Geoffroy's cat: status, range, size and diet
A house-cat-sized spotted cat of southern South America, hunted heavily for fur until the 1980s and now listed as Least Concern.
Also known as Leopardus geoffroyi, Geoffroy's wildcat, Pampas wildcat
At a glance
| Scientific name | Leopardus geoffroyi |
|---|---|
| Group | Small wild cats |
| Weight | 3-6 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 43-88 cm, tail 23-40 cm |
| Known for | Standing upright on its hind legs, with its short tail as a prop, to scan over tall grass. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2025 |
Where it lives
| Range | Southern Bolivia, Paraguay, southern and southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and southern Chile |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Scrub, grassland, open woodland and wetland, from sea level to about 3,750 m |
| Diet | Rodents, hares, birds, frogs, reptiles and fish |
Main threats
- Retaliatory killing over poultry
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- Road deaths
- Disease from domestic animals
About
Geoffroy's cat is a stocky, small-headed cat about the size of a domestic cat, with a spotted coat that ranges from grey in the south to yellowish in the north. The tail is short for a spotted cat. Black individuals are common, especially in forest and wetland. Males are larger than females, and southern animals tend to be larger than northern ones.
It is mostly solitary and active at dusk and at night, spending most of its time on the ground. It is known to rise on its hind legs and balance on its tail to look over vegetation. Females reach maturity at about a year and a half and have litters of one to three kittens.
Where it lives and what it eats
The species has one of the larger ranges among South American small cats. It runs from southern Bolivia and Paraguay through Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina to the Strait of Magellan, with a thin presence in southern Chile. It uses many habitats, such as dry scrub, pampas, savanna, marsh edge and open woodland, and has been recorded high in the Andes.
It is a generalist. Small rodents and hares are the staple, with birds, frogs, reptiles, water snakes and fish taken when available. Diet shifts widely from region to region.
Threats and conservation
In the 1960s and 1970s Geoffroy's cat was one of the most heavily traded wild cats for its fur, with large numbers exported until about 1988. Hunting and trade were banned in the six range countries in the late 1980s, and commercial trade has largely ceased. The species is also in CITES Appendix I.
Today the main problems are habitat loss as grassland and scrub turn into crops, killing in response to lost poultry, road deaths and diseases from domestic carnivores. Local studies suggest declines in some areas even though the global category is Least Concern. The species is rare in Chile.
Cats and people
Geoffroy's cat is a wild animal and not suited to life in a home. It overlaps with farms, so conflict over chickens is a steady issue. Where its range meets that of the southern tiger cat in southern Brazil, the two species sometimes interbreed.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026