Cat Encyclopedia
Wild Cats
Beyond domestic breeds: the wild members of the cat family, from the African wildcat—ancestor of every house cat—to the tilcayo, a new species described in 2026.
What are wild cats?
The cat family has around forty wild species, grouped into eight lineages. The domestic cat descends from the African wildcat of the domestic cat lineage. The animals here are not breeds but species living in the wild.
13 species
Domestic cat lineage
Leopard cat lineage
Ocelot lineage
Caracal lineage
About this section
The information here is based on sources such as the IUCN Red List and original species descriptions. References are listed at the end of each page.