12 Rare Wild Cat Species You Probably Didn't Know Exist

We all know about the wild cats such as lions, tigers, cougars, leopards and even jaguars, but there's a whole world of small and big cats out there, especially a bunch of rare cat breeds that you've probably never heard of.

Fishing Cat (Prionailurus Viverrinus): Fishing cats, P. viverrinus are found in scattered areas of the Oriental Region. They inhabit the peninsular region of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Java, and Pakistan. Fishing cats live primarily in wetland areas, both marshes and swamps. These cats can be found in heavily forested regions adjacent to rivers or near jungles. They can also be found in scrub areas, reed beds, and tidal creek areas. Fishing cats have been reported in Himalayan forests at an elevation of 1525 m. (~5000 ft.), they have also been found at elevations as high as 7000 ft. (~ 2100 m.) in the mountainous areas of Sri Lanka.