| Jaguarundi is an interesting feline. It is unlike any other | | | | Jaguarundi has been seen in Texas, New Mexico and |
| cat in its appearance, resembling an otter, with its small | | | | Florida. Various subspecies are recognized - based |
| head, short rounded ear, elongated body and tail | | | | upon geographical distribution. |
| supported by small legs. Rightly, it has often been | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Armeghinoi - Chile and Argentina |
| called 'Otter cat'. It may weigh from six to twenty | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Cacomitli - Mexico and Texas |
| pounds and is around forty inches long - excluding a | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Eyra - Argentina, Brazil and |
| twenty inch tail. | | | | Paraguay |
| Unlike most other felines, the Jaguarundi, Puma | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Fossata - Honduras and Mexico |
| Yaguarondi, has a completely uniformly colored coat. | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Melantho - Brazil and Peru |
| Cubs are spotted at birth like those of lions, but with | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Panamensis - Ecuador and |
| time the spots disappear to give a coloration ranging | | | | Nicaragua |
| from grayish brown to red. Previously the color | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Tolteca - Arizona and Mexico |
| variations were attributed to unique species of this cat | | | | Puma Yaguarondi Yaguarondi - Guyana and the |
| - but now it is understood that they are a normal trait | | | | Amazon |
| of the Jaguarundi - with different colored cubs found in | | | | Predominantly a solitary predator, Jaguarundi may be |
| the same litter. Genetically the Jaguarundi resembles | | | | seen to travel in pairs or come together in bringing up |
| the Jaguar and the Cougar, with a similar chromosomal | | | | of the young. The average litter size is one to four, |
| number. | | | | born after a pregnancy lasting for nearly two and a |
| Though highly adaptable, the natural habitat of this wild | | | | half months. The young are introduced to regular food |
| cat is dense forest and shrub area. It is an adept fish | | | | at six weeks and gain maturity at around two years. In |
| hunter and is usually found near water courses. Birds | | | | captivity Jaguarundi has been known to live for up to |
| are frequently preyed upon, as are rodents, small | | | | fifteen years. In the wild the Jaguarundi is seldom |
| reptiles, frog and domestic poultry - something that | | | | sought for its fur - something that's fortunately not in |
| often brings conflict with farmers. It's a good tree | | | | high demand amongst traders. The primary danger to |
| climber and a diurnal hunter. The predatory profile | | | | this unique wild cat is through deforestation and habitat |
| varies according to habitat as does its color - with | | | | destruction - largely due to human intervention in |
| paler variations found more in dry open areas and | | | | nature! |
| darker color seen in cats living in thickly forested parts. | | | | The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on |
| Predominantly found in Mexico and South America, | | | | jaguarundi. |