Top 10 Countries with the Most Wild Cat Species

1. India

At the top of the list is India, a big country located in South Asia, right below countries like Nepal and above the Indian Ocean. It is known for its diverse landscapes ranging from the Himalayan mountains to dense forests and grasslands. This rich variety of habitats supports a wide array of wild cat species.

You can find 15 kinds of wild cats in India, more than in any other country on this list. They live all over the country —some in the snowy Himalayan mountains in the north, others roam the thick jungles in the middle, and a few even hang out in the dry deserts of the west.

2. China

China is one of the largest countries on the planet. It is located n East Asia, north of India and east of Russia, and home to 13 different wild cats. These cats live in many different regions, like the cold, snowy mountains in the west, the thick forests in the south, and even the grassy plains up north where it gets really chilly.

China’s vast territory encompasses diverse habitats, from mountains and forests to deserts, supporting various wild cat species:

Here is a list of wild cats that inhabit China:

• Siberian Tiger
• South China Tiger
• Indochinese Tiger
• Leopard
• Snow Leopard
• Clouded Leopard
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Chinese Mountain Cat
• Leopard Cat
• Marbled Cat
• Pallas’s Cat
• Eurasian Lynx
• Asiatic Wildcat

Learn more about wild cats in China.

3. Russia

Russia, spanning Europe and Asia, is home to several wild cat species, including the Siberian tiger (Amur tiger), Amur leopard, snow leopard, and Eurasian lynx, along with smaller cats like the Pallas’s cat and Asiatic wildcat.

These 9 wild cat species can be found in Russia’s boreal forests, steppes, and mountain ranges, particularly in the Far East and Central Asia.

You can find these wild cats in Russia:

• Siberian Tiger
• Amur Leopard
• Snow Leopard
• Eurasian Lynx
• Pallas’s Cat
• Leopard Cat
• Asiatic Wildcat
• Jungle Cat
• Caracal

Read more about wild cats in Russia.

4. Thailand

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Its geography is diverse, featuring dense tropical rainforests in the south, rugged mountains in the north, and a central plain watered by the Chao Phraya River.

There are 9 wild cat species that inhabit Thailand. They can be found in the humid jungles of the southern peninsula, the mountainous northern regions with thick forest cover, and the protected national parks scattered across the country, where dense vegetation and prey abound.

Wild cats you can find in Thailand:

• Indochinese Tiger
• Leopard
• Clouded Leopard
• Fishing Cat
• Leopard Cat
• Jungle Cat
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Marbled Cat
• Flat-headed Cat

Find out more about wild cats in Thailand.

5. Brazil

Brazil is the largest country in South America and home to the Amazon Rainforest and Pantanal — two of the richest ecosystems on Earth.

You can find 8 wild cat species in Brazil. They inhabit the rainforest in the north, the grassy plains in the south, and the Pantanal wetlands.

The cats that inhabit Brazil:

• Jaguar
• Puma (Cougar)
• Ocelot
• Margay
• Jaguarundi
• Oncilla (Northern Tiger Cat)
• Southern Tiger Cat
• Pampas Cat

Read more about wild cats in Brazil.

6. Indonesia

Indonesia is a large island nation in Southeast Asia made up of thousands of islands. It has lush rainforests, mountains, and wetlands that provide homes for many rare and unique animals — including wild cats found nowhere else on Earth.

There are 8 wild cat species you can find in Indonesia. They inhabit the steamy lowland jungles of Sumatra, the rugged forested hills of Borneo, the remote interior of Sulawesi, and the swampy, mangrove-lined regions of smaller islands, thriving in the country’s rich, tropical ecosystems and protected reserves.

Wild cats you can find in Indonesia:

• Sumatran Tiger
• Sunda Clouded Leopard
• Bay Cat
• Marbled Cat
• Flat-headed Cat
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Leopard Cat (Sunda Leopard Cat)
• Javan Leopard

7. Malaysia

Malaysia sits in Southeast Asia, split between Peninsular Malaysia, which shares a border with Thailand to the north and faces the South China Sea, and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo, bordered by Indonesia and Brunei.

The country has steamy rainforests, coastal mangroves, and mountain ranges cloaked in mist. There are 8 wild cat species that roam the lowland rainforests of Borneo, the hilly interiors of the peninsula, and the swampy, forested areas near rivers, thriving in the humid, biodiverse ecosystems preserved in national parks and reserves.

You can find these cats in Malaysia:

• Malayan Tiger
• Leopard
• Sunda Clouded Leopard
• Bay Cat
• Marbled Cat
• Flat-headed Cat
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Leopard Cat (Sunda Leopard Cat)

8. Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar, also in Southeast Asia, is bordered by India and Bangladesh to the west, China to the north, Laos and Thailand to the east, and the Andaman Sea to the south. Its landscape ranges from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the flat Irrawaddy River delta in the south, with tropical forests and coastal plains in between.

There are 8 wild cat species that inhabit the remote, forested mountains of the north, the dense jungles along the Thai border, and the swampy, secluded wetlands of the delta, where thick cover and abundant wildlife support their presence.

Wild cats you can find in Myanmar:

• Indochinese Tiger
• Leopard
• Clouded Leopard
• Asiatic Golden Cat
• Marbled Cat
• Leopard Cat
• Fishing Cat
• Jungle Cat

9. Nepal

Nepal lies in South Asia, landlocked between India to the south, east, and west, and China’s Tibetan region to the north. Its geography spans the towering Himalayas in the north, rolling hills in the midlands, and the flat, fertile Terai plains along the southern border.

There are 8 wild cat species that can be found in Nepal, in areas like the high-altitude forests and rocky slopes of the Himalayas, the dense subtropical jungles of the Terai, and the grassy foothills, where rugged terrain and thick vegetation provide ideal hunting grounds.

The Big and small wild cats of Nepal:

• Bengal Tiger
• Indian Leopard
• Snow Leopard
• Clouded Leopard
• Leopard Cat
• Jungle Cat
• Fishing Cat
• Asiatic Golden Cat

10. Pakistan

Pakistan is located in South Asia, bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan and Iran to the west, China to the north, and the Arabian Sea to the south. Its terrain includes the towering peaks of the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges, arid deserts in the southwest, and fertile plains along the Indus River.

Eight wild cat species roam the rocky, scrub-covered mountains of the north and west, the dry forests and grasslands of the Balochistan region, and the riverine thickets of the Punjab plains, adapting to both harsh and lush environments.

Wild cats that inhabit Pakistan:

• Persian Leopard
• Snow Leopard
• Caracal
• Jungle Cat
• Fishing Cat
• Leopard Cat
• Pallas’s Cat
• Asiatic Wildcat