Species comparison
Rusty-spotted Cat vs Flat-headed Cat
A side-by-side look at Prionailurus rubiginosus and Prionailurus planiceps across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The flat-headed cat averages about 1.6 times the body mass of the rusty-spotted cat.
- Both species use tropical rainforest.
- Their ranges both include Asia.
- Red List categories differ: Rusty-spotted Cat is listed as Near Threatened, Flat-headed Cat as Endangered.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus rubiginosus
Flat-headed Cat
Prionailurus planiceps
Rusty-spotted Cat
Prionailurus
Flat-headed Cat
Prionailurus
Rusty-spotted Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Flat-headed Cat
Leopard cat lineage
Rusty-spotted Cat
Small cats
Flat-headed Cat
Small cats
Rusty-spotted Cat
Hummingbird cat
Flat-headed Cat
Kucing hutan
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Rusty-spotted Cat
14 in – 19 in (35–48 cm)
Flat-headed Cat
16 in – 20 in (41–50 cm) Longer
Rusty-spotted Cat
6 in – 12 in (15–30 cm) Longer
Flat-headed Cat
5 in – 8 in (13–20 cm)
Rusty-spotted Cat
7 in – 9 in (17–22 cm)
Flat-headed Cat
7 in – 9 in (18–22 cm) Taller
Rusty-spotted Cat
2–3.5 lb (0.9–1.6 kg)
Among the lightest of all wild cats.
Flat-headed Cat
3.3–5.5 lb (1.5–2.5 kg) Heavier
Known from a small number of measured specimens.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Flat-headed 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
Flat-headed Cat
8–10 years
Rusty-spotted Cat
12–14 years Longer
Flat-headed 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.
Flat-headed Cat
wetland, tropical rainforest, mangrove
Peat swamp forest, riverine forest and freshwater swamp in lowland areas, almost always within a short distance of water.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Asia
Most of India, plus Sri Lanka and the Nepalese terai, with scattered records extending the known range in recent decades.
Flat-headed Cat
Asia
Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, Borneo and Sumatra, in an increasingly fragmented set of lowland wetland sites.
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.
Flat-headed Cat
fish, amphibians, small mammals, insects
Fish, frogs and crustaceans dominate, with rodents and insects taken as well.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Solitary
Nocturnal and secretive; most records come from camera traps, road surveys and occasional rescues of kittens from farmland.
Flat-headed Cat
Solitary
Very rarely observed; almost all modern records come from camera traps set along watercourses.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Nocturnal
Almost entirely night active, sheltering by day in tree hollows, rock crevices and abandoned structures.
Flat-headed Cat
Nocturnal
Night active, with occasional records around dusk.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Rapid ground and tree hunting
Hunts small prey with quick rushes, and readily follows rodents and birds into trees.
Flat-headed Cat
Shallow-water grabbing
Hunts by wading in shallow water and seizing prey with the forepaws, plunging the head beneath the surface.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Exceptional More developed
Extremely agile in trees for its size, using branches for both hunting and shelter.
Flat-headed Cat
Capable
Climbs adequately but forages almost entirely at water level.
Rusty-spotted Cat
Very limited
Little recorded association with water.
Flat-headed Cat
Exceptional More developed
Highly aquatic, with partially webbed feet and a strong association with permanent water.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Rusty-spotted Cat
NT — Near Threatened
Assessed 2016
Flat-headed Cat
EN — Endangered
Assessed 2015
Rusty-spotted Cat
Decreasing
Flat-headed 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.
Flat-headed Cat
Drainage of peat swamp forest, Conversion to oil-palm plantation, Water pollution and fish depletion, Snaring, Extreme habitat fragmentation
Assessed as Endangered, with a very small estimated population. Over two-thirds of the lowland wetland habitat it depends on has been drained, converted or degraded.
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.
Flat-headed Cat
- Its eyes are set unusually far forward, giving the wide binocular field needed to judge prey underwater.
- The claws retract only partly, leaving them permanently ready for gripping.
- Captive individuals have been recorded washing food in water before eating.
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.
- World Wildlife Fund Range descriptions, threat summaries and conservation programme reporting.
- Wildlife Conservation Society Field programmes, camera-trap surveys and population monitoring.