Jaguarundi

wild cats · South America · small predators

Looks like a weasel. The jaguarundi has an unusually long, slim body with short legs and a small head that make it look more like a weasel than a typical cat. Even its rounded ears are tiny compared to other wild cats.

Two color choices. Jaguarundis come in two different colors: solid gray or solid reddish-brown. Unlike many wild cats, they don't have spots or stripes.

Twice as big as yours. A jaguarundi weighs between 7.7 and 15.4 pounds and stands about 14 inches tall at the shoulder, making it roughly twice the size of an average house cat.

Once in Texas. Jaguarundis used to live in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas until the early 1990s, but they are no longer found in the United States.

Wide range. These cats live across Central America and much of South America, from Mexico all the way down to central Argentina, mostly in areas east of the Andes Mountains.