9 Cat Breeds That Look Like Tigers, Leopards & Cheetahs

These mini wild cats may look ferocious, but they share very few instincts with the big cats roaming the mountains and jungles of the world. These cats were bred for aesthetic reasons – so that humans could own pets that look like the more dangerous felines of the world without putting themselves in any peril. For a fluffy alternative to real wild cats, check out the 9 breeds in this guide.

Cats That Look Like Tigers

Toyger Cat

• Height: 9 to 13 inches
• Weight: 8 to 15 pounds
• Lifespan: 9 to 13 years
• Appearance: Golden-brown cat with tabby-like markings
• Personality: Active, needy, playful

Though Toygers aren’t very well-known domestic cats, they are a great example of cats that look like tigers. Their name is an obvious nod to their appearance, and if that weren’t enough, they’re also colloquially known as the “Tiger cat”. Toygers share genetics with the Bengal cat because the original cross to create a Toyger was between a Bengal and a stray cat found in India. This breed was created purely so that there would be a cat that shared very similar traits with wild cat tigers.

Without enough one-on-one contact, your Toyger may develop behavioral issues to try and get your attention. This is a high-energy breed that requires more companionship than the average domesticated cat. They are, thankfully, far enough removed from big cats that they don’t have aggressive tendencies.

Pixie-Bob Cat

• Height: 12 to 13 inches
• Weight: 9 to 14 pounds
• Lifespan: 13 to 16 years
• Appearance: Brown with golden tones and dark stripes, fluffy, golden eyes, and a bobtail
• Personality: Friendly, playful, loyal

For tiger-like cats that have extra fluff, look no further than the Pixie-Bob cat breed. Because they’re fluffy, they don’t look anything like a… Siberian tiger, for example, but their obvious tabby stripes, golden eyes, and the bit of white fur often under their chin definitely give them a tiger-like appearance. The Pixie-Bob is also much more friendly than any wild tiger you’ll ever meet. They’re actually considered to be dog-like cats because of their tendency to want to quickly get to know every person and animal around them. They can even be placed in households with dogs!

Pixie-Bobs aren’t very popular but they have an interesting breeding history and a great personality. This breed was actually the result of breeding a barn cat and a North American Bobcat. The breed retained the short bobtail from their Bobcat ancestors, and they also share the trait that gives them little tufts of fur at the top of their ears. Both are extremely cute and desirable traits in a housecat.

American Bobtail Cat

• Height: 9 to 10 inches
• Weight: 7 to 16 pounds
• Lifespan: 13 to 15 years
• Appearance: Often ginger or brown with gold tones, almond-shaped eyes, short bobtail, and longhaired with tabby stripes
• Personality: Sociable, affectionate, playful

Not to be confused with the North American Bobcat, which is a wild cat, the American Bobtail is a domestic cat that looks like an extremely fluffy toy tiger. They’re a longhaired cat with a thick tail, wide face, and golden eyes. American Bobtails are so loving and friendly that they’re often used as emotional support or therapy cats, which is a perfect unofficial role for them to take if their owner or a member of their family needs extra support during the day.

This breed is so fluffy that they look pretty big, but they’re really just a gentle giant that doesn’t weigh much. It’s definitely all the fur that makes them look bigger than they are! If you’re looking for a fluffy cat with dark tiger stripes and a friendly disposition, the American Bobtail could be the perfect addition to your family.

Cats That Look Like Leopards

Bengal Cat

• Height: 13 to 16 inches
• Weight: 8 to 15 pounds
• Lifespan: 12 to 16 years
• Appearance: Commonly seen with a golden-brown coat, rosette-like spots with some stripes
• Personality: Energetic, inquisitive, playful

Bengal cats often have both spots and stripes, which means they kind of fall between cats that look like tigers and cats that look like leopards. We decided that they fit the leopard category more because they typically have spots over the majority of their body, while their stripes appear on their legs and head.

The Bengal cat is a domestic cat breed that was created by breeding other hybrids of domestic cats. By breeding the Egyptian Mau and the Asian Leopard cat, Bengals ended up with an appearance similar to a wild leopard cat, with less of the undesirable traits that wild animals have. Bengals are extremely intelligent cats and are prone to a bit of mischief during their daily explorations.

Egyptian Mau Cat

• Height: 7 to 11 inches
• Weight: 8 to 12 pounds
• Lifespan: 9 to 13 years
• Appearance: Typically either gray or golden-brown with both stripes and small rosette-like spots.
• Personality: Affectionate, territorial, loving

It was difficult to place the Egyptian Mau because the cats share so many traits with cheetah and tiger-like cats. The reason we placed them in the leopard section was that most Egyptian Maus have spots that look more like rosettes than dots or ovals. The dark stripes of this affectionate breed did make the decision difficult, though, because there isn’t really one kind of coat pattern for this breed. They tend to vary quite a lot!

This isn’t a high-energy cat breed, unlike some of the others that we’ve listed, but they do have some territorial instincts that owners may want to watch out for. This sometimes makes it difficult for Egyptian Mau cats to be placed in multi-cat households. Socialization is a must with this breed! They often want attention from their owners, and won’t enjoy being ignored.

