Cat vs jaguar

Felis catus compared with Panthera onca

Key Differences

  • Cat is Not Evaluated while jaguar is Near Threatened.
  • jaguar is 22.2x heavier than Cat.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Cat jaguar
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same Chordata (Chordates) Chordata (Chordates)
Class same Mammalia (Mammals) Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same Carnivora (Carnivorans) Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family same Felidae (Cats) Felidae (Cats)
Genus Felis (Small Cats) Panthera (Big Cats)
Species Felis catus Panthera onca

Evolutionary Relationship

Cat and jaguar share a common ancestor at the Family level: Felidae. (Cats)

Conservation Status

Cat

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

jaguar

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~64.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Cat jaguar
Diet Carnivore Carnivore
Average Lifespan 15 years 15 years
Average Length 46 cm 1.9 m
Average Weight 4.5 kg 100.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

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).

jaguar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

jaguar

The largest cat in the Americas, reaching up to 100 kg with a stocky, muscular build and distinctive rosette-patterned coat. Found from Mexico through South America, with strongholds in the Amazon and Pantanal. Powerful swimmers and apex predators, jaguars play a critical role in regulating prey populations. Near Threatened, with range contracting due to deforestation.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia