How to Identify Feline Species by Fur

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1Recognizing Large Wild Felines

2Identifying Smaller Wild Felines

3Using Guides for Wild and Domestic Cats

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While you may be confident that you can recognize a tiger by its stripes or a (male) lion by its mane, it may be more of a challenge to differentiate the spots on leopards and jaguars. Depending on which experts you ask, there are 36-41 wild feline species in the world, as well as the single species of domestic cats (Felis catus). Close examination of the coloration, spots (or “rosettes”), and fur length can help you identify many common species, especially with the help of detailed species guides.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Recognizing Large Wild Felines

1. 
   1
   Check for the tiger’s distinctive black stripes. Tigers (Panthera tigris) are perhaps the most easily recognized wild cats. Except for rare genetic anomalies, all tigers have widely-spaced black stripes which surround the face and generally run perpendicular to the spine. Most have areas of white and orange fur between the stripes, though so-called white tigers (which are the same species) lack the orange coloring.

   • Tiger coat lengths vary based on the climate in which they reside. Siberian tigers, for instance, have shaggier coats than Bengal tigers, but again they are all the same species.
   • Tigers can also vary widely in size, but are considered on average to be the largest of the “big four” wild felines (tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars).
2. 
   2
   Look for a shaggy mane to distinguish male from female lions. All lions (Panthera leo) have a fairly monotone coloring, somewhere between a pale yellow and light tan, with perhaps some areas of light brown. The main distinguishing feature is the slightly darker and very shaggy mane that only male lions possess. The mane encircles the male lion’s entire face.

   • Male lions are also larger than females, and lions in general are considered the second biggest feline species, just barely behind tigers.
   • Today, lions exist in the wild only in sub-Saharan Africa and (in critically low numbers) in northwest India.
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3. 
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   Pick out the oval-shaped rosettes on the coat of a leopard. On a leopard's (Panthera pardus) fur, small spots form oval patterns that are called rosettes. They are called rosettes because these clusters of spots look like little flowers. A rosette is usually filled by darker, orange or brown fur. Rosettes occur on the sides of a leopard's body, along its neck, chest, belly and back. Its head and legs are patterned in large, simple spots.

   • The leopard’s coat usually goes from a tawny shade on its back to a lighter hue underneath.
   • This species is usually called a leopard in Africa and a panther in Asia.
   • Black leopards (or black panthers) are the same species—they just have the dark color of the rosettes over their entire coats.
4. 
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   Look for larger, more squared rosettes to contrast jaguars from leopards. While they look quite similar at first glance, a jaguar's (Panthera onca) rosettes are larger than a leopard's. Jaguar rosettes are also more squared than rounded—shaped roughly like squares, pentagons or triangles. Some rosettes on a jaguar's fur have a tiny spot at their center.

   • In contrast, leopard rosettes are circular or oval. Leopard rosettes also rarely have spots within the circular patterns.
   • Jaguars are larger than leopards (they are third and fourth, respectively, in average size overall, behind tigers and lions), and are the only one of the “big four” that live in the Americas.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Identifying Smaller Wild Felines

1. 
   1
   Examine the simple spots and facial stripes on the lanky cheetah’s fur. The cheetah's (Acinonyx jubatus) spots are simple black blots scattered over yellowish fur. There are no elaborate patterns, as is often the case with other spotted cats. You can also identify a cheetah by the tear-like stripes that run from its eyes down to its jaw. This stripe reduces the daytime glare, and lets the cheetah see better.

   • Cheetahs are much smaller and leaner than the “big four” wild cats (lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards). Their lean body frames, extraordinary speed, and inability to climb helps put them in their own feline category (Acinonyx).
2. 
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   Take note of the ocelot’s stripe-like rosettes. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a smaller wild cat found across Central and South America. Its fur has distinctive rosettes that are so stretched that they look like stripes running along its body. These large stripe-shaped rosettes run from its neck to its belly, giving it a unique appearance among smaller wild felines.

