The sand cat (Felis margarita) is part of the genus Felis. Previously four subspecies of the sand cat were described:

• F. m. harrisoni from the Arabian Peninsula
• F. m. scheffeli from the Nushki Desert of Pakistan
• F. m. thinobia from the sand deserts of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and probably northern Iran and north-eastern Afghanistan and
• F. m. margarita from Africa.

Based on the most recent studies and evidences, only two subspecies are proposed:

• Felis margarita margarita in North Africa and
• Felis margarita thinobia in South-West Asia and the Arabian Peninsula

However, phylogeographical studies are needed to confirm this classification.

After the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) the sand cat is the second smallest member of the genus Felis. The coat of the sand cat is strikingly pallid; typically camouflaged as a sand-dwelling species its back is pale sandy-isabelline, finely speckled with black over the shoulders and with silvery grey on the upper flanks. It has a poorly differentiated spinal band and its crown is pale sandy marked with ill-defined striations. Some individuals have dark horizontal bars on the legs. The tail of the sand cat is longish with 2-8 black rings and a black tip. The belly and throat are white. The face is marked with a dark reddish-fulvous stripe form the anterior edge of each eye backwards, across the cheeks. The hair on its cheeks is white, too. It has large yellow amber, greenish to yellow-bluish eyes. The sand cat’s ears are very large, black-tipped, set widely apart and low on the sides of the broad and flattened head. The front paw of the sand cat has five digits whereas the hind paw has only four. The claws of the sand cat are not very sharp, except for the dew-claw on the thumb higher up on the wrist, due to the lack of opportunity to sharpen them in the desert and the sand cat's digging habits. The sand cat does not retract its claws completely when walking and impressions of them are often visible in its tracks. Males are on average larger and heavier than females.

In northern regions of its distribution range, the sand cat's winter coat can be very dense and may be up to 6 cm long with soft woolly underfur, making the cat appear much larger. This thick coat and the dense dark fur growing between the toes and on the foot soles, completely covering the pads, are adaptations to the extreme climate of desert environments with very hot and very cold temperatures. During the summer the daytime air temperature can reach up to 58 °C in the shade and during the night temperatures can drop to -0.5 °C. The inside of the ear is covered with thick white hair which probably has a protective function against sandstorms. The tympanic meati (passages from the external ears to the ear drums) and bullae (rounded bony capsules surrounding the middle and internal ears) are greatly enlarged (compared to the ones of other small felids) to increase hearing abilities in areas with little vegetation cover. A highly developed sense of hearing abilities is important for locating prey in arid environments where it is not only sparsely distributed but also found in underground burrows.

The sand cat is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Due to the still limited knowledge about its ecology, distribution and population size, it is difficult to assess the status of the sand cat. Despite the existence of only few records across its range, the patchiness of its distribution and the detection of some local declines, there is not sufficient evidence to assume a range wide decline of the species which would qualify it for a threatened category. The status of the sand cat is not well known. There are no reliable population estimates or trends available.The species is often described as rare and occurring at low densities. However, its nocturnal and secretive behaviour may influence this perception. Moreover, it is unknown whether this rarity is caused by threats or the product of a naturally low density. In low quality habitat  such as areas with shifting sand dunes, densities of sand cats are supposed to be very low. Sand cat numbers probably fluctuate with the peaks and dips in prey densities caused by environmental conditions.

The density of the species was estimated at 2.9 individuals per 100 km² in Israel. In Saja/Umm Ar-Rimth Protected Area, Saudi Arabia, the potential sand cat density based on the number of captured individuals was estimated at 16.66 and at 14.27 / 100 km2 in 2002 and in 2005, respectively. The total sand cat population is conservatively estimated at 27,264 mature individuals.

