By Kimberly Foate
Geographic Range
Because the little spotted cat, Leopardus tigrinus, is so rare in most areas, it has a seemingly patchy distribution and its range is not well known. They have been reported as far north as Costa Rica and Panama south to southeastern Brazil and northern Argentina (Emmons, 1990).
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Habitat
(131.2 to 9840 ft)
Little spotted cats are found in subtropical forests and prefer humid evergreen and montane cloud forests 40 to 3,000m above sea level (Mondolfi, 1986; Redford, 1992). Little spotted cats have also been reported in semi-arid thorn scrub in northeastern Brazil, dry deciduous forests in Venezuela, abandoned eucalyptus plantations, and areas affected by deforestation (IUCN, 1996).
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical .
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains .
Other:
agricultural .
Physical Description
(3.3 to 6.6 lbs; avg. 4.95 lbs)
(17.8 to 25.51 in)
Leopardus tigrinus is similar in appearance to both Leopardus pardalis (ocelot) and Leopardus wiedii (margay). These cats are hard to distinguish from one another in the field. However, little spotted cats, being the smallest Neotropical felid, are slightly smaller and have a more slender shape (similar to a slim house cat). In comparison to the other spotted cats, its tail is relatively shorter and its eyes and ears are relatively larger (IUCN, 1996; Mondolfi et al., 1986). Its coat is a tawny color, being darker along the back and lightening toward the white underside, and has rosette shaped spots (IUCN, 1996). Kittens also have spots (Emmons, 1990). Melanism (black coloration) is frequent among these cats (Mondolfi et al., 1986). Measurements vary: head-body length: 452-648mm; tail: 255-330mm; weight: 1.5-3kg; males are slightly larger than females (Emmons, 1990). (IUCN (World Conservation Union) and cat specialist group, 1996; Mondolfi, 1986)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: male larger.
Reproduction
The breeding season in the wild is not known.
The mating system of this felid is unknown.
Information on reproduction in little spotted cats comes from mating pairs in captivity (Mondolfi, 1986). Females undergo estrous for several days with a gestation period of 74-78 days. Young are altricial. A litter consists of 1-2 kittens and kittens open their eyes at about two weeks of age (Grzimek, 1990; Mondolfi, 1986). Young become sexually mature after two years of age (Grzimek 1990).
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (internal ); viviparous .
As in all mammals, the female nurses her young. The young are altricial, and do not open their eyes until about two weeks of age. There are no reports of male parental care in this species (Grzimek, 1990; Mondolfi, 1986).
Parental investment:
altricial ; female parental care .
Lifespan/Longevity
Little spotted cats can live up to 20 years in captivity and are thought to live about 12-15 years in the wild (IUCN, 1996).
Behavior
L. tigrinus is not commonly seen and little is know about their behavior and ecology in the wild. They are thought to be nocturnal and solitary. Little spotted cats are generally terrestrial, but are also considered to have good climbing skills (Mondolfi, 1986).
Food Habits
Little spotted cats feed primarily on small mammals such as rodents as well as small birds (Gardner, 1971). They have even been reported to prey on small primates in Brazil (IUCN, 1996). (Gardner, 1971; IUCN (World Conservation Union) and cat specialist group, 1996)
Primary Diet:
carnivore (eats terrestrial vertebrates).
Animal Foods:
birds; mammals.
Predation
Information is not available regarding predation on this species.
Ecosystem Roles
As predators on small mammals and birds, it is likely that these cats help to limit population size in prey species.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
No negative effects on humans have been reported.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
During the 1970’s and 1980’s, little spotted cats were hunted and trapped for the fur trade by the tens of thousands. In 1983 alone, over 80,000 pelts were confiscated (IUCN, 1996; Koford, 1973). They currently may affect populations of crop pests through their predatory activity.
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
body parts are source of valuable material; controls pest population.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Near Threatened.
US Federal List: [link]:
Endangered.
CITES: [link]:
Appendix I.
Little spotted cats are protected against hunting in parts of their range. Hunting this cat is illegal in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Paraguay, Suriname and Venezuela. However, it is not protected in Ecuador, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama or Peru. In 1989, CITES (Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species) upgraded its status to Appendix I. The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) lists it as Lower Risk (near threatened). The U.S. Endangered Species Act lists L. tigrinus as endangered (Koford 1973). Although these cats are protected from hunting in many countries, the habitat of the species is commonly used for coffee plantations. Sightings of the cat in deforested areas and abandoned eucalyptus plantations suggest an ability to adjust to human disturbances (IUCN 1996).
Other Comments
Leopardus tigrinus was once classified as a member of the genus Felis. It was a member of the subgenus Leopardus.
Contributors
Kimberly Foate (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Chris Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