   • Its coat is mostly a tawny color, but more white on its underside.
   • From a quick glance, you might initially mistake a picture of an ocelot (or other smaller wild cats like a margay or a serval) for a domesticated cat. These smaller wild cats are typically larger than domesticated felines, but have similar overall builds.
3. 
   3
   Examine the fur closely to differentiate margays from ocelots. The margay (Leopardus wiedii) lives in small numbers in the rainforests of Central and South America. Its coat contains a combination of large brown spots and long, stripe-like rosettes. It has thick, black stripes running along its back, long rosettes on its shoulders and front legs, and round rosettes on its belly.

   • Margays tend to be darker in color, but it can be a challenge for untrained eyes to differentiate them from ocelots by fur alone. Overall context clues can help, however—margays are smaller, have longer tails and legs, and are much better climbers.
4. 
   4
   Look for widespread spots on the big-eared serval. The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a long-legged feline with a short tail. They are easy to identify because of their spotted coats and short tails. A serval has a tawny shaded coat, large spots on much of its body, and a few stripes on its shoulders.

   • The serval’s most distinctive feature is its large, close-set, oval-shaped ears. They look oversized for its slender, medium build and comparatively small head.
   • Servals are native to Africa.
5. 
   5
   Check for the cloud-like spots on the mysterious clouded leopard. The species Neofelis nebulosa is called the clouded leopard because its spots make large, cloud-like patterns. Clouded leopards also have very large, muscular tails. The head of a clouded leopard is longer than that of most felines.

   • Very little is known about clouded leopards, as they are a seldom-seen species found in the jungles of Southeast Asia. They are situated somewhere between the bigger and smaller wild cats in size, and have noticeably large teeth.
6. 
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   Note subtle differences among the wild cat species with tufted ears. The lynx (Lynx lynx), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and caracal (Caracal caracal) are the 3 wild feline species with pronounced tufts of fur on their ears. They all have short tails. Characteristics that distinguish these cats include:

   • Caracal: This cat has long tufted ears and no markings on the fur.
   • Bobcat: This cat has short tufted ears, short facial ruffs, and a short tail. The markings on a bobcat tend to be spotted and streaked, and the markings are discrete. Bobcats have shorter legs than lynx.
   • Lynx: This cat has tufted ears, a facial ruff, and mottled fur with a pale base. It has a short tail with a black tip. It has longer legs than the bobcat and large feet (for walking on snow).
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Guides for Wild and Domestic Cats

1. 
   1
   Rely on high-quality printed or online guides to differentiate wild feline species. If you want to be able to identify all 36-41 (depending on which expert you ask) species of wild felines by their fur, your best bet is to get your hands on a pictorial guide. Look for a guide created by a reputable source, and one that has good quality photos and text descriptions of each species. Try one of the following, for example:

   • http://www.bigcats.com/learn-to-identify-the-big-cats
   • https://wildcatsmagazine.nl/known-species-wild-cats/
2. 
   2
   Use domestic cat breed guides to identify domestic cats by fur. All domestic cats (Felis catus) belong to the same species, but centuries of selective breeding has led to a wide array of distinctive characteristics. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in the U.S., for instance, currently recognizes 42 specific breeds of domestic cats for show purposes.

   • Some other guides may list 60 or more particular breeds. Keep in mind, however, that breed determination is subjective—according to the criteria of various groups—since all domestic cats are in the same species.
   • If you’re interested in establishing your cat’s breed for show purposes, you’ll need more than visual evidence. Contact the relevant organization for the ancestry and other information they require.
3. 
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   Keep in mind that there are always genetic exceptions to the rules. Genetic variations can lead to cats that look very different from others of their species. The king cheetah, for instance, is a rare variation of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) that has black stripes along its back and long, connected spots.

   • As another example, the black panther (or black jaguar) is a dark variation of either the leopard (in Asia and Africa) or the jaguar (in South America) that has too much of the pigment melanin in its fur, giving it an almost black appearance.
   • To identify a cat species with greater certainty, therefore, you must rely on additional factors like habitat, dietary habits, and personality traits.
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• Question

  Is there any "big cat" with white fur and black spots?

  

  Community Answer

  One domestic cat is a Maine coon. As for wild cats, there is the snow leopard and certain types of lynx.

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