This small weasel-like looking cat weighs between 4 and 18 pounds. It lives throughout South and Central America and even as far as southern Texas and parts of Arizona. Its closest genetic relatives are the puma and the cheetah. Jaguarundis live on the ground and are very adaptable to various habitats, living anywhere from forests to scrub lands to swamps. They have 13 distinct different calls, which are rare for wild cats, such as whistling, chattering, yapping, purring and chirping like a bird. Captive jaguarundis are usually tame and even affectionate. They eat small prey including rodents, rabbits, reptiles and poultry. They have been known to live in pairs. The main threats to the jaguarundi are habitat loss and fragmentation, and hunting because jaguarindis eat poultry. Currently, efforts are being made to reintroduce the jaguarundi back into the southwestern United States.

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