Animal identifier ยท Other mammals
Bassariscus astutus
Rocky canyons and foothills in the Southwest and West. Also called ringtail cat, though it is not a cat. Five-toed tracks, front print rounder, hind print longer.
What does a ringtail look like?
Cat-sized, with a huge ringed tail and a fox-like face. No mask as bold as a raccoon’s.
What do ringtail tracks look like?
A delicate five-toed print in canyon dust. Smaller and neater than raccoon, and not tied to water the way raccoon tracks are.
- Five-toed tracks, front print rounder, hind print longer
- Claws sometimes show
- Much smaller than a raccoon
- Long tail with black and white rings if seen
- Scat piles on rock ledges
What does ringtail poop look like?
Small piles on ledges, with seeds and insect parts. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Rocky canyons and foothills in the Southwest and West. Also called ringtail cat, though it is not a cat. Typical places: desert, woods. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not handle droppings
- If the animal is injured or inside a building, call a local wildlife officer
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Raccoon identification
- Gray fox identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
Is a ringtail a cat?
No. It is in the raccoon family. The track has five toes, and the tail is ringed.
How to tell a ringtail from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Raccoon. Five fingers. Gray body, black mask, ringed tail.
- Gray fox. Hard to separate from red fox by the print alone. Grizzled gray back, black-tipped tail with a dark dorsal stripe, rusty sides.
Ringtail field marks
- Five-toed tracks, front print rounder, hind print longer
- Claws sometimes show
- Much smaller than a raccoon
- Long tail with black and white rings if seen
Where the sign shows up
Rocky canyons and foothills in the Southwest and West. Also called ringtail cat, though it is not a cat. Typical places: desert, woods. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
A delicate five-toed print in canyon dust. Smaller and neater than raccoon, and not tied to water the way raccoon tracks are. Small piles on ledges, with seeds and insect parts.
Common questions
Is a ringtail a cat?
No. It is in the raccoon family. The track has five toes, and the tail is ringed.