pampas cat, (Felis colocolo), small cat, family Felidae, native to South America. It is about 60 cm (24 inches) long, including the 30-centimetre tail. The coat is long-haired and grayish with brown markings which in some individuals may be indistinct. Little is known about the habits of the pampas cat. It is reported to live in thick shrubbery and to hunt birds and small animals at night.