Small wild cats live in an extraordinary variety of habitats around the world. They can be found in tropical rainforests, deserts, grasslands, wetlands, mountains and cold northern forests.
Some small wild cats live in only a limited type of environment, while others can survive in several different habitats. Wherever they live, they need the same basic resources: food, water, shelter and safe places to raise their young.
Small wild cats include familiar species such as bobcats and lynx as well as lesser-known cats such as fishing cats, sand cats, Pallas’s cats, margays and black-footed cats.
Their habitats can be very different, but each provides the resources these predators need to survive.
Where Do Small Wild Cats Live?
Small wild cats are found across much of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
They occupy environments ranging from the hot deserts of North Africa and Asia to the snowy forests of Canada and northern Europe. Some live in dense tropical forests, while others prefer open grasslands or rocky mountain regions.
Several species are closely connected with wetlands and rivers. Others live in some of the driest landscapes on Earth.
Some small wild cats have large geographic ranges, while others are found only in a small part of the world.
Types of Small Wild Cat Habitats
| Habitat | Examples of Small Wild Cats |
|---|---|
| Forests | Clouded leopards, margays, ocelots, marbled cats, European wildcats |
| Grasslands and Savannas | Servals, caracals, black-footed cats |
| Deserts and Drylands | Sand cats, caracals, African wildcats, black-footed cats |
| Mountains and Rocky Areas | Pallas’s cats, Andean mountain cats, Eurasian lynx |
| Wetlands and Swamps | Fishing cats, flat-headed cats |
| Scrublands and Shrublands | Bobcats, Iberian lynx, caracals |
| Cold Northern Forests | Canada lynx, Eurasian lynx |
These categories often overlap. A small wild cat may use several habitat types within its range, particularly where forests, grasslands, wetlands or shrublands meet.
Small Wild Cats in Forest Habitats
Forests support a remarkable variety of small wild cats.
Dense vegetation provides places to hide, hunt and rest. Forests may also contain large populations of rodents, birds, reptiles and other animals that small cats hunt.
Tropical Forests
Tropical forests are home to some of the world’s least-known wild cats.
In Central and South America, ocelots and margays live in forested habitats. Both species are strongly associated with areas that provide dense vegetation and cover.
Margays spend a great deal of time in trees and are especially associated with forest environments.
In Asia, clouded leopards and marbled cats live in forested landscapes. Dense forests provide these secretive cats with cover and access to prey.
Several other small Asian wild cats also depend on tropical and subtropical forests.
Temperate Forests
Temperate forests experience greater seasonal changes than tropical forests.
European wildcats live in forested landscapes across parts of Europe. Bobcats use forests throughout much of North America, although they also occupy many other types of habitat.
Eurasian lynx can also live in temperate forests where deer and other prey are available.
Boreal Forests
Boreal forests, also called taiga, stretch across the northern parts of North America, Europe and Asia.
These forests experience long, cold winters and may remain covered in snow for months.
The Canada lynx is strongly associated with boreal forests in Canada and Alaska. It is closely connected with populations of snowshoe hares, one of its most important prey animals.
Eurasian lynx also occupy cold northern forests across parts of Europe and Asia.
Small Wild Cats of the Grasslands and Savannas
Grasslands and savannas provide habitat for several small and medium-sized wild cats.
These environments may appear open, but tall grasses, bushes and scattered trees can provide cats with cover while they search for prey.
Servals
Servals are strongly associated with African grasslands, particularly areas with tall grasses and access to water.
They hunt rodents, birds, frogs and other small animals in and around grassland habitats.
Caracals
Caracals occupy a wide range of environments across Africa and parts of Asia.
They can live in grasslands, savannas, shrublands, woodlands and dry regions.
This ability to use several different environments gives the caracal a much broader habitat range than some more specialized small cats.
Black-Footed Cats
Black-footed cats live in dry grasslands and other open habitats in southern Africa.
They are among the smallest wild cats in the world and spend much of their time searching for small prey across open landscapes.
Small Wild Cats in Deserts and Drylands
Deserts can be difficult places for any predator to survive.
Rainfall is limited, temperatures may change dramatically between day and night, and prey can be scattered across large areas.
Several small wild cats live successfully in these environments.
Sand Cats
Sand cats are true desert cats.
They live in arid regions of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Central and Southwest Asia.
Their habitats include sandy and rocky deserts where vegetation and water can be scarce.
Sand cats hunt small mammals, reptiles, birds and other desert animals.
African Wildcats
African wildcats occupy many dry and semi-dry environments across Africa.
They can live in savannas, grasslands, shrublands and semi-desert areas where enough prey and shelter are available.
Caracals
Caracals are also able to survive in dry environments.
They occur in semi-deserts and other arid landscapes, although they generally avoid the most extreme areas of open desert.
Small Wild Cats in Mountain Habitats
Several small wild cats live in mountainous regions where steep slopes, rocky terrain and cold temperatures create difficult living conditions.
Pallas’s Cats
Pallas’s cats live across parts of Central Asia.
They are associated with cold, dry environments that include rocky slopes, grasslands and high-elevation steppes.
Rocky areas provide hiding places and shelter, while surrounding grasslands support rodents and other prey.
Andean Mountain Cats
The Andean mountain cat lives in the high Andes of South America.
