Pampas Cat Facts

Quick Facts

• Common Name: Pampas Cat

• Scientific Name: Leopardus colocolo

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrata)

• Class: Mammalia

• Order: Carnivora

• Family: Felidae

• Genus: Felinae  (Oncifelis)

• IUCN Status: Near Threatened

• Population Trend: Decreasing

• Weight: 6 to 15 lbs.

• Length: 32 to 42 inches

Appearance

The Pampas cat is a sturdy felid that bears a closer facial resemblance to the European wildcat than to its more slender South American relatives. It is characterized by a broad face, pointed ears, and a distinctive "dorsal mane"—a ridge of long, erectile hair running down its back that it uses to appear larger when threatened.

Its coat is famously variable, reflecting the diverse landscapes it inhabits. In the high Andes, these cats are typically gray with reddish-brown stripes that break into spots, a pattern that mimics the Andean mountain cat. In the grasslands of Argentina, the fur is longer and more yellow-brown with a subtle, muted pattern. In Brazil, younger cats may display vibrant rusty colors with bold, irregular black stripes that often fade to the limbs and underparts as they mature.

Habitat and Range

Despite its name, the Pampas cat is found in a staggering variety of environments across South America, ranging from sea level to altitudes of 5,000 meters. Its territory stretches from the Andes of Ecuador and Peru through Bolivia and into the Patagonian steppe of Argentina and Chile. They also inhabit the dry forests, savannas, and wetlands of Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

These cats are highly adaptable, favoring open landscapes over dense, moist forests. They are typically found in:

• Dry scrublands and savannas (such as the Cerrado and Chaco)

• High-altitude grasslands (Puna)

• Rocky deserts and swampy wetlands

• Coastal mangroves where they may hunt shorebirds

While they have a wide distribution, they are considered rare throughout most of their range. Notably, recent scientific surveys have confirmed that the Pampas cat is now regionally extinct in the central pampas of Argentina.

Diet and Behavior

The Pampas cat is a versatile terrestrial hunter. Its diet is primarily composed of small mammals, such as guinea pigs and mountain viscachas, as well as ground-dwelling birds. In coastal regions, they have even been observed preying on penguins and chickens.

Their activity patterns are highly flexible and often dictated by their specific ecosystem. In the Brazilian grasslands, they are primarily diurnal, active during the day. However, in the high Andes, they shift to a largely nocturnal lifestyle, with over 70% of their activity occurring at night. They are stealthy, elusive animals with home ranges that can vary from 15 to 20 square kilometers.

Reproduction

Much of what is known about Pampas cat reproduction comes from captive populations. Following a gestation period of 80 to 85 days, females typically give birth to a small litter of one to three kittens. In captivity, these cats appear to have a defined breeding season between April and July. They reach sexual maturity at approximately 21 months. In the wild, their generation length—the average age of parents in the population—is estimated to be seven years.

Threats

The Pampas cat faces a declining population due to several intensifying human-related pressures. The most significant threat is habitat loss and degradation, primarily driven by the expansion of large-scale agriculture (such as soybean crops) and industrial cattle ranching.

Other critical threats include:

• Conflict with Humans: Retaliatory killing is common when cats are suspected of preying on domestic poultry.

• Domestic Animals: Predation by domestic dogs and the transmission of diseases from free-ranging pets are major concerns.

• Infrastructure: Increasing road networks through their habitat lead to frequent and fatal vehicle collisions.

• Cultural Hunting: In parts of the Andes, these cats are still hunted for use in traditional medicine or as ceremonial symbols of fertility and abundance.

Conservation Efforts

The Pampas cat is listed on CITES Appendix II and is protected by national laws in most of its range, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru. Conservationists are currently focused on a multi-national effort to study their populations and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

Big Cat Rescue provides vital support for these efforts by funding the Colocolo Project in Chile and the work of Santiago Turcatti Oviedo in Uruguay and Brazil. These projects utilize a community-based approach to conservation, which includes:

• Conflict Mitigation: Constructing predator-proof chicken coops and providing replacement hens to farmers to prevent retaliatory killings.

• Health Programs: Organizing vaccination and sterilization campaigns for domestic dogs and cats to prevent the spread of diseases to wild populations.

• Scientific Research: Using camera traps and scat analysis to better understand the cat’s range and diet.

• Education: Creating environmental workshops, murals, and illustrated books to engage local communities and children as allies in wildlife protection.

Through these combined strategies, conservationists aim to ensure the long-term survival of this resilient but increasingly threatened species across the South American continent.

See Conservation Work Funded By Big Cat Rescue here:

2023 Saving Pampas Cats

In Chile the Pampas cat is known as the Colocolo, which comes from its Latin name. The Colocolo Project has a number of elements. One is studying the cat with camera traps and fecal analysis to learn what habitats and prey it prefers and how many there are to help preserve them. Another is mitigation of conflict between the cats and small-scale poultry farmers to avoid revenge killing driven by the cats taking their chickens. This is done by helping build predator proof chicken coops and giving replacement hens to farmers who suffer losses. Third, the Project includes broad efforts with volunteers and volunteer veterinarians to vaccinate and worm dogs and cats to keep them from spreading disease to the wild animal population. Learn more here: https://bigcatrescue.org/santiago-turcatti/

All conservation insitu work: https://bigcatrescue.org/insitu/