Once a rather common animal in Central and South American forests and scrublands, the ocelot has been hunted to near extinction for its beautiful fur. Ocelots feed on mice and rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, hares, small deer, and sometimes poultry.
Ocelots often live in pairs, hunting together and maintaining contact by calling back and forth.
Although hand-raised ocelots can be very tame, they don't make good house pets because they have a very strong odour and both the males and females commonly spray.