Asian Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis

The Asian Leopard Cat is a little taller and slimmer than a typical domestic cat. It is native to South, Southeast and East Asia.

There were several subspecies over its range, but these have recently (since 2017) been reduced to two subspecies, the Indian, P.b. bengalensis, from South, Southeast and some of East Asia - shown immediately above - and the Amur, P. b. euptilura, of northeast Russia, Japan and Korea (shown below), and a separate species, the Sunda Leopard Cat, P. javanensis, of Indonesian and Philippine islands.

Shown immediately above is the Amur subspecies, P. b. euptilura. Even within one subspecies they vary somewhat in appearance: some have more golden fur and some have more silver-grey fur, both with black or dark brown spotted markings which can be spots, spotted lines or rosettes depending on region. They are solitary and mainly nocturnal. Like most small cats, prey includes birds, small mammals and reptiles. The cats are threatened by habitat loss and by hunting for their fur, meat or as pets and are killed as pests to domestic fowl.

More of the Indian subspecies immediately above. Both subspecies swim well and can catch fish. Their nearest relatives are the Sunda Fishing Cat and the Rusty-spotted Cat.