Felidae is the scientific name of the biological family whose most familiar member is the domestic cat. These highly evolved predators are as beautiful as they are cunning. And did you know that almost all members of this carnivorous family share a genetic anomaly that prevents them from tasting sweetness?

They are all obligate carnivores – they do not simply favor meat, they can’t subsist on anything else. Besides lions, very few cats display any sort of strong social behavior, though some others do hunt together or form loose colonies. Ah ha! So that’s where our kitties get their attitude from!

Something else you may have not known is that while some felines are widely known (like lions, cougars, jaguars, etc.), there are actually 41 known cat species living today – and most of them are as beautiful as they are rare.

#1 Canadian Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)

#2 Sand Cat (Felis Margarita)

#3 Pallas Cat (Otocolobus Manul)

#4 Black-footed Cat (Felis Nigripes)

#5 Caracal (Caracal Caracal)

#6 Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa)

#7 Pampas Cat (Leopardus Pajeros)

#8 Jaguarundi

#9 Leopard Cat (Prionailurus Bengalensis)

#10 Fishing Cat (Prionailurus Viverrinus)

#11 Serval (Leptailurus Serval)

#12 Bay Cat (Catopuma Badia)

#13 Kodkod (Leopardus Guigna)

#14 Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis)

#15 Wildcat (Felis Silvestris)

#16 Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma Temminckii)

#17 Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis Bieti)

#18 Margay Cat (Leopardus Wiedii)

#19 Flat-headed Cat (Felis Planiceps)

#20 Rusty Spotted Cat (Prionailurus Rubiginosus)