Animals now considered extinct formerly inhabited the earth; tragically, there are no longer any living members of their species today.
There was a time when wild and domesticated cat species became extinct.
Loss of habitat, excessive hunting, or the spread of disease are just a few factors that might lead to extinction.
The historical records and fossils of these extinct cat breeds still provide information that can be useful to us.
Continue reading to learn about the wild and domestic cat species that previously roamed the earth.
1. American Cheetah
This particular species of Cheetah, known as the Miracinonyx, has become extinct; nonetheless, there are still cheetahs living around the globe today.
The discovery of fossils has allowed humanity to better understand the differences between this species and others with which we are familiar.
They are more similar in appearance to pumas living now than they are to cheetahs. The American Cheetah roamed freely across the continent of North America.
At the end of the Pleistocene period, it became extinct for reasons presumably related to changes in glacial activity and climate that led to a loss of habitat and the animals it fed on.
2. Eastern Cougar
The Eastern Cougar was just added to the list of extinct cat breeds in 2011, even though it has been on the list of endangered species since 1973.
There is no concrete evidence to support this assertion, yet many theorize that they went extinct even earlier than 2011, although this is untrue.
3. South China Tiger
Biologists believe that the South China Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that no longer exists in its natural habitat.
Even if a few are left in the wild, their survival is seriously jeopardized. Around the 1950s, a surge in hunting caused a decline in their population, but even after hunting was made illegal in 1979, the population continued to fall.
4. Mexican Hairless
The first reportedly hairless “breed” was the Mexican Hairless, now one of the domestic extinct cat breeds.
In 1902, some of the nearby Pueblo Indians gave two hairless cats to a couple from New Mexico.
Experts speculated that these lone surviving members of an old Aztec breed of cat were all that remained.
The Mexican Hairless breed has a miniature size and nearly hairless coat. Their markings resemble a striped tabby despite having very little fur.
5. Saber Tooth Cat (Smilodon)
You have probably heard of Saber Tooth Tigers, but several other types of cats fall under the category of Saber Tooth cats.
The most distinguishing feature of these felines is the length and shape of their incisor teeth.
According to what we know about them, they are one of the earliest extinct cat breeds that we have records of, and from what we can tell.
They lived between 2.5 million and 10,000 years ago and became extinct during the Quaternary extinction event due to a fall in large herbivores (prey animals).
They have very little in common with the big cats that exist today. Because of how long ago they lived, most of what we know comes from fossils.
The canines of saber-toothed cats were elongated and protruded beyond the mouth characteristically. Teeth could grow to up to 11 inches, making them dangerous weapons.
6. American Lion
Another cat species that no longer exists is the American Lion, which became extinct a few thousand years ago.
Paleontologists have examined them through fossils, and some have estimated that they were approximately 25 percent bigger than the lions we have now! These predators had larger legs, stronger jaws, and retractable claws.
7. Bali Tiger
The island of Bali, which is in Indonesia, was formerly home to this tiger.
They hunted animals that lived in the forests on the island and were considerably smaller than other large cats.
Since humans were the only species capable of hunting them, it is reasonable to assume that we significantly contributed to their extinction.
8. Barbary Lion
This cat is an excellent example of a species of felines that have been extinct in their natural habitat and may soon go extinct in captivity.
The Barbary Lion was one of the largest subspecies of lions that ever lived. It has a long, dark mane and a habit of wandering in pride.
There have been no confirmed sightings in the wild since the 1960s.
Barbary lions were imported throughout the Roman Empire and used in gladiatorial games.
These lions held a significant cultural significance throughout the Roman Empire.
9. Oregon Rex
When you hear the word “rex” used to describe cats, it means the cat in question has a short, curled coat.
They were known for being very social and friendly but difficult to handle, which is presumably why they began to disappear around the 1970s. They were notorious for being hard to handle.
10. Zanzibar Leopard
An isolated group of Zanzibar leopards lived on the island of Unguja.
It is thought to have died out somewhere in the latter part of the 20th century; nonetheless, sightings suggest it might still be around.
The Zanzibar leopard was the smallest species, although it had a particularly long tail compared to other leopards. Its size, coloring, and body length were comparable to current leopards.
