The smallest wild cats
Rusty-spotted Cat vs Black-footed Cat
Two species compete for the title, on different continents and with very different hunting styles, and the answer depends on whether you measure length or weight.
At a glance
- The black-footed cat averages about 1.4 times the body mass of the rusty-spotted cat.
- Both species use semi-arid scrub.
- Their ranges do not overlap: Rusty-spotted Cat lives in Asia, Black-footed Cat in Africa.
- Red List categories differ: Rusty-spotted Cat is listed as Near Threatened, Black-footed Cat as Vulnerable.
A genuinely close call
Rusty-spotted cats are the shorter and lighter of the two at the bottom of their published range, with some adults under a kilogram. Black-footed cats are marginally longer but include heavier individuals, particularly males. Both are comfortably smaller than an average domestic cat.
Because sample sizes are small for both species, the honest answer is that the two overlap and no single measurement settles it.
Opposite habitats, opposite methods
The black-footed cat lives on dry short-grass plains and Karoo scrub in southern Africa. It hunts almost continuously through the night, covering several miles and attempting a strike roughly every half hour; recorded success rates of around sixty per cent are the highest documented for any cat.
The rusty-spotted cat lives in Indian and Sri Lankan forest, scrub and farmland, and is an outstanding climber, hunting in trees as readily as on the ground.
Different risks
The black-footed cat is assessed as Vulnerable, with poisoning campaigns aimed at other carnivores a documented cause of mortality. The rusty-spotted cat is Near Threatened, affected mainly by habitat conversion, though its known range has grown as camera trapping has spread across India.
What to take away
- Published size ranges overlap; neither species is clearly the smallest on every measure.
- The black-footed cat has the highest recorded hunting success rate of any felid.
- The rusty-spotted cat is a strong climber; the black-footed cat is a ground specialist.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus rubiginosus
Black-footed Cat
Felis nigripes
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus
Black-footed Cat
Felis
Rusty-spotted Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Black-footed Cat
Domestic cat lineage
Rusty-spotted Cat
Small cats
Black-footed Cat
Small cats
Rusty-spotted Cat
Hummingbird cat
Black-footed Cat
Small spotted cat, Anthill tiger
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Rusty-spotted Cat
14 in – 19 in (35–48 cm)
Black-footed Cat
14 in – 20 in (36–52 cm) Longer
Rusty-spotted Cat
6 in – 12 in (15–30 cm) Longer
Black-footed Cat
5 in – 8 in (12–20 cm)
Rusty-spotted Cat
7 in – 9 in (17–22 cm)
Black-footed Cat
7 in – 10 in (17–25 cm) Taller
Rusty-spotted Cat
2–3.5 lb (0.9–1.6 kg)
Among the lightest of all wild cats.
Black-footed Cat
2.2–5.5 lb (1–2.5 kg) Heavier
Females often weigh little more than a kilogram.
Rusty-spotted 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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
8–10 years Longer
Black-footed Cat
6–8 years
Rusty-spotted Cat
12–14 years Longer
Black-footed Cat
10–14 years
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Rusty-spotted Cat
dry forest, tropical rainforest, semi-arid scrub, agricultural mosaic
Deciduous forest, scrub, grassland with rock cover, bamboo and cultivated land; it is not restricted to dense forest as was once believed.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Asia
Most of India, plus Sri Lanka and the Nepalese terai, with scattered records extending the known range in recent decades.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Rodents and small birds dominate, with lizards, frogs and insects taken regularly.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Solitary
Nocturnal and secretive; most records come from camera traps, road surveys and occasional rescues of kittens from farmland.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Nocturnal
Almost entirely night active, sheltering by day in tree hollows, rock crevices and abandoned structures.
Black-footed Cat
Nocturnal
Emerges after dark and remains active for most of the night, returning to shelter before dawn.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Rapid ground and tree hunting
Hunts small prey with quick rushes, and readily follows rodents and birds into trees.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Exceptional More developed
Extremely agile in trees for its size, using branches for both hunting and shelter.
Black-footed Cat
Limited
A ground specialist that seldom climbs; its habitat is largely treeless.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Very limited
Little recorded association with water.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
NT — Near Threatened
Assessed 2016
Black-footed Cat
VU — Vulnerable
Assessed 2016
Rusty-spotted Cat
Decreasing
Black-footed Cat
Decreasing
Rusty-spotted Cat
Conversion of scrub and forest to cropland, Road mortality, Killing near poultry, Trapping and pet trade, Predation by domestic dogs
Assessed as Near Threatened. Habitat conversion is the leading pressure, though records from farmland suggest more tolerance of modified landscapes than previously assumed.
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.
Rusty-spotted Cat
- It competes with the black-footed cat for the title of the world's smallest wild cat.
- Kittens are often mistaken for domestic kittens when found near villages.
- Its known range has expanded considerably as camera trapping has spread across India.
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.