A medium-sized wild cat of Asian forests, named for the large cloud-like blotches on its grey or ochre coat. One of the best climbers among cats, it can climb down tree trunks head first, using its long tail for balance.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Can be
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
It rests in trees by day and hunts on the forest floor at night.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAsia
HabitatRainforest, Forest, Mountains
ColoursGrey, Brown, Black
SizeMedium
Length68.6–108 cm, plus a 61–91 cm tail
Weight11.5–23 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for11–17 years
In the wild
- Where it lives
- From the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, Bhutan and India through mainland Southeast Asia to southern China.
- What it eats
- Tree-dwelling and ground animals such as macaques, hog deer, porcupines, pangolins and squirrels.
- Conservation
- Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
The longest canine teeth for its skull size of any living cat.
Called a "modern-day sabre-tooth", it has upper canines 4 cm or longer.
It rests in trees by day and hunts on the forest floor at night.
Often confused with
On these lists
Sources
Last reviewed
Play
Could you have guessed it?
A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