11. Javan Tiger
The Javan tiger belonged to a different and unique population of tigers that existed until the 1970s when it was declared one of the extinct cat breeds.
Their extinction was due to the colonizing of the islands during the most recent glacial period, which occurred between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. They were hunted to extinction so humans could settle there in their habitat.
Javan tigers were smaller than Asian tigers but looked similar. They displayed the classic striped pattern and other traits present in modern tigers.
The larger samples had a body weight of roughly 310 pounds and a body length of approximately 8 feet.
12. Caspian Tiger
The Caspian tiger was a unique subspecies of the tiger that lived in a remote region of Asia and became an extinct cat breed in the middle of the 20th century.
Although it was declared extinct in the 1960s, people continued to report seeing it for decades after experts removed the Caspian tiger from the endangered species list.
The Caspian Tiger had many characteristics of its contemporary counterparts.
They had striped patterns and were not significantly different in size or appearance from one another.
They were halfway between the Siberian and the Bengal tigers and could grow to a maximum length of 7.4 feet and a maximum weight of approximately 530 pounds.
13. Cape Lion
The Cape lion went extinct in the middle of the nineteenth century because it was an isolated population of lions from Eastern and Southern Africa.
A comparison of their DNA to that of Panthera leo melanchaita reveals a close genetic relationship between the two species.
Some descriptions of these creatures state that they are quite tall and have black manes and ears. Its skull was about an inch and a half longer than an equatorial lion’s.
14. Homotherium
Homotherium was a genus of saber-toothed cats that existed 4 million years ago. They became extinct cat breeds during the end of the Pleistocene epoch, simultaneously with most of the age’s megafauna.
Homotherium had larger canines that protruded below the jawline. However, these protrusions were less prominent than those in other saber-toothed cats. Compared to cats living now, Homotherium has tremendously shortened tails, and they were likely able to leap incredible distances.
15. Sumxu
The Sumxu, also known as the drop-eared cat, droop-eared cat, or hanging-ear cat, was a long-haired, lop-eared form of cat or cat-like creature that was now considered extinct, assuming it ever truly existed. It is possible that the sumxu was a legendary creature.
These cats were in high demand as pets, but people also used them as food. 1938 was the last year that anyone reported seeing a Chinese lop-eared cat. Some people believe the appearance is due to a mutation similar to the one detected in the Scottish Fold.
16. Dinictis
Dinictis was the genus name for a group of enormous predators known as “false saber-toothed cats.” Their genus is distinct from that of its more renowned relative, even though they lived in entirely different eras. Between 37.2 and 20.4 million years ago, the Dinictis existed. The cause of their extinction is unknown.
Dinictis was short for a huge cat, yet they had formidable jaws and claws that could only partially retract. Its canines were little, but they extended outside its mouth.
17. Trinil Tiger
A subspecies of the Trinil tiger existed between 1.2 and 1.6 million years ago. They went extinct about 50,000 years ago, possibly due to glaciation and changes in topography, both of which likely reduced the availability of their prey.
Although there are not many fossils of this animal, it shares characteristics with modern Bengal tigers even though there are few remains.
18. Giant Cheetah
The Middle Pleistocene giant cheetah lived in Europe and Asia between 781,000 and 126,000 years ago during the era known as the Middle Pleistocene. They appeared quite similar to modern cheetahs, but they were much larger.
The giant cheetahs were about the same height as a modern lion and nearly the same size (around 4 feet at the shoulder). Their size was roughly equivalent to a modern cheetah, meaning they could weigh up to approximately 220 pounds.
19. Longdan Tiger
The Longdan tiger lived between 2.1 and 2.55 million years ago, making it the oldest extinct cat breed. There is not much information regarding the species; nevertheless, the skull discovered in 2004 is the oldest and most complete representation.
20. Cave Lion
The Panthera genus, the Cave lion, is an extinct cat breed that existed 700,000 years ago. Although only a few skeletal structures remain, these are sufficient to classify the cave lion as a separate subspecies.
They shared the same brown coat and possibly lacked a mane like other Panthera Leo cave lions.
Slightly bigger than today’s lions but with a broader cranium and smaller eyes. It also lacked the modern lion’s extensive, specialized canines and instead had smaller, more general teeth.
