Big-eared opossum vs Cat

Didelphis aurita compared with Felis catus

Key Differences

• Big-eared opossum is Least Concern while Cat is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-eared opossum	Cat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Didelphidae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Didelphis	Felis (Small Cats)
Species	Didelphis aurita	Felis catus

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-eared opossum and Cat share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Big-eared opossum

LC — Least Concern

Cat

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-eared opossum	Cat
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	46 cm
Average Weight	—	4.5 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-eared opossum

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cat

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (9 countries), Asia (7 countries), Europe (11 countries), North America (13 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (11 countries), and South America (6 countries).

Big-eared opossum

The Big-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a species in the genus Didelphis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cat

One of humanity's most successful domesticated companions, domestic cats are small, agile carnivores originating from the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) domesticated approximately 10,000 years ago. With over 70 recognized breeds, cats retain strong predatory instincts and have colonized virtually every terrestrial environment on Earth. They are the world's most popular pet, with an estimated 600 million kept worldwide.