The northern tiger cat weighs little more than a large domestic cat and carries open rosettes on a tawny coat. It occupies montane and cloud forest as well as drier Cerrado woodland and Caatinga.
Genetic work published in 2013 showed that the animals of southern Brazil and adjacent countries form a separate species, and the two are now assessed independently.
Size and measurements
| Head-body length | 15 in – 23 in (38–59 cm) |
|---|---|
| Tail length | 8 in – 17 in (20–42 cm) |
| Shoulder height | 9 in – 12 in (22–30 cm) |
| Body weight | 3.3–7.7 lb (1.5–3.5 kg) — Sexes are similar in size. |
| Top recorded speed | Not reliably measured — Not measured in the field. |
| Lifespan in the wild | 10–13 years |
| Lifespan under human care | 14–17 years |
Habitat and range
Montane and cloud forest from around 5,000 feet upward in the Andes and Central America, plus Cerrado woodland and dry Caatinga scrub in Brazil.
Costa Rica and Panama, through Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and the Guianas to central and north-eastern Brazil.
Diet and hunting
Small rodents, marsupials, birds, lizards and invertebrates.
Hunting strategy — Ground stalk in dense cover. Hunts small prey on the forest floor and in low vegetation.
Behaviour and activity
Solitary. Rarely detected even in well-surveyed areas; density estimates are low wherever ocelots are common.
Nocturnal and crepuscular. Mostly night active, with more daytime records where ocelots are absent.
Climbing and swimming
Climbing — Strong. Climbs well, though it hunts mainly at ground level.
Swimming — Very limited. Little recorded use of water.
Conservation status
The Northern Tiger Cat is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a population trend recorded as decreasing in the assessment published in 2016.
Assessed as Vulnerable, with fragmentation of montane forest and conversion of Cerrado woodland driving decline. Population sizes are poorly known throughout the range.
Documented threats
- Montane forest clearance
- Cerrado conversion to agriculture
- Road mortality
- Killing near poultry
- Competition and predation pressure from larger cats
Look up the current Red List assessment for Leopardus tigrinus
Notable traits
- The species was split from the southern tiger cat on genetic evidence in 2013.
- Hybridisation with pampas cats and Geoffroy's cats has been documented at range boundaries.
- It is among the least frequently photographed cats in Neotropical camera-trap surveys.
Sources for this profile
- 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.
- Wildlife Conservation Society Field programmes, camera-trap surveys and population monitoring.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.