Meet The New Cat Species: The Tilcayo Cat

Maelle Louidor '28

Scientists have discovered a new type of wild cat called the Tilcayo Cat in Bolivia. The discovery was announced on September 17, 2026. This is exciting because it is the first new and living cat species discovered after 100 years. 

In 2016 a man found a kitten on the side of the road. He thought it was just a regular cat and took it home with him. After a year he brought the cat to Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary. 

A biologist named Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz met the cat that the man called Tigrino. It  was very small and weighed 3-4 pounds. Tigrino  had light brown fur, dark spots, round ears, and a long tail. She studied its DNA and compared it to 38 other tiger species because she originally  thought it was a northern tiger cat. But, she found it was too small and that its tail was different. So in 2026 it was confirmed that it split from its original species 1.4 million years ago. 

Scientists still don't know much about the Tilcayo Cat. They don’t know how many are living in the wild or what they eat, but they are using cameras in the forest to try and see if there’s more. 

This discovery is important because it shows that there are still animals out there to discover. It also reminds us that we should keep the forest safe so animals that we don’t know of have a place to live. 

The Tilcayo cat might be small but its discovery is a big deal. Who knows what other animals we will find next!