When we think of cats, we usually picture furry, four-legged creatures that meow and purr. However, there are some animals and objects that resemble cats in appearance, but are definitively not felines. In this article, we will explore some of the things that look like cats at first glance, but are actually something else entirely.
Raccoons
One of the most common animals mistaken for cats are raccoons. With their bushy tails, dexterous paws, masked faces and similar size, it’s easy to see why raccoons get confused with cats. However, there are several key differences:
| Raccoons | Cats |
|---|---|
| Ringed tail | Long, thin tail |
| Black mask around eyes | No mask |
| Pointed snout | Small, rounded snout |
| Gray, brown or black fur | Many coat colors and patterns |
| Nocturnal | Crepuscular (active at dawn/dusk) |
| Omnivorous | Obligate carnivores |
The main giveaway is the raccoon’s iconic “bandit mask” which cats lack. Raccoons are also stockier, have broader heads, walk flat-footed and are not exclusively carnivorous like cats. While raccoons do vocalize, they do not meow or purr. And that ringed tail is a dead giveaway!
Foxes
Foxes share many feline attributes like sensitive whiskers, slit-shaped pupils, retractable claws and excellent hearing and vision. Some fox species, like fennec foxes, also have large pointed ears similar to a cat.
But foxes have flatter skulls, pointed snouts, triangular faces and long bushy tails very unlike a cat’s anatomy. Fox fur also lacks the tabby striping, spotting and other distinctive patterns seen in cats. While foxes are quiet and stealthy hunters, they bark, screech and make other sounds – but never meow or purr like a feline.
Skunks
Let’s be honest – at first glance, black and white skunks look a lot like a tuxedo cat! Their fur pattern, cat-like ears, bushy tail and similar size make skunks easy to mix up with cats. However, skunks are not felines.
| Skunks | Cats |
|---|---|
| Black and white coloration | Many coat colors and patterns |
| Release foul odor as defense | Do not spray odor |
| Omnivorous | Obligate carnivores |
| Short legs, waddle when they walk | Long, graceful legs |
| Small eyes and ears | Large, upright ears |
Skunks also have a distinctly cone-shaped head, small eyes and ears, shorter legs, and lumbering gait. Domestic cats are exclusively carnivores while skunks have an omnivorous diet. But the biggest giveaway is that striped “kitty cat” is likely to unleash a nasty stink if provoked!
Ocelots
Ocelots are small wild cats native to South America. With their tawny fur and dark spots and stripes, they strongly resemble domestic tabby cats, albeit on a larger scale. However, ocelots are not domesticated pets.
| Ocelots | Cats |
|---|---|
| Wild animal | Domesticated pet |
| Much larger in size | Smaller in size |
| Live in jungles | Found worldwide in many habitats |
| Endangered species | Extremely abundant population |
While ocelots look very “cat-like,” they are wild felines that can weigh up to 35 pounds and live exclusively in South American rainforests. In contrast, domestic tabby cats usually weigh only 8-12 pounds and have been bred to live closely with humans. Ocelots are also an endangered species while domestic cats number in the billions globally.
Red pandas
With their elongated bodies, fluffy tails and pointed ears, red pandas seem like they should be close relatives to cats. However, red pandas are actually more closely related to raccoons and are in their own separate taxonomic family.
| Red pandas | Cats |
|---|---|
| Reddish-brown fur | Many coat colors and patterns |
| Black legs | Fur color uniform |
| Herbivorous/bamboo diet | Obligate carnivores |
| Live in mountain forests | Found in many habitats globally |
| Endangered | Abundant population |
While their coats and ears may seem cat-like, red pandas are actually very distinct. They have fuzzy red fur, black legs, round teddy bear-like faces, and primarily eat bamboo. They live exclusively in mountain forests in Asia while domestic cats are found worldwide. Red pandas are also endangered, unlike domestic cats.
Maine Coon cats
The Maine Coon is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds. With their large stature, thick fluffy coats and lynx-like ear tufts, Maine Coons resemble wild bobcats and lynxes. But despite their wild appearance, they are 100% domestic felines.
| Maine Coons | Lynx/Bobcats |
|---|---|
| Domesticated house cat breed | Wild cats |
| Friendly, social temperament | Solitary and reclusive |
| Live worldwide as pets | Live only in natural habitats |
| Coat colors vary | Beige or grayish coats |
| Do not have black ear tips | Signature black ear tips |
While Maine Coon cats may resemble lynxes and bobcats, they have distinct tabby markings, lack black ear tips, and have been selectively bred as pets for hundreds of years. They live happily as human companions while wild lynxes and bobcats avoid human contact.
Toyger cats
The Toyger is a designer cat breed deliberately bred to resemble a mini tiger. With their vivid black stripes and whitish coat, it’s easy to mistake these cats for tiny tigers. But Toygers are standard house cats in every way other than coat pattern.
| Toygers | Tigers |
|---|---|
| Domesticated house cat | Wild animal |
| Weigh 10-15 pounds | Weigh up to 660 pounds |
| Live indoors | Live in the wilderness |
| Friendly, playful temperament | Ferocious predator |
| Can’t roar | Characteristic tiger roar |
Toyger cats are genetically identical to other domestic cats except for breeding for striped fur. They only weigh 10-15 pounds while tigers can weigh over 600 pounds. Toygers live as pampered house pets while tigers are apex predators that live in the wild.
Plush toys
Stuffed animals and plush toys in “cat” form are obviously not real felines. However, with their soft furry fabrics and cute appearance, some cat plushies look incredibly realistic. Brands like Gund and Aurora make high-quality plush cats that seem real at a glance.
However, plush cat toys are inanimate objects made from fabrics like polyester fibers, not living creatures. Key differences:
| Plush cats | Real cats |
|---|---|
| Inanimate object | Living animal |
| Artificial synthetic fur | Real fur |
| Glass/plastic eyes | Organic eyes |
| Stuffed with polyester | Complex anatomy |
| Do not move or make sounds | Move, vocalize and show behavior |
While a realistic plush cat may look lifelike, it lacks biological processes like respiration, circulation, digestion, etc. Real cats move, vocalize, play, hunt, eat and sleep. A toy cat, no matter how soft, is visibly inanimate.
Catlike robots
Some robotics companies now produce remarkably lifelike cat robots using technologies like artificial intelligence and servo motors. For example, Hasbro’s “Catio” and Sega Toys’ “Yumemi Otomochi” were designed to simulate real kittens.
These robots mimic cats by:
| Robot cats | Real cats |
|---|---|
| – Moving and walking | – Moving/walking |
| – Artificial fur | – Real fur |
| – Meowing sounds | – Meowing sounds |
| – Light sensors as “eyes” | – Organic eyes |
| – Battery-powered | – Biological processes |
| – Programmed brains | – Organic brains |
However, robot cats still have significant differences from actual cats, most notably their artificial intelligence “brains” and lack of biological processes. No matter how realistic robot cats behave, they run on electricity and lines of code, not a living metabolism.
Conclusion
While various animals, objects and robots may resemble felines, cats are a unique species. Raccoons, foxes, skunks, red pandas and wild felines like ocelots have their own distinct attributes that set them apart. Toyger cats, plush cat toys and robots mimic domestic cats but are human-made replicas, not living creatures.
So next time you see a furry creature slinking through the grass or napping in a sunbeam, look closely before deciding if it’s a real feline or merely something that shares superficial characteristics with a cat! Proper identification is about more than appearances.