Bay cat: status, range, size and diet
A chestnut-red cat found only on Borneo and seldom seen in the wild, listed as Endangered.
Also known as Catopuma badia, Bornean bay cat, Borneo bay cat, Bornean marbled cat
At a glance
| Scientific name | Catopuma badia |
|---|---|
| Group | Small wild cats |
| Weight | About 3-4 kg (few adults have been weighed) |
| Length | Head and body about 50-67 cm, tail 30-40 cm |
| Known for | A rich red coat and a range limited to a single island, with almost nothing known of its habits. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Endangered |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2016 |
| Population estimate | Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals |
| Estimate from | 2016 |
Where it lives
| Range | Borneo only, with records from Sarawak, Sabah and Kalimantan |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Lowland and hill tropical forest, swamp forest and river margins, mostly below 500 m |
| Diet | Not studied; prey is unknown |
Main threats
- Forest loss to logging and oil palm
- Snaring
- Capture for skins and the pet trade
- Dams
- Very small range
About
The bay cat is a bright chestnut or reddish-brown cat, paler on the underside, with faint dark facial stripes and a pale streak on the underside of the tail. Grey and black forms have also been recorded. It is about the size of a large house cat. It was first described in 1874 from a poorly preserved specimen collected in Sarawak, and it remained one of the least-known cats for well over a century.
Genetic studies show that its closest relatives are the Asian golden cat and the marbled cat, and the three form a small group. Because few animals have been measured, even basic facts such as adult weight are estimates. It appears to be solitary and mostly active by day, with some activity at night.
Where it lives and what it eats
The bay cat lives only on Borneo. Camera traps have recorded it across Sarawak, Sabah and Kalimantan, although not in Brunei or South Kalimantan, and it may once have occurred across the forests of the island. It uses lowland dipterocarp forest, swamp forest, hill forest, forest near limestone outcrops and river margins, and appears to avoid plantations.
Its diet has never been studied. No prey surveys have been completed, and no one has watched a wild cat feed.
Threats and conservation
The Red List has classed the bay cat as Endangered since 2002. The assessment on file is from 2016 and estimates fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, with a continuing decline. Forests on Borneo have been cut for timber and replaced by oil palm and other plantations, and more dams are planned, including a number in Sarawak. Wild cats are caught in snares set for other animals and are collected for the skin and pet trade, which the species' rarity makes more valuable.
The species is listed in CITES Appendix II. Hunting and trade are prohibited in Kalimantan, Sabah and Sarawak. No bay cat is known to be kept in captivity.
Cats and people
Few people have seen a wild bay cat. Camera-trap surveys provide most of what is known. Because the cat lives on only one island and in forest that is still being cleared, protecting large forest blocks matters more for its survival than any action aimed at the cat alone.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026