Only recently discovered, these cats have one of the most restricted distribution of all cats, and there are possibly only sixty left.

Subspecies
None. The classification of Iriomote cats is debated. They may be a subspecies of the leopard cat, in which case it should be renamed Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis.

Life span
Iriomote cats are thought to live for up to 15 years.

Statistics
Body length: about 60cm, Tail length: about 20cm, Shoulder height: about 30cm, Weight: male: 4.2kg female: 3.2kg.

Physical description
Iriomote cats have a dark brown long-haired coat with black spots and rosettes arranged in longitudinal rows, which tend to merge into bands. They have dark lines running from the back of the neck to the shoulders.

They have a long body with short legs and tail, and round ears. As with fishing and flat-headed cats, their claws are not fully retractile, and the sheaths are short.

Distribution
These cats are found only on Iriomote - an Island to the East of Taiwan.

Habitat
Iriomote cats appear to be restricted to lowland subtropical rainforest and are always found near water.

Diet
They hunt small rodents, bats, birds, reptiles, fish, frogs, insects and crabs.

Behaviour
Iriomote cats were not discovered until 1967. They are solitary and nocturnal. They are partially arboreal and swim well. Male ranges are larger than female ranges, and overlap with others.

Reproduction
Females give birth to 1-4 (usually 2-3) kittens after a gestation of 56-70 days.

Conservation status
Iriomote cats on CITES: Appendix II and are listed as Endangered by the IUCN. They have a small range with a population estimated at about 60 animals. They are rapidly losing habitat to agricultural development and may be threatened by tourism.