11 Rare Wild Cat Species You Probably Didn’t Know Exist

"Felidae" is the scientific name for the biological family whose most familiar member is the domestic cat. These highly evolved predators are as beautiful as they are cunning. 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 don't simply favor meat; they can't subsist on anything else. Apart from lions, very few cats display any sort of strong social behavior, though some do hunt together or form loose colonies. Aha! So that's where our kitties get their attitude from!

Something else you might not know 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.

More info: kingdomoffunnymemes

11 PHOTOS

#1 Black-Footed Cat (Felis Nigripes)

#2 Sand Cat (Felis Margarita)

#3 Pallas Cat (Otocolobus Manul)

#4 Flat-Headed Cat (Felis Planiceps)

#5 Pampas Cat (Leopardus Pajeros)

#6 Caracal (Caracal Caracal)

#7 Canadian Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)

#8 Andean Cat (Leopardus Jacobita)

#9 Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis)

#10 Bay Cat (Catopuma Badia)

#11 Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis Bieti)