Catopuma – Meet the Felidae Family

Image from Babirusa

This genus has a very distinctly different look than much of the rest of the family & there are only two members.

Genetic research has shown that this genus and the Pardofelis genus should be merged into one, but for the sake of keeping it simple, we’ve introduced them separately. We haven’t seen anywhere that the two have actually been merged into one genus as of yet.

Both subspecies are very rare and found throughout southeast Asia. For many years the Bay Cat cleverly eluded the paparazzi in the wild.

The Asian Golden Cat is the largest of the small cat species & can be found from Tibet, Nepal & India to Southern China through southeast Asia to Sumatra.

This cat is very uncommon & threatened by deforestation, & hunting for their pelt. This sub species is classified at near threatened and they do not breed well in captivity.

Found only in the country of Borneo, the Bay Cat is still a mystery and may simply be a smaller island form of the Asian Golden Cat. Because of their reclusive nature and small habitat, they managed to elude photographers in the wild for a long time.

These animals are incredibly rare and only found in a very small geographical range. Very little is known about them, but they are protected in any environment where they thought to be located.

The Family Tree

We are slowly constructing the feladie family tree so our readers can appreciate each member. Keep checking back for more and while you are here why not meet the rest of them?

Felis | Lions | Tigers | Prionailurus | Lynx | Leopardus | Leopards