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Scientific Name - Oreailurus Jacobita Also known as the Andean Highland Cat or Mountain Cat.  They weigh between 6 and 15 pounds.  In common with other cats that hunt at high altitude the fur of the mountain cat is longer than most - the base colour of the fur varies from grey/brown to a darker reddish/grey and is covered with large dark red irregular spots, the tail is long and banded with similar dark reddish/brown markings.

The mountain cat is to be found in the high regions of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, ranging from the dry scrublands lower down the mountains up to beyond the tree line at around 16,000 feet. Due to the remoteness of its habitat little is known about the hunting and social habits of the mountain cat.  Through limited observations it appears that the main source of prey may be the mountain chinchilla and its close relative the viscacha, which share a similar habitat to that of the mountain cat - however it is probably fair to assume that additional prey will include other small rodents, insects and birds native to its range.  Due primarily to its rarity rather than by pressures brought about by hunting, the mountain cat is listed as an endangered species.

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