# Wikijunior:Big Cats/Classification

Scientists classify all living things into different groups. This helps
to see what some animals have in common and how related some animals
are. It is like building a family tree for living things. They classify
cats as well. All cats are in the family Felidae.

In English, a Puma may be called a cougar in one place or a mountain
lion somewhere else. Animals also have different names in other
languages like Russian, Greek and Spanish. To prevent confusion,
scientists agree on a single Latin name for each animal. Some early
humans did draw pictures of mammoths, mastodons, and European cave
lions, but any common names for these extinct animals are forgotten.
That\'s why many fossil big cats have an odd scientific name like
*Miraconyx inexpectatus* instead of a short, graceful name like
*Cheetah*.

Below is a list of the classification of the cats in this book.

Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)

:   Phylum: Chordata (Animals with spinal cords)

    :   Subphylum: Vertebrata (Vertebrates)

        :   Class: Mammalia (Mammals)

            :   Order: Carnivora (most Carnivorous Mammals)

                :   Family: Felidae (Cats)

                    :   Subfamily **Acinonychinae**

                        :   Genus *Acinonyx*

                            :   Cheetah, *Acinonyx jubatus*
                    :   Subfamily **Felinae**

                        :   Genus *Caracal*

                            :   Caracal, *Caracal caracal*
                        :   Genus *Felis*

                            :   Wild Cat, *Felis silvestris* (of which
                                the domestic cat is a subspecies)
                            :   Sand Cat, *Felis margarita*
                        :   Genus *Herpailurus*

                            :   Jaguarundi, *Herpailurus yaguarondi*
                        :   Genus *Leopardus*

                            :   Ocelot, *Leopardus pardalis*
                            :   Margay, *Leopardus wiedii*
                        :   Genus *Leptailurus*

                            :   Serval, *Leptailurus serval*
                        :   Genus *Lynx*

                            :   Eurasian Lynx, *Lynx lynx*
                            :   Iberian Lynx, *Lynx pardinus*
                            :   Canadian Lynx, *Lynx canadensis*
                            :   Bobcat, *Lynx rufus*
                        :   Genus *Otocolobus*

                            :   Pallas Cat, *Otocolobus manul*
                        :   Genus *Prionailurus*

                            :   Rusty-spotted Cat, *Prionailurus
                                rubiginosus*
                        :   Genus *Puma*

                            :   Puma, *Puma concolor*
                    :   Subfamily **Pantherinae**

                        :   Genus *Neofelis*

                            :   Clouded Leopard, *Neofelis nebulosa*
                        :   Genus *Panthera*

                            :   Lion, *Panthera leo*
                            :   Tiger, *Panthera tigris*
                            :   Leopard, *Panthera pardus*
                            :   Jaguar, *Panthera onca*
                            :   Liger, *Panthera × leogris* (hybrid)
                            :   Tigon, *Panthera × tigreo* (hybrid)
                        :   Genus *Pardofelis*

                            :   Marbled Cat, *Pardofelis marmorata*
                        :   Genus *Uncia*

                            :   Snow Leopard, *Uncia uncia*

## For more information

Felidae

Next Topic: Glossary of Terms

