June 27, 2024, 3:17 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
The jaguarundi is a small wild cat from Central and South America, about which very little is known. However, it possesses a unique form of communication typically associated only with domestic cats.
When thinking of the wildcat family, few people immediately think of the jaguarundi. Even if you’re lucky enough to spot one, you’re more likely to be reminded of an otter or a weasel than a cat. This small cat from America is very shy and still very little researched. However, what is known about it is quite fascinating.
They Are Not Related to the Jaguar
Even though the name might suggest otherwise, it is not a miniature jaguar. Due to their distribution areas and appearance, scientists long assumed that the jaguarundi was most closely related to the large cat also living in South America.
However, a genetic analysis of the animals in 2021 showed something different. It even led to the Latin name Herpailurus yagouaroundi being rarely used now. The jaguarundi is now known by the Latin name Puma yagouaroundi. The puma, also called the mountain lion, is indeed its closest relative. Both are also closely related to the cheetah, and all trace back to a common ancestor that existed 4.9 million years ago. At that time, there were also ancestors of today’s cheetahs, which now only live in Africa, on the two American continents.1,2
Jaguarundi Come in Different Colors
The assumption that the jaguarundi is related to its larger namesake also arose because an above-average number have dark fur in black or gray-brown. This dark coloration, also called melanism, frequently occurs in jaguars, which are typically spotted. It happens so often that they are sometimes called black panthers, even though this species doesn’t actually exist (PETBOOK reported).
However, there are also jaguarundi with a reddish-brown, solid-colored coat that clearly shows their relationship to the puma. Because the animals look so extremely different, there was also a long-standing assumption that there were multiple species of jaguarundi. This was also disproven through genetic analyses.3
The Animal with Many Names
But it’s not just science that knows several names for the shy, little-known wildcat. The name jaguarundi comes from the language of the Guaraní, an indigenous tribe that today mainly lives in Paraguay and Argentina. In the historical form of Old Guaraní, yaguarundi means “dark predator that catches prey with a leap.” There is also the term eyra yawaum’di, the “carnivorous quadruped,” used by the Tupi. However, this term is now mostly used for the domestic dog.
There is also little agreement on the Spanish and Portuguese terms for the animals. In Spanish, they are called gato colorado (colored cat), gato moro (Moorish cat), and in Portuguese, additionally gato-vermelho (bay cat).
In German, there is also the term Wieselkatze (weasel cat), as the appearance of the jaguarundi reminded many researchers more of mustelids. There were also frequent mix-ups with giant otters, which, with their body shape and fluid movements, also closely resemble the jaguarundi. Its round, small ears, elongated body, and relatively short legs indeed make it look more like a weasel or otter.
What Is Known About the Jaguarundi’s Lifestyle
The confusion with otters also arose because jaguarundi are very adaptable to their environment. They can swim very well and hunt for prey along the same rivers as otters. However, despite their vast range, very little is known about their lives. Some even call the jaguarundi the “forgotten cat,” as research on it is still in its infancy.
And that’s despite the fact that few other cats have such a large range. They are found across much of Central and South America. In the U.S., sightings were reported in some southern states until the mid-1980s. There is also no consensus on their size, weight, or preferred prey. They are said to be about twice the size of a house cat. Estimates of their weight range from 3.5 to 9 kilograms.4
The biggest predators of the jaguarundi are considered to be ocelots when they share the same habitat. However, since ocelots are mostly nocturnal, the jaguarundi has adapted to a diurnal lifestyle there–which is very unusual for cats. Generally, it is considered very adaptable and opportunistic, found in deserts and semi-deserts, mangroves, deciduous and rainforests, as well as bushy areas and savannas. It hunts whatever prey it can find in these areas. Depending on the region, it also climbs trees very well, although it prefers to hunt on the ground.
Jaguarundi Make at Least 14 Sounds
But what is truly unique about the jaguarundi is their communication. Many large cats of the genus Panthera cannot meow or purr. However, pumas, cheetahs, and the jaguarundi are members of the Felidae family, so these sounds are no problem for them.
In a 2012 article, Balazs Buzas and Eszter Gulyas describe how they hand-raised jaguarundi. They learned a lot about the behavior of the young animals and described what the surprisingly many sounds mean. According to Buzas and Gulyas, the 14 sounds of the jaguarundi are as follows:
- short whistle seeks attention
- long whistle is used for greeting
- chirping is used when jaguarundi do not have eye contact
- short purring is used as a call
- long purring shows contentment, similar to a house cat
- soft hissing is a warning to stay away
- spitting sounds are a more emphatic warning
- screaming or croaking is used when defending prey or in a fight
What is truly remarkable, however, is that the communication of the jaguarundi continues into adulthood. In many cats, only the young communicate with the mother, and they use fewer sounds as they grow up. However, the jaguarundi add more sounds:
- loud sniffing is used to patrol territory boundaries
- chattering or smacking when greeting familiar conspecifics
- screams for mating calls
- a kind of muffled barking under mild stress
- a weak scream from females during receptivity5
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Jaguarundi Habitats Are Shrinking
Like many other animals, the range of the jaguarundi is shrinking, and population density is decreasing. They are still considered not endangered according to the Red List, but the last assessment of the situation was in 2014. The more we learn about the “forgotten” cat, the better we can sustainably protect it and preserve its population.6