The first new wild cat species in a century reached science as a roadside kitten. No one knows how many live in the wild.
Leopardus tilcayo, a spotted cat smaller than a house cat, was identified through genome analysis of an animal living in a Bolivian sanctuary since 2017. Local people already had a name for it.
Published
Last updated
Sources 4 (0 primary or official)
The signal
A study published September 17, 2026 in Current Biology describes Leopardus tilcayo, a small spotted cat from Bolivia's Yungas cloud forest, as a new species. It is the first new cat species described since the pampas cat in 1923, according to National Geographic.
What we know
- A man found the animal as a kitten on a road near a forest and kept it, believing it was a domestic cat. After about a year he gave it to the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary, where biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz first examined it in 2017.
- She initially assumed it was an oncilla, a known tiger cat species. In 2019 she noticed its rosettes were much larger than in reference photos, and later genome work showed it was distinct.
- The researchers compared complete genomes from 38 cats across the genus. They found the new species split from other tiger cats about 1.4 million years ago.
- The name comes from what local people call the cat. Asked why, residents told the researcher their grandparents had called it tilcayo. The word has no known meaning in Spanish or Quechua.
- The sanctuary animal, a male about 10 years old, is the only known individual in captivity.
What we don't know
- How many tilcayos live in the wild. National Geographic reports that scientists are unsure.
- Basic facts about its life: what it eats, what eats it, and how it reproduces. The lead researcher told National Geographic that "so many basic things are not known."
- Its exact size. Outlets report different weights, from about 3 pounds (National Geographic) to roughly 5 pounds (The Washington Post).
Why Spider noticed
Coverage led with "first new cat in 100 years." The quieter detail is how thin the scientific record still is: a species formally described through one rescued animal, a range defined by one forest type, and a name scientists borrowed from people who knew the cat all along.
Editorial judgment, not a finding.
Why it matters
A species' conservation status depends on knowing its range and numbers. If one widespread species turns out to be several, as the authors argue for tiger cats, each smaller population has to be assessed on its own, and some may need protection that the combined species never did.
Source trail
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Peer-reviewed research
Current Biology paper describing Leopardus tilcayo
Current Biology (Cell Press), September 17, 2026
The peer-reviewed study. Spider has relied on reporting about it; add the paper's exact title on review.
Accessed October 4, 2026
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Major reporting
Meet the First New Cat Species Discovered in 100 Years
National Geographic, September 17, 2026
How the cat was found, the naming story, the genomic findings and the open questions. National Geographic funds the lead researcher's work.
Accessed October 4, 2026
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Major reporting
New cat species discovered in Bolivia for first time in over 100 years
The Washington Post, September 17, 2026
Independent coverage of the study.
Accessed October 4, 2026
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Major reporting
New Bolivian cat claws its way into species list
Al Jazeera, September 18, 2026
Independent coverage, including the sanctuary details.
Accessed October 4, 2026
Status and update trail
Current status: DOCUMENTED Supported by an authentic primary document or record, though interpretation may remain open.
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DOCUMENTED
Published as DOCUMENTED. (Current Biology (Cell Press), National Geographic)
Spider never silently rewrites a story. Every change in status is dated and kept here. See all updates.