Species comparison
Jungle Cat vs Black-footed Cat
A side-by-side look at Felis chaus and Felis nigripes across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The jungle cat averages about 5.4 times the body mass of the black-footed cat.
- Both species use grassland.
- Their ranges both include Africa.
- Red List categories differ: Jungle Cat is listed as Least Concern, Black-footed Cat as Vulnerable.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Jungle Cat
Felis chaus
Black-footed Cat
Felis nigripes
Jungle Cat
Felis
Black-footed Cat
Felis
Jungle Cat
Domestic cat lineage
Black-footed Cat
Domestic cat lineage
Jungle Cat
Small cats
Black-footed Cat
Small cats
Jungle Cat
Reed cat, Swamp cat
Black-footed Cat
Small spotted cat, Anthill tiger
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Jungle Cat
20 in – 3 ft 1 in (50–94 cm) Longer
Black-footed Cat
14 in – 20 in (36–52 cm)
Jungle Cat
8 in – 14 in (20–36 cm) Longer
Black-footed Cat
5 in – 8 in (12–20 cm)
Jungle Cat
14 in – 15 in (35–38 cm) Taller
Black-footed Cat
7 in – 10 in (17–25 cm)
Jungle Cat
6.6–35 lb (3–16 kg) Heavier
Most adults fall between 4 and 8 kg; the largest records come from the north of the range.
Black-footed Cat
2.2–5.5 lb (1–2.5 kg)
Females often weigh little more than a kilogram.
Jungle Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Black-footed Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Jungle Cat
10–12 years Longer
Black-footed Cat
6–8 years
Jungle Cat
15–20 years Longer
Black-footed Cat
10–14 years
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Jungle Cat
wetland, agricultural mosaic, grassland, dry forest
Reedbeds, marsh margins, tall grassland, riverine thickets and irrigated farmland; it avoids both rainforest and true desert.
Black-footed Cat
semi-arid scrub, grassland, desert
Open, dry short-grass plains and Karoo scrub with termite mounds and rodent burrows for shelter; it avoids both rocky mountain terrain and dense woodland.
Jungle Cat
Asia, Africa
From Egypt and the Middle East through the Caucasus, Central Asia, India and Sri Lanka to southern China and mainland South East Asia.
Black-footed Cat
Africa
Restricted to South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, with marginal records from southern Zimbabwe and Angola.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Jungle Cat
small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles
Rodents dominate, supplemented by waterbirds, fish, frogs, snakes and hares.
Black-footed Cat
small mammals, birds, insects, reptiles
Gerbils, mice, shrews, larks and other ground birds, plus large insects; prey is small, and a great many items are needed each night.
Jungle Cat
Solitary
Solitary and territorial, though it is more visible than most small cats because it hunts in open cropland.
Black-footed Cat
Solitary
Shelters by day in hollow termite mounds and abandoned burrows — the origin of its local nickname — and hunts alone through the night.
Jungle Cat
Crepuscular and partly diurnal
Active around dawn and dusk with substantial daytime hunting, particularly in winter and in undisturbed areas.
Black-footed Cat
Nocturnal
Emerges after dark and remains active for most of the night, returning to shelter before dawn.
Jungle Cat
Active search in dense vegetation
Moves steadily through reeds and crops, flushing rodents and birds, and will wade into shallow water after fish and frogs.
Black-footed Cat
Continuous fast-paced hunting
Uses three modes: a fast hunt through grass, a slow stalking search, and patient waiting at rodent burrow entrances.
Jungle Cat
Capable More developed
Climbs when needed but hunts almost entirely on the ground.
Black-footed Cat
Limited
A ground specialist that seldom climbs; its habitat is largely treeless.
Jungle Cat
Strong More developed
Comfortable in water, swimming across channels and hunting in shallow marsh.
Black-footed Cat
Very limited
Occupies arid habitat with almost no standing water.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Jungle Cat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2016
Black-footed Cat
VU — Vulnerable
Assessed 2016
Jungle Cat
Decreasing
Black-footed Cat
Decreasing
Jungle Cat
Wetland drainage, Agricultural intensification, Killing near poultry, Road mortality, Poisoning of rodent prey
Still widespread, but wetland drainage, intensified agriculture and killing near poultry have caused declines in the western part of the range, especially in Egypt and the Middle East.
Black-footed Cat
Poisoning aimed at jackals and other carnivores, Overgrazing and loss of prey, Road mortality, Predation by domestic dogs, Disease in small populations
A small range, low population density and heavy exposure to poisoning and predator-control measures aimed at other species keep this cat under pressure.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Jungle Cat
- Mummified jungle cats have been recovered from ancient Egyptian tombs.
- It is the largest species in the genus that also contains the domestic cat.
- Kittens show faint stripes that fade almost completely in adults.
Black-footed Cat
- Field studies record hunting success on roughly six of every ten attempts, the highest documented rate for any cat.
- It uses hollow termite mounds as dens, which is why farmers call it the anthill tiger.
- Despite its tiny size it is famously intolerant of handling and does not tame.
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.
- National Geographic — Animals General natural-history reference for behaviour, range and ecology.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Body measurements, longevity records and life-history notes.