What is the closest living relative of the puma?

The closest living relative of the puma is the jaguarundi.

The puma, or cougar (Puma concolor), and the jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) form a particularly close evolutionary pair within the cat family. Genetic studies place them together in the Puma lineage, alongside the cheetah. This makes the jaguarundi a closer relative than the leopard or jaguar, despite the familiar “jaguar” part of its name.

The jaguarundi is a small, long-bodied American wild cat with short legs, rounded ears, and a long tail. Its plain gray or reddish coat can make it look unlike the much larger puma. It is also unusually active during daylight, while pumas are often most active around dawn, dusk, or night.

A common mix-up is to assume the cheetah must be the puma’s closest relative because both are fast, powerful cats. They are indeed close relatives, but current felid taxonomy generally identifies the jaguarundi as the puma’s nearest living relative.