The distribution of the sand cat is discontinuous. In northern Africa the sand cat occurs marginally in the Western Sahara (administrated by Morocco) and was recorded in Algeria in and around Ahaggar Cultural park, the Grand Occidental, the Béni Abbès region and the Tindouf area. The sand cat was recently recorded in Niger and Chad and sighted in Mali. In southern Niger, the species was pictured during camera trapping surveys in the Termit & Tin-Toumma National Nature Reserve. In Mauritania, it was historically thought to occur in the Adrar mountains and Majabat al-Koubra. Its presence in Sudan is uncertain. There are records from the Sinai peninsula to the rocky deserts of eastern Egypt. From Egypt west of the Nile River, in Libya and in Tunisia there are no confirmed records and no specimens have been collected. It is also patchily distributed on the Arabian Peninsula, and occurs from Iran to Kazakhstan. No ecological explanation exists for the gaps in the sand cat distribution. It is not known if the gaps in its distribution range are due to a lack of surveys or reflect species absence. 

The sand cat is the only felid found primarily in true deserts. It prefers areas of sparse vegetation mixed with sandy and rocky areas, which support rodent and small bird prey. In Algeria, sand cats have been reported from areas bordering great dune expansions, large sandy wadis and in areas with alternating rocky and wide sandy valleys. In Morocco, evidence of sand cat were found in sandy areas with the perennial gras Panicum turgidum, low bushes, and Acacia Acacia trotillis ssp. and Raddiana trees. The sand cat has been recorded up to 2,000 m. 

Many aspects of the behaviour and ecology of the sand cat are still poorly known. The sand cat is a solitary species. Males and females come generally only together for mating. The sand cat is mainly nocturnal and strictly hunts in the night. However, some diurnal activity in Arabia was recorded, especially in winter when conditions were cooler. The sand cat rests in burrows during the day to seek protection from high or low air temperatures and to minimize the loss of moisture. Burrows are usually found at the base of bushes but can also be in open areas or beneath rocks. Such dens can have multiple entrances and may be used by different individuals at different times. Sand cats are good diggers and can thus create their own burrows. However, it also inhabits abandoned burrows of desert foxes (Vulpes rueppellii, Vulpes zerda) or those of rodents and desert hedgehogs which are enlarged by the sand cats. In the Moroccan Sahara, sand cats seem not to use burrows but to hide between rocks or vegetation during the day in winter. 

The sand cat is not a good climber or jumper. However, in Morocco, they were observed to rest in bird nests in acacia trees Acacia raddiana. With its exceptionally keen sense of hearing it can detect prey under the sand and dig it rapidly out. The sand cat is capable of satisfying its moisture requirements from its prey, allowing it to live far from water sources but if water is available, it readily drinks. When the sand cat leaves the den at night it usually first observes its surroundings before moving away. This behaviour is repeated when it returns to the burrow. If threatened, the sand cat crouches beside rocks or tussocks, or even on bare ground, remaining immobile and is therefore very difficult to see. It also has the tendency to close its eyes against spotting lights at night.

The home ranges of sand cats are quite large. A study done in Israel indicated that males maintain overlapping territories of about 16 km² and travelled an average nightly distance of 5.4 km. In Saudi Arabia, annual home ranges of 19.6–50.7 km² were estimated. In Morocco, home ranges were estimated at 35.3 km², 21.8 km² and 13.4 km² for two males and one female, respectively. There seems to be considerable overlap between seasonal ranges of males and females. Scent marking and vocalizations are used by both sexes to maintain social organisation. Sand cats can be predated by snakes, large owls, jackals, foxes and wolves.

Births have been reported from January-April in the Sahara. In the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected area, Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia, sand cat kittens were recorded between May and August. In captivity, births did not occur seasonally. Estrus lasts 3 days, the estrus cycle for 11–12 days and the gestation period for 59–67 days. Sexual maturity is attained at 9 to 14 months. Although the average is 3 kittens, litter size varies from 2-8. Age at independence is not known but young sand cats grow rapidly and it is assumed that they become independent relatively early at around 6–8 months. 

The Sand cat is included in Appendix II of CITES. Hunting of sand cats is prohibited in Algeria, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Niger, Tunesia and United Arab Emirates. No legal protection is in place in Egypt, Mali and Morocco.

In some areas the sand cat is treated with respect by nomads due to its role in religious stories and is thus not persecuted.

There is an urgent need for further investigation of the sand cat’s ecology, population size and trends, status, threats and distribution to enable the implementation of effective conservation measurements.