{
  "id": 8049817,
  "title": "Scientists name a new cat species for the first time in over a century",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/scientists-name-a-new-cat-species-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-century",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-17T15:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/animals/cats/scientists-name-a-new-cat-species-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-century"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For the first time in over a century, scientists have identified a new cat species in Bolivia. The newly discovered species, Leopardus tilcayo, is a small, spotted wild cat that inhabits the Yungas cloud forest region. The analysis also revealed a subspecies of another tiger cat species, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, which lives in Peru. This discovery comes after a long-standing debate about the cat family tree. Previously, the northern tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus) was considered a single species, but genetic analysis has now revealed that it is actually five distinct species. The newly identified L. tilcayo is smaller than a house cat and weighs between 3 to 4 pounds (1.5 to 2 kilograms), with a tail that adds another 10 inches (25 cm). The species' name, L. tilcayo, is derived from the local name for the cat.",
  "summary": "The South American tiger cat is not one species but five distinct species, a new study finds.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}