Cat - the scientific name of the biological family, the most famous representative is the domestic cat.
These beautiful predators will never cease to amaze and delight.
Perhaps you've heard of other representatives of the cat like a lion, cougar, lynx and ocelot.
But did you know that today there are 41 known species of cats, and many of them are so rare that they almost can not be found in the wild?
Wild cats (photos)
1. Andean cat
This kind of wild cat that lives in the Andes Mountains in South America, it is very rare to see, not to mention the fact, to photograph them.
Scientists estimate that only about 2500 left representatives of the Andean cat. They reach the size of domestic cats, but none of them is in captivity.
2. Pallas
These furry creatures reach the size of house cats, but they have much more hair. Another characteristic that makes them unique, are round rather than slit-shaped pupils.
They live in eastern Europe and is considered the oldest kinds of cats that have appeared about 12 million years ago.
3. The fishing cat
Fishing cat lives in the southern and south-eastern Asia, and prefers to live near the water. This is the best swimmer in the cat family, but it is rapidly losing habitat due to the introduction of people.
4. The sand cat
Barchan cat lives in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and in western Asia. Wool grows between her toes, which is usually typical for Arctic Cat, and protects the pads from hot sand. They are also considered one of the nicest representatives of the cat.
See also: Top 10 of the rarest breeds of cats
5. Margay
Margay reminiscent ocelot, but smaller in size. This excellent climbers and inhabit the region stretching from Central to South America. They live in tropical forests and hunt at night, and many other kinds of cats.
6. The black-footed cat
These are the smallest representatives of wild cats in the world. An adult male weighs only 1.8 kg, and females slightly less than 1.3 kg. They live in southern Africa.
7. Chinese cat
Chinese cat belongs to a subspecies of wild cats that are considered vulnerable. They live in areas of northwest China's high-altitude 2400-4900 meters above sea level. Chinese cats prey on small rodents, birds, and pikas.
Rare cats
8. Golden Cat
Gold cat lives in the tropical forests of West and Central Africa. The color of her hair is not always golden, and can range from cinnamon to a melanistic color.
They prefer moist dense forests and are often found near rivers. They mostly hunt at night and, like most other cats are loners. Because of the hidden nature of golden cats are difficult to observe in the wild.
9. The bay cat
This wildcat, which belongs to endangered species living on the island of Borneo. Since they are extremely rare, they are known very little. This nocturnal and secretive creatures. From 2003 to 2006, researchers found the camera-traps to detect these cats, but could only get one picture.
10. Caracal
The name "Caracal" came from the Turkish "kara-fist" meaning "black ear". These cats hunt at night, and often attack animals that are many times greater than their own, such as antelopes.
11. The flat-headed cat
These nocturnal cats are found in Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. They feed mainly on fish and other aquatic animals.
12. Jaguarundis
These small cats feel comfortable in the trees, but prefer to hunt on the ground in Central and South America.
13. kodkod or kodkod
Kodkod is the smallest cat in America and mainly lives in central and southern Chile. A small animal weighing 2 - 2.5 kg and is considered vulnerable. They are excellent climbers, feeding on rodents, birds and lizards.
14. Rusty cat
This cat can be found only in India and Sri Lanka, and it is quite small. Its weight is 900 grams to 1.5 kilograms. Most cats spend the day in the trees, but they prey on the ground.
15. Pampasskaya cat
These cats are named after the South American pampas. They live in different areas: meadows, bushes and dry forests at an altitude of about 5000 meters. Little is known about their hunting habits, but they were seen feeding on rodents, birds and sometimes even the home game.
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