leopard cat

noun

: a small spotted wildcat (Prionailurus bengalensis synonym Felis bengalensis) chiefly of southeastern Asia

Examples of leopard cat in a Sentence

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The team also noted that both the fishing and leopard cats—which are both closely related to domestic felines—possessed only the short-type version of the androgen receptor gene. Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 Take a look at some recent stories from the continent: Predator’s adorable kittens found abandoned in Thailand — then came rescue In southwestern Thailand, three leopard cat kittens were found abandoned and weak, prompting a rescue by wildlife officials. Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025 There are fishing cats, leopard cats, saltwater crocodiles and rare river dolphins, all seen best from a boat. Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Chinese farmers might have recognized that the leopard cats were good rat-killers and began feeding them. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025 Overall, the fossil also provides insight into the diversity of prehistoric leopard cats. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025 Because early leopard cats had small, fragile bones and mostly lived in habitats that were conducive to rapid bone degradation, their remains are rarely uncovered, according to the study. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025 The first three all originate in the Far East, while Bengals are a hydroid cross between cats and Asian leopard cats. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024 For example, Bengals, which are a cross between domestic cats and the Asian leopard cat, tend to be extremely adventurous and sleep for only about half the time that a typical domestic cat does. Kate Wong, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leopard cat was in 1866

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Cite this Entry

“Leopard cat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leopard%20cat. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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