Southern tiger cat: status, range, size and diet
A small spotted cat of the Atlantic Forest and neighbouring woodland of southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, listed as Vulnerable.
Also known as Leopardus guttulus, southern tigrina, Atlantic Forest tiger cat
At a glance
| Scientific name | Leopardus guttulus |
|---|---|
| Group | Small wild cats |
| Weight | 1.8-3.5 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 38-59 cm, tail 20-42 cm |
| Known for | A recently recognised species that interbreeds with Geoffroy's cat where their ranges meet. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Vulnerable |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2016 |
| Population estimate | Estimated at about 6,000 mature individuals |
| Estimate from | 2016 |
Where it lives
| Range | Central and southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and other woodland and savanna, below about 2,000 m |
| Diet | Rodents, small marsupials, birds and lizards, mostly prey under 100 g |
Main threats
- Loss of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado
- Retaliation over poultry
- Road deaths
- Disease and attacks from dogs
About
The southern tiger cat looks much like its northern relative: a slim, long-tailed cat of about 2 to 3 kg with open dark rosettes on a yellow-ochre coat. For decades it was treated as a subspecies of the oncilla. Genetic studies published in 2013 showed that the southern animals form a separate lineage, and the IUCN Cat Specialist Group now lists it as a full species. It was originally described in 1872.
It is solitary and mostly nocturnal, although it may move by day to avoid ocelots, which kill tiger cats and reduce their numbers where the two overlap. Females usually have a single kitten and reach breeding age at about two years, so populations rebuild slowly.
Where it lives and what it eats
The species occurs from central Brazil south through the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado to eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. It is absent from the Paraguayan Chaco. It uses forest, forest edges, scrub and open savanna, and rarely goes above about 2,000 m.
Small vertebrates make up most of its meals. Studies show that mammals under 100 g, such as mice and small marsupials, form the bulk of the diet, with birds and lizards filling in. It occasionally takes larger prey.
Threats and conservation
Most of the Atlantic Forest has been cleared and a large share of the Cerrado has also been converted to farmland, so the cat lives in many small, isolated patches. Local studies in Santa Catarina in southern Brazil recorded declines of close to half within eight years. Other threats are road traffic, attacks by free-ranging dogs, diseases carried by domestic animals, killing after raids on poultry and illegal trade.
Hunting is prohibited in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and the species is listed in CITES Appendix I. Climate modelling suggests that suitable range could shrink by about half by 2050. Conservation work concentrates on forest corridors and on reducing conflict at farms.
Cats and people
The southern tiger cat sometimes hybridises with Geoffroy's cat in southern Brazil, which raises questions about how distinct the two stay at the edges of their ranges. People rarely see it. Most contact comes through chicken coops, roads and rural markets. As new genetic work reshapes the tiger cat group, this species may also be affected by further taxonomic changes.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026