Wild Cats

This category of articles is dedicated to exploring the world of wild cats.

Bobcat Up A Saguaro.

How Do Bobcats Climb Cactus?

Caitlin Dempsey

Bobcats are adept climbers of Saguaro cacti.

Drawing of a margay cat. From: Pets for Pleasure and Profit, Alpheus Hyatt Verrill, 1915

Which Cats Can Descend Trees Head First?

Caitlin Dempsey

Only three species of wild cats have the unique ability to rotate their hind ankles 180 degrees. This adaptation helps cats walk down trees head first.

A sand cat stand on a weathered log with tall grass in the background.

The Little Wild Cat With a Huge Home Range

Caitlin Dempsey

The sand cat is the only cat species adapted exclusively for desert living.

A mountain lion stands on a light colored log next to the blue waters of a lake.

Swimming Cougars

Caitlin Dempsey

Cougars, otherwise known as mountain lions, have been known to swim across rivers and swim to islands in the ocean.

An adult tiger stand next to a tiger cub that is sitting on the ground.

New Study Estimates There May 40% More Tigers Than Previously Thought

Caitlin Dempsey

Conservation efforts and better tiger monitoring efforts have led to an increase in the estimated global populations of this wild cat.

A mountain lion walking on rocks.

Which Wild Cats Meow?

Caitlin Dempsey

Wild cats can either roar or meow and purr.

A small wild cat with rusty colored dots on its back and tabby forehead markings.

The Smallest Wild Cat in Asia

Caitlin Dempsey

The rusty-spotted cat is one of the smallest wild cats in the world.

A Sumatran tiger looking straight ahead while standing in the shade within a zoo enclosure.

Facts About Tigers

Caitlin Dempsey

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest living wild cat in the world

Drawing recreating what the American Lion looked like. NPS illustration by Benji Paysnoe.

The American Lion

Caitlin Dempsey

The American Lion was the largest cat to roam North America during the Pleistocene.

A cheetah sitting against a dark blue sky.

Cheetah Claws Don’t Fully Retract

Caitlin Dempsey

Besides the cheetah, only three other cats are known to have semi-retractable claws.