Cat vs Stoat, Ermine

Felis catus compared with Mustela erminea

Key Differences

• Cat is Not Evaluated while Stoat, Ermine is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cat	Stoat, Ermine
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	Felidae (Cats)	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Felis (Small Cats)	Mustela
Species	Felis catus	Mustela erminea

Evolutionary Relationship

Cat and Stoat, Ermine share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (Carnivorans)

Conservation Status

Cat

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Stoat, Ermine

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cat	Stoat, Ermine
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	46 cm	—
Average Weight	4.5 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).

Stoat, Ermine

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Indonesia), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Stoat, Ermine

Stoat, Ermine (Mustela erminea) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 8 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇮🇩 Indonesia 🇳🇿 New Zealand 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States