What wild cats are black?

No wild cat species (as a species) is black. Sometimes individual wild cats of some species are black or dark charcoal because of a genetic mutation resulting in melanism. The classic melanistic wild cat is the black jaguar called the black panther. The puma can be black too and so can the bobcat, the serval, the leopard and Geoffroy's cat. These names come out of my head. I have probably forgotten some.

Black leopard (melanistic). Pic: Pixabay.

But the point is that the answer is NONE. It is just that some individuals do end up black against the usual colour of the species concerned because of this genetic mutation.

SEE SOME BLACK PANTHER PICTURES.

Melanism affects many animals of many species, not just some wild cats. For instance melanistic leopards are quite common. They are sometimes bred in zoos. Black leopards are caused by a recessive gene. They are less fertile than normal leopards according to Sarah Hartwell, a cat genetics expert.

Black leopards in captivity may be more highly strung than normal leopards because they are bred to entertain the public and in doing that they become inbred. This affects their mental health. 

As leopards are nocturnal being black does not impede hunting but probably has the opposite effect. Melanistic leopards are also called black panthers.

Are leopards and panthers the same?

ANSWER: Yes. These days "panther" is a generic term that usually refers to "black panthers", melanistic large wildcats such as the leopard and jaguar. In the 1800s scientists had thought that there was a species of wildcat that they called the panther and which was different to the leopard. The difference was found to be due to the wide variation in the appearance of the leopard as it grows up. Young leopards look different to adult leopards. It was believed that panthers occupied Africa and leopards lived in India. They were the same cat in fact. The name of the leopard is based on an early belief that this wildcat species was a cross between the lion and the panther: leo + pard.

Are cougars and panthers the same?

The word "panthers" is usually used in the phrase "black panthers", meaning large black wild cats. The word "panther" is a generic word and not a scientific term meaning large wild cat. Whereas "cougar" is one of the many words describing the puma, which is the technically more correct word for the mountain lion. There are other names for this large wild cat.

Cougars can be black panthers. Black cougars will be melanistic cougars which are cougars that have turned black or very dark charcoal grey due to the presence of a recessive gene.

The word panther is also used to describe the jaguar or leopard especially black coated jaguars and leopards when as mentioned they are referred to as black panthers.

The generic word "panther" is never used to describe the lion or tiger.