Geoffroy’s Cat

Leopardus geoffroyi
Salzkatze

Classification: carnivores, cats
Distribution: southern third of South America
Habitat: savannah, dry veldt
Head-and-body length: 42 – 66 cm
Length of tail: 23 – 40 cm
Weight: 1,8 – 7,8 kg
Gestation: 72 – 78 days
Diet: mammals, reptiles, amphibians

The Geoffroy’s Cat has numerous black spots on its body. It is named after French zoologist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772 – 1844). In former times the small cat was extensively hunted for the fur trade. Later the species was protected and in 1992 upgraded to CITES Appendix I status.

Geoffroy’s Cats are predominately nocturnal. They are solitary hunters and prey on small mammals like rodents or hares as well as reptiles and amphibians. They are good tree climbers, where they establish latrines. They like to go into water, an unusual behavior for most cat species.