Species comparison
Rusty-spotted Cat vs Fishing Cat
A side-by-side look at Prionailurus rubiginosus and Prionailurus viverrinus across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The fishing cat averages about 8.4 times the body mass of the rusty-spotted cat.
- Both species use tropical rainforest and agricultural mosaic.
- Their ranges both include Asia.
- Red List categories differ: Rusty-spotted Cat is listed as Near Threatened, Fishing Cat as Vulnerable.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus rubiginosus
Fishing Cat
Prionailurus viverrinus
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus
Fishing Cat
Prionailurus
Rusty-spotted Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Fishing Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Rusty-spotted Cat
Small cats
Fishing Cat
Medium-sized cats
Rusty-spotted Cat
Hummingbird cat
Fishing Cat
Mach-bagral
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Rusty-spotted Cat
14 in – 19 in (35–48 cm)
Fishing Cat
22 in – 2 ft 10 in (57–86 cm) Longer
Rusty-spotted Cat
6 in – 12 in (15–30 cm)
Fishing Cat
8 in – 12 in (20–30 cm) Longer
Rusty-spotted Cat
7 in – 9 in (17–22 cm)
Fishing Cat
15 in – 16 in (38–41 cm) Taller
Rusty-spotted Cat
2–3.5 lb (0.9–1.6 kg)
Among the lightest of all wild cats.
Fishing Cat
11–35 lb (5–16 kg) Heavier
Males 8.5–16 kg, females 5–7 kg; a marked size difference between the sexes.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Fishing Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured; the species hunts by patience and swimming, not speed.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Rusty-spotted Cat
8–10 years
Fishing Cat
10–12 years Longer
Rusty-spotted Cat
12–14 years
Fishing Cat
12–17 years Longer
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.
Fishing Cat
wetland, mangrove, agricultural mosaic, tropical rainforest
Marshes, reedbeds, oxbow lakes, mangrove creeks, tidal channels and flooded rice paddy — always close to permanent water with fish.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Asia
Most of India, plus Sri Lanka and the Nepalese terai, with scattered records extending the known range in recent decades.
Fishing Cat
Asia
Scattered wetland populations in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia (Java), with historical records from several other countries.
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.
Fishing Cat
fish, small mammals, birds, reptiles
Fish supply the majority of the diet, along with rodents, waterbirds, snakes, frogs and molluscs.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Solitary
Nocturnal and secretive; most records come from camera traps, road surveys and occasional rescues of kittens from farmland.
Fishing Cat
Solitary
Adults hold ranges centred on water bodies. In several countries the species now lives largely inside human-dominated wetland, including aquaculture ponds and paddy landscapes.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Nocturnal
Almost entirely night active, sheltering by day in tree hollows, rock crevices and abandoned structures.
Fishing Cat
Nocturnal
Strongly night active, resting during the day in dense reed or scrub near water.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Rapid ground and tree hunting
Hunts small prey with quick rushes, and readily follows rodents and birds into trees.
Fishing Cat
Aquatic ambush and diving
Waits at the water's edge and hooks fish with a forepaw, or swims and dives to take prey below the surface.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Exceptional More developed
Extremely agile in trees for its size, using branches for both hunting and shelter.
Fishing Cat
Capable
Climbs competently but spends most of its time at ground and water level.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Very limited
Little recorded association with water.
Fishing Cat
Exceptional More developed
One of the strongest swimmers among cats; it will swim long distances and dive fully underwater.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Rusty-spotted Cat
NT — Near Threatened
Assessed 2016
Fishing Cat
VU — Vulnerable
Assessed 2016
Rusty-spotted Cat
Decreasing
Fishing 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.
Fishing Cat
Wetland drainage and conversion, Aquaculture expansion, Retaliatory killing at fish ponds, Snaring and hunting, Pollution of waterways
Wetland loss is the central problem: drainage, aquaculture conversion, pollution and settlement have removed much of the habitat this species requires, and remaining populations are highly fragmented.
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.
Fishing Cat
- Partial webbing between the toes of the forefeet helps with swimming and with scooping fish.
- The species is the state animal of West Bengal, India.
- Conservation projects increasingly work with fish farmers, since much remaining habitat lies on private land.
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.
- Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance Wetland felid research, distribution records and conservation planning.
- World Wildlife Fund Range descriptions, threat summaries and conservation programme reporting.