Its habitat includes rocky slopes and dry, high-elevation landscapes in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru.
It is one of the least-known wild cats in the Americas and occurs at relatively low densities across its range.
Eurasian Lynx
Eurasian lynx also live in mountainous regions in parts of Europe and Asia.
They can occupy forests, rocky landscapes and mountain environments where sufficient prey and cover are available.
Small Wild Cats in Wetlands and Swamps
Some small wild cats have an unusually close relationship with water.
Wetlands can provide large numbers of fish, frogs, birds, rodents and other prey.
Fishing Cats
Fishing cats are strongly associated with wetlands in South and Southeast Asia.
Their habitats include marshes, swamps, riverbanks, wetlands and mangrove areas.
Unlike many cats, fishing cats regularly enter water and hunt animals associated with aquatic environments.
The loss and alteration of wetlands can have a major effect on fishing cat populations because of their close connection with these habitats.
Flat-Headed Cats
Flat-headed cats are another small wild cat associated with water.
They live in parts of Southeast Asia and are found around wetlands, rivers, streams and swamp forests.
Because they depend heavily on wet environments, changes to rivers and wetlands can reduce the amount of suitable habitat available to them.
Small Wild Cats in Scrublands and Shrublands
Shrublands contain bushes, grasses, small trees and areas of open ground.
These environments can provide small cats with both cover and hunting areas.
Iberian Lynx
The Iberian lynx lives in Mediterranean landscapes on the Iberian Peninsula.
Its habitat includes shrublands, grasslands and open woodland where European rabbits are available.
Rabbits are particularly important to the Iberian lynx, so habitat quality is closely connected with the availability of this prey.
Bobcats
Bobcats are highly adaptable and occupy a wide variety of habitats across North America.
They can live in forests, deserts, wetlands, mountains and shrublands.
Areas with dense brush can provide valuable cover for hunting and resting.
Caracals
Caracals also use shrublands throughout parts of Africa and Asia.
Mixed landscapes containing shrubs, grasses and open areas can provide both prey and cover.
Small Wild Cats in Cold Northern Habitats
Cold northern regions present special challenges for wild cats.
Winters can be long, temperatures can fall far below freezing and deep snow can make movement and hunting difficult.
Canada lynx and Eurasian lynx are among the wild cats that live successfully in these environments.
Northern forests provide prey, shelter and large areas where these cats can hunt.
The Canada lynx is especially closely connected to the boreal forest and the snowshoe hare. When snowshoe hare populations change, lynx populations can also be affected.
Small Wild Cats That Live in More Than One Habitat
Some small wild cats are habitat specialists, while others are highly adaptable.
Bobcats can live in forests, mountains, deserts, wetlands and shrublands.
Caracals occupy grasslands, savannas, shrublands, woodlands and dry regions.
Eurasian lynx live in forests, mountains and other landscapes across a huge area of Europe and Asia.
African wildcats also occupy several different environments, particularly grasslands, savannas and dry regions.
Even adaptable species still need suitable prey, shelter and places where they can reproduce without excessive disturbance.
Why Small Wild Cats Need Healthy Habitats
Small wild cats may require less food than lions, tigers and other large predators, but they still depend on healthy ecosystems.
A suitable habitat must support enough prey for the cats to hunt. It must also provide shelter and safe places for females to raise kittens.
For some species, particular features of a habitat are especially important.
Fishing cats depend heavily on wetlands. Canada lynx are closely connected with northern forests and snowshoe hares. Iberian lynx depend heavily on landscapes that support European rabbits.
When these important parts of a habitat disappear, the cats may disappear as well.
Threats to Small Wild Cat Habitats
Habitat loss affects small wild cats throughout the world.
Forests may be cleared for agriculture, logging and development. Wetlands can be drained or altered. Grasslands may be converted to farmland, while roads and cities can divide natural areas into smaller sections.
Small wild cats can sometimes be overlooked because many are secretive and rarely seen by people.
Some species also live in relatively small geographic areas. When a cat has a limited range, the loss of habitat in one region can affect a significant part of its entire population.
Loss of prey is another concern. Even when natural vegetation remains, an area may no longer provide suitable habitat if the animals a wild cat hunts have disappeared.
Habitat Fragmentation
Natural habitat does not always disappear completely. Sometimes it is divided into smaller, isolated areas.
This is called habitat fragmentation.
Roads, farms, cities and other development can separate one area of habitat from another.
Fragmentation can make it harder for wild cats to move through the landscape, find mates and establish new territories.
Cats attempting to travel between habitat areas may also encounter roads, people and domestic animals.
Protecting Small Wild Cat Habitats
Small wild cats are an important part of ecosystems around the world, even though many receive far less attention than lions, tigers and other famous cats.
Protecting them means protecting many different kinds of wild places.
For a fishing cat, that may mean preserving wetlands. For a sand cat, it means maintaining healthy desert ecosystems. For a Canada lynx, it means protecting northern forests and the prey populations within them.
Connected habitats are also important because they allow cats to move between areas to find food, mates and territories.
From tiny black-footed cats hunting across African grasslands to lynx traveling through snowy northern forests, small wild cats have found ways to live in an extraordinary range of environments.
Protecting those habitats is an essential part of protecting the world’s smaller wild cats.
