All color varieties have long hair, and they have a small mane down their back. They also have a bushy tail. When the cat is frightened, the mane can erect and the tail gets more bushy, making the cat look bigger than it actually is. There is a color difference throughout hteir range. Northern subspecies have grey ears with a white spot on the back, while those living farther south have plain ears.
Bars running from the corner of the eyes to the ears is more pronounced in western subspecies.
Pampas cats eat guinea pigs, ground dwelling birds, and even poultry. The breeding period is from April to July. Nothing much else is known about their habits. They are reported to be aggressive, and not easy to tame. The pampas cat was once killed for its skins.