Coyotes are often seen roaming landscapes across North America. Their appearance and behaviors can sometimes evoke comparisons to both domestic cats and dogs, leading to confusion about their true classification. Understanding where coyotes fit in the animal kingdom requires looking at their scientific lineage and distinct characteristics.
Coyote’s True Classification
Coyotes, scientifically known as Canis latrans, are members of the Canidae family. This family includes a diverse group of carnivorous mammals, such as domestic dogs, wolves, and foxes. Their classification within Canidae firmly places them in the “dog” family, rather than the “cat” family, known as Felidae. The scientific name Canis latrans translates to “barking dog,” highlighting their canine nature.
Why Coyotes Are Not Cats
Coyotes and cats belong to entirely separate biological families, Canidae and Felidae. This distinction means they possess fundamental differences in their physical makeup, behaviors, and evolutionary paths. Cats have retractable claws for hunting or climbing, while coyotes, like other canids, have non-retractable claws. Their paw pads also differ, with cat pads being soft and cushioned for stealth, while coyote pads are tougher and designed for endurance.
Hunting strategies also highlight this divergence. Coyotes primarily hunt by pursuing prey, sometimes alone or in pairs, or in larger groups for bigger animals. Cats, conversely, are typically solitary ambush predators, relying on stealth and a sudden pounce. Vocalizations also vary significantly; coyotes are known for a wide range of barks, yips, and howls used for communication over distances and within their social structures. Cats, in contrast, communicate through purrs, meows, hisses, and growls. These distinctions demonstrate that despite both being predators, coyotes are not biologically related to cats.
Coyotes and Dogs: Similarities and Distinctions
Coyotes and domestic dogs share a close biological relationship, both belonging to the genus Canis within the Canidae family. This shared ancestry accounts for many similarities, including a similar skeletal structure and an omnivorous diet. Coyotes rely more heavily on meat, consuming small mammals, birds, and insects, and also scavenging. They also share social behaviors, with coyotes living in family groups and communicating through vocalizations like howls and yips. The ability of coyotes and dogs to interbreed, sometimes resulting in “coydogs,” further illustrates their genetic closeness.
Despite these similarities, coyotes and domestic dogs are distinct species. Coyotes typically have a more slender build, longer muzzles, and more pointed snouts, with a bushy tail that often hangs low. Their fur commonly ranges from grizzled gray to reddish-brown, with less color variation than domestic dogs. Coyotes generally weigh between 25 to 40 pounds and stand 18–23 inches tall at the shoulder, while domestic dogs exhibit a much wider range of sizes and appearances due to selective breeding.
Behaviorally, coyotes are wild animals, characterized by natural wariness towards humans and strong territorial instincts. They are known for their cunning and independence, often hunting alone or in pairs, though they may form temporary larger groups for hunting bigger prey. Domestic dogs, conversely, have been domesticated over thousands of years, leading to their social, cooperative nature and responsiveness to human interaction. Genetic differences confirm their status as distinct species, as coyotes evolved through natural selection in the wild, unlike dogs which were shaped by human intervention.