Habits

Although reported sightings have mainly been during daytime, it is possible that the Andean cat has mostly crepuscular or nocturnal habits and that its diurnal activity be more reduced or limited to certain periods of the year. More recently, preliminary observations of a radio-collared Andean cat indicate activity mainly at night. The crepuscular or nocturnal habits of the Andean cat are likely related with feeding habits of its main prey, the mountain vizcacha.

The results of diet studies of the Andean cat mention the predominant presence of vizcacha in the faecal samples, in addition to other smaller rodents, small birds and waterfowl. Mountain chinchillas (Chinchilla spp.) were likely previously important prey of the Andean cat, and that the hunting of these rodents for its fur, resulting in local extinctions and extirpations in most of their distributional range, has been one of the factors provoking the decline of Andean cat populations.

Biology and ecology
Very little is known about Andean cat biology; the most recent information comes from fieldwork that is currently being carried out within the four range countries, mainly to establish the presence of the species.

The Andean cat is perhaps a solitary species, but may be seen in pairs or with cubs during mating season and after births respectively. According to local people and sightings of females with young in Bolivia and Chile, we deduce that mating season is between July and December and that births are between October and April.

The period between October and March, corresponds to the spring and summer season in the southern hemisphere, and during these seasons it is common to record births for other wildlife species, likewise it is the period of major productivity of vegetation.