Research overview: extinction risk and IUCN Red List assessment for felids

The IUCN Red List provides the standard framework for assessing the extinction risk of the world's cats, guiding conservation priorities and tracking changes in status over time. This overview surveys how Red List assessments are conducted for felids, applying quantitative criteria based on population size, trend, range, and threats to assign categories from Least Concern to Critically Endangered. Studies examine the data and judgment behind assessments, the challenges of evaluating poorly known species, and notable status changes, including both deteriorations and recoveries such as the Iberian lynx. Researchers discuss how Red List status influences funding, legal protection, and public attention. The overview frames Red List assessment as the central mechanism for diagnosing which cats are most imperiled and for measuring conservation progress. It matters because consistent, criteria-based risk assessment underpins global prioritization, providing the shared currency by which the urgency of different felids' situations is compared and communicated.