Rusty-spotted cat: status, range, size and diet
One of the smallest wild cats in the world, a rusty-flecked forest and scrub cat of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, listed as Near Threatened.
Also known as Prionailurus rubiginosus, rusty cat
At a glance
| Scientific name | Prionailurus rubiginosus |
|---|---|
| Group | Small wild cats |
| Weight | 0.9-1.6 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 35-48 cm, tail 15-30 cm |
| Known for | Rivalling the black-footed cat for the title of the world's smallest wild cat. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Near Threatened |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2016 |
Where it lives
| Range | India, Nepal and Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Moist and dry deciduous forest, scrub and grassland, often rocky, with dense vegetation |
| Diet | Rodents and birds, with lizards, frogs and insects |
Main threats
- Habitat loss to farming and development
- Persecution over poultry
- Hunting
- Declining prey
About
The rusty-spotted cat is a delicate, small-headed cat, about half the size of a domestic cat. Its short grey to reddish coat is marked with rusty spots and short streaks along the back and flanks, and dark stripes mark the face. It is the smallest wild cat in Asia, and along with the black-footed cat it is one of the two smallest in the world.
It is mostly nocturnal and very agile. Though it is a capable climber, it probably hunts mainly on the ground. It scent-marks its range by spraying. Three subspecies are described, one in India and Nepal and two in Sri Lanka. Gestation is around two months and litters have one or two kittens.
Where it lives and what it eats
Camera traps and field surveys have shown it lives across much of India, including the northern Terai, and in Nepal's Bardia and Shuklaphanta national parks. In Sri Lanka it occurs in dry-zone and wet-zone forest and up to the Horton Plains. It prefers dry deciduous forest, scrub, grassland and rocky terrain with thick cover and seems largely absent from evergreen forest.
Rodents and birds are its main prey. It also eats lizards, frogs and insects, and now and then poultry.
Threats and conservation
The species is listed as Near Threatened. Population density and trends are poorly known. Habitat is lost to farms, irrigation schemes, roads, mining, urban growth and solar plants, and the cat is killed for raiding poultry or taken for food or fur. Its prey is affected by hunting and habitat change, and larger predators such as jackals and other cats threaten it. Possible interbreeding with domestic cats is another concern. In Sri Lanka it is rated Endangered at the national level.
India's population is in CITES Appendix I and the Sri Lankan and Nepalese populations are in Appendix II. Hunting and trade are banned in all three countries, though domestic trade in Sri Lanka is not well controlled.
Cats and people
The cat is a rare sight and is seldom photographed. The species does poorly in captivity, and only a few zoos outside its range hold it.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026