Male Ocelot kitten
Male Ocelot kitten
Ocelots are small, American wild cats about twice the size of housecats. Their coats have distinctive markings in a wide variety of patterns. Each ocelot’s pattern is unique, with dark spots on an orange, tan and white coat.
The word “ocelot” comes from the Aztec word “tlalocelot,” which means field tiger, according to the San Diego Zoo. Ocelots are also sometimes called painted leopards — because of their markings — and dwarf leopards — because of their markings and their size. However, ocelots are only distantly related to true leopards or tigers. Leopards and tigers are members of the Pantherinae (roaring cats) subfamily, and ocelots are in the Felinae (small cats) subfamily.
Size
Like housecats, ocelots have narrow jawline, long tails and limber bodies. While larger than housecats, ocelots only come up to an adult male human’s knee. Ocelots grow to around 29 to 39 inches (73 to 100 centimeters) — females are slightly smaller. Males weigh 15 to 34 lbs. (7 to 15.5 kg) and females weigh 14.5 to 25 lbs. (6.6 to 11.3 kg), according to the San Diego Zoo. Ocelots are the second largest spotted cats in South America, after jaguars.
Habitat
Ocelots are found in United States, Mexico, Central America and South America in every country except Chile. In the United States, these cats have been found in Arizona and Texas.
