21 Rare Wild Cat Species You Probably Didn’t Know Exist

“Felidae” is the scientific name for the biological family whose most familiar member is the domestic cat. These highly evolved predators are as beautiful as they are cunning. Did you know that almost all members of this carnivorous family share a genetic anomaly that prevents them from tasting sweetness?

They are all obligate carnivores – they don’t simply favor meat; they can’t subsist on anything else. Apart from lions, very few cats display any sort of strong social behavior, though some do hunt together or form loose colonies. Aha! So that’s where our kitties get their attitude from!

Something else you might not know is that while some felines are widely known (like lions, cougars, jaguars, etc.), there are actually 41 known cat species living today – and most of them are as beautiful as they are rare.

More info: kingdomoffunnymemes.com

#1 Black-Footed Cat (Felis Nigripes)

#2 Pallas Cat (Otocolobus Manul)

#3 Canadian Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)

#4 Sand Cat (Felis Margarita)

#5 Caracal (Caracal Caracal)

#6 Flat-Headed Cat (Felis Planiceps)

#7 Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa)

#8 Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis)

#9 Pampas Cat (Leopardus Pajeros)

#10 Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis Bieti)

#11 Jaguarundi

#12 Andean Cat (Leopardus Jacobita)

#13 Bay Cat (Catopuma Badia)

#14 Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma Temminckii)

#15 Fishing Cat (Prionailurus Viverrinus)

#16 Serval (Leptailurus Serval)

#17 Wildcat (Felis Silvestris)

#18 Leopard Cat (Prionailurus Bengalensis)

#19 Kodkod (Leopardus Guigna)

#20 Rusty Spotted Cat (Prionailurus Rubiginosus)

#21 Margay Cat (Leopardus Wiedii)