CATS! WILD TO MILD | CAMOUFLAGE

DRESSED TO KILL

The color and pattern of its coat help the cat hide from its prey.

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Now You See Them

Believe it or not, both these cats are leopards. If you look very closely, you can see the telltale spots on the black leopard. Both leopards are camouflaged to help them hide when hunting.

The spotted coat of the leopard helps break up the animal's outline and mimics the patchy sunlight of the forest.

The black leopard's coat makes it hard to find in the shadows of the dark, humid forest that it prefers. Jaguars and a few other forest cats also have black coats.

Select this text to see what each cat would look like in the other habitat.

In which habitats are the cats better concealed?

As Good As Fingerprints

Each leopard has a unique pattern of spots on its muzzle, face, and throat. These patterns act as camouflage, hiding the cat from its prey.

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Photo composites by Jim Angus © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation.

Leopard's head sketch by Rick Roe © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation.

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