Serengeti Cat

• Height: 8 to 10 inches
• Weight: 8 to 15 pounds
• Lifespan: 13 to 15 years
• Appearance: Brown with gold tones, dark rosette spots, and dark stripes on legs and tail
• Personality: Confident, friendly, affectionate

Considered to be a designer cat breed, the Serengeti cat was bred by Karen Sausman, owner of the Kingsmark Cattery in California. Sausman is a conservation biologist who wanted to create a new domestic cat breed that would look like the African Serval wild cat. The Serengeti came into existence in 1994 and is the result of breeding an Oriental Shorthair Cat and a Bengal Cat together. Despite the attempt to create a Serval-like cat, there is no direct link to African Servals in the Serengeti’s genetics.

The Serengeti is a medium-sized cat that has longer hind legs than other domesticated cat breeds. Their spotted coat is very luxurious, but the spots are actually shaped more like rosettes, which is what gives them that mini leopard look. Serengetis can have a bit of a silly personality because of their love of zooming around the place. They love to play and exercise, so it’s important to give them interactive toys and some attention during the day. If you don’t, your furniture may suffer as a result.

Cats That Look Like Cheetahs

Savannah Cat

• Height: 14 to 17 inches
• Weight: 12 to 25 pounds
• Lifespan: 12 to 20 years
• Appearance: Golden-brown with cheetah-like spots and eyes that can be gold, blue, or green.
• Personality: Bold, inquisitive, affectionate

The major difference between a cat that looks like a leopard and one that looks like a cheetah is found in the kind of spots that the cat’s coat is covered in. When a cat has rosette-like spots, like the Bengal cat, they look more like leopards because leopards share that trait. But when a cat is spotted or has small dots, they share a more obvious trait with cheetahs. The Savannah cat, much like the cheetah, has small spots on its coat, not rosettes. They also have stripes on their legs and head, but this is common with domestic cat breeds that are bred to look like other cats because of the way the tabby gene displays itself on their coats.

The Savannah cat is the result of breeding a domestic cat and an African Serval. The Serval could be considered a jungle cat but they actually inhabit a large number of terrains, from open grassland to rainforests. Savannah cats are very intelligent house cats, though they do grow to be larger than the average house cat due to their genetics. When considering domesticated cats with wild genes like this breed, always look for kittens that have several generations behind them rather than any that are directly linked to wild cat parentage. Pet lovers are not often prepared to handle feral cats with big cat traits.

Ocicat

• Height: 9 to 11 inches
• Weight: 6 to 15 pounds
• Lifespan: 15 to 18 years
• Appearance: Golden-brown with spots and stripes, and large, rounded ears.
• Personality: Intelligent, playful, friendly

Placed for their spots and their rounded ears, there are some obvious shared traits between the Ocicat and the cheetah. Ocicats do have some tiger stripes, which are usually focused around their legs and head. They have large, rounded ears, and are known for being a big-eared cat breed. The Ocicat is a hybrid cat created from breeding an Ocelot and a domestic cat – the males of this breed are usually bigger than the females.

The long legs of the Ocicat make them out to be majestic animals, but they’re just like any other cats once they settle into their home and relax. You can expect an Ocicat to be very curious and friendly. They work well for all kinds of households and aren’t prone to getting lonely as long as they have another cat to keep them company.

Cheetoh Cat

• Height: 12 to 18 inches
• Weight: 12 to 25 pounds
• Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
• Appearance: Golden-brown coat with orange tones, green eyes, spotted with dark stripes on legs and tail
• Personality: Kind, affectionate, energetic

Though their name is humorous, the Cheetoh cat shares a similar backstory to the Toyger; being that they were specifically bred so that there were domesticated cat breeds that looked like certain wild cat breeds. Their body markings are similar to both a cheetah and a tiger, but their unusual coat color is what makes them such a striking breed. This breed has the potential to be quite heavy, but they also reach heights up to 18 inches, so their mass balances out well.

Cheetohs would make good therapy cats due to their kind nature. They have an almost dog-like personality, preferring to spend a lot of time getting affection from their humans and occasionally using bursts of energy to run and jump around their home. Because they like exploring so much, it’s a good idea to have your Cheetoh leash trained so that they don’t make too much of a mess of your home.

FAQs:

Are there any cats like a Lynx?

If you’re looking for a cat breed that shares traits with a Desert Lynx, the most suitable one would be the Highland Lynx. These domestic cats are very gentle and affectionate, with unique features like their curled ears and bobbed tails. They’re cats with silly but loving personalities, perfect for families that don’t want a cat with many wild cat traits.

What cat is like a mountain lion?

You’re probably thinking of the Chausie! Chausie cats have similar appearances to mountain lions or pumas and were created by breeding a South Asian jungle cat and an Oriental Shorthair. They can weigh up to 25 pounds and have large ears. Some say they look a bit like a small pet tiger, but their stripes aren’t very defined so we didn’t include them with our other cats that look like tigers.

Is it dangerous to own cats with wild cat genetics?

This is difficult to answer because there are different generations of these domestic breeds that have wild cat parentage. The closer a cat is to its wild cat parent’s genetics, the more they behave like the wild cat and are likely to act a bit more feral. It’s always best to adopt or buy cat breeds that are several generations down the line from the original wild cat to domestic cat pairing. For example, an F5 Savannah cat would be far enough down the genetic line that they’ll have few wild cat traits.