Wild Cats: The Ocelot

I always think of the ocelot as the closest animal in the zoo to a house cat. Ocelots certainly resemble large house cats, but they are wild carnivores – weighing in at around 30 pounds or more.

Ocelots still live in the wild in the United States. They may be found in southern Texas. Their range spreads into northern Argentina.

Ocelots were once much more plentiful in the US, but they’ve suffered from hunting and habitat loss. These small cats like to have lots of hiding places. Otherwise, they can’t sneak up on their prey. When land is cleared, the little ocelot moves on.

Interesting Fact: Ocelots are such picky eaters, they pluck the feathers or remove fur from their prey before they eat it.

Please don’t adopt an ocelot. There are many domestic cats that need your love, but ocelots belong in the wild. It’s also illegal to keep one as a pet in California. Besides, do you really want to sleep with a wild cat running around?

Have you ever seen an ocelot in the wild?

Source: San Diego Zoo

Image via flickr.