Ocelot

The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis, or Felis pardalis) is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America. Its northernmost occurrence is Texas. It is up to 3 feet in length, plus a foot and a half tail length. It is similar in appearance to the oncilla and the margay, which inhabit the same region, but the ocelot is larger. The name of the animal derives from Náhuatl ocelotl. 

The ocelot is very nocturnal and territorial. Like most felines, they are solitary, usually meeting only to mate. However, during the day they rest in trees or other dense foliage, and will occasionally share their spot with another ocelot of the same gender. 

While ocelots are well equipped to an arboreal lifestyle, and will sometimes take to the trees, they are mostly terrestrial. Prey includes monkeys, snakes, rodents and birds. Almost all of the prey that the ocelot hunts is far smaller than it is. Studies suggest that they follow and find prey via odor trails, but ocelots also have very keen vision. 

The ocelot's fur resembles that of a jaguar; it was once regarded as particularly valuable, and because it was so popular the ocelot remains one of the most well known of the small wildcats. Several hundreds of thousands of ocelots were killed for their fur; therefore this cat is now an endangered species in many countries. 

The Margay (Leopardus wiedii, or Felis wiedii) is a spotted cat native to Central and South America. It is a solitary nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest. Because of its reclusive nature the Margay population is undetermined; however it is thought to be endangered. It roams the rainforests from Mexico to Argentina. 

The margay is very similar to the ocelot. The head is a bit shorter, the tail is longer, and the spotted pattern on the tail is different. Most notably the margay is a much more skilful climber than its relative. Whereas the ocelot mostly pursues prey (including venomous snakes) on the ground, the margay may spend its entire life in the trees, leaping after and chasing birds and monkeys through the treetops. Indeed, it is the only cat with the ankle flexibility necessary to climb head first down trees.