
Ocelot
Medium-sized cats
Jaguarundi
Eyra cat, Otter cat
Ocelot
Painted leopard, Dwarf leopard
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Jaguarundi
21 in – 2 ft 6 in (53–77 cm)
Ocelot
22 in – 3 ft 3 in (55–100 cm) Longer
Jaguarundi
12 in – 24 in (31–60 cm) Longer
Ocelot
10 in – 18 in (26–45 cm)
Jaguarundi
10 in – 14 in (25–35 cm)
Ocelot
16 in – 20 in (40–50 cm) Taller
Jaguarundi
7.7–20 lb (3.5–9 kg)
Males average slightly larger than females.
Ocelot
15–40 lb (7–18 kg) Heavier
Males average roughly a third heavier than females.
Jaguarundi
Not reliably measured
No reliable measurement published.
Ocelot
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field; ocelots hunt by slow searching, not pursuit.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Jaguarundi
8–10 years Longer
Ocelot
7–10 years
Jaguarundi
10–15 years
Ocelot
20–23 years Longer
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
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.
Ocelot
tropical rainforest, dry forest, mangrove, semi-arid scrub, savanna, wetland
Dense cover is the constant requirement, from Amazon rainforest and flooded várzea to Texan thornscrub and coastal mangrove.
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.
Ocelot
North America, South America
From south Texas and northern Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina. The United States population is confined to a few small areas of southern Texas.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Jaguarundi
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, fish
Rodents, ground birds, lizards, frogs, large invertebrates and occasional fruit; most prey weighs under a pound.
Ocelot
small mammals, reptiles, birds, fish
Rodents, opossums, armadillos, iguanas, snakes, birds and fish; most prey items weigh under two pounds.
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.
Ocelot
Solitary and territorial
Adults hold defended ranges and travel long distances along established routes each night, often several miles.
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.
Ocelot
Nocturnal and crepuscular
Predominantly night active, with some daytime movement during cool or wet weather.
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.
Ocelot
Slow ground search with short pounce
Ocelots walk slowly through cover, pausing frequently, and rely on hearing and smell as much as sight.
Jaguarundi
Capable
Climbs well but hunts mainly on the ground, unlike the closely sympatric margay.
Ocelot
Strong More developed
Climbs and rests in trees but takes most prey on the forest floor.
Jaguarundi
Capable
Enters water readily and has been observed swimming across small rivers.
Ocelot
Strong More developed
Comfortable in water, crossing rivers and hunting along flooded forest edges.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Jaguarundi
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2015
Ocelot
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2015
Jaguarundi
Decreasing
Ocelot
Decreasing
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.
Ocelot
Deforestation and fragmentation, Road mortality, Retaliatory killing near poultry, Historical fur trade legacy, Isolation of border populations
Secure at the species level across Amazonia, but the northern edge of the range is in serious trouble: the Texas population numbers only a few dozen animals and is federally listed as endangered in the United States.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
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.
Ocelot
- Hundreds of thousands of ocelot skins entered the international fur trade in the 1960s and 1970s before trade controls took effect.
- Highway underpasses in Texas were built specifically to reduce ocelot road deaths.
- Each animal's rosette pattern is unique, which underpins camera-trap population estimates.
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.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal listing status and recovery planning for cats occurring in the United States.
- 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.
- Panthera Field research programmes and species profiles for big and small wild cats.