The Margay: Long-Tailed Spotted Cat

The Margay is an exotic cat known for their slimness and grace. They have also been named the long-tailed spotted cat which derives from their appearance. The Margay closely resembles the Ocelot, and is much smaller than the average exotic cat. They are found generally in Central and South America, and have been known to live a lifespan of about 20 years. While they are small, they are actually recognized as one of the best and agile climbers out there. This exotic cat can actually be a pet; however, for those who are interested in this, it is important to do your research, and find out more about how to care and train this species of exotic cat properly.

A mature Margay can be from 24 to 27 inches long, and weigh up to eighteen pounds, and as less as nine or ten pounds. They have a long-tail as their other name implies which is a reason why they are such good climbers. The background coat color is generally a tawny yellow or a light brown color with solid dark brown or black spots on their coat. There are differences in the coats and the spot size variations depending on the region that they live in.

The Margay is generally nocturnal in nature, and their diet consists of tree frogs, birds, insects, and small monkeys. They generally will hunt in the trees because they are such avid climbers; in fact, they have become so good in this skill that they are capable of climbing head-down down the trees. In fact, from their bones and structure, it is pretty obvious that they have developed specialized claws, and ankles joints for faster and easier climbing. Because their diet is not something you can feed them in captivity, some people just feed their Margay’s commercial cat food; however, you should take recommendations from your exotic pet veterinarian, and follow them for the benefit of the Margay. Most will generally recommend a source of fresh meat.

The Margay is recommended to have their own enclosure which needs to be built according to states rules and regulations. They need to have an area where they can climb, and where they can be above the ground as it is usually more comfortable to them. Dens and hiding places should be built so that the Margay feels more at home; the environment should generally be as close to their natural environment as possible.

It is also important to learn how to train, and to train the Margay – especially to discipline their behavior. If you let bad behavior go when they are young, the problem will escalate once they have matured; in short, do not tolerate bad behavior when they are young, and discipline them to be obedient and understand what their limits are.

According to a website known as Indian Tiger, the Margay was considered to be threatened because deforestation and illegal hunting have affected their population number. For one, because the forest is the Margay’s home when deforestation occurs, the home of the Margay is at stake. Also, while illegal hunting for their fur does not happen anymore, their pelts can still be occasionally found in the market; keep in mind that hunting them for their pelts is illegal.