The lack of knowledge is a problem in identifying threats to Catopuma badia. Probably deforestation is its principle threat. There is a demand for its collection or skin due to its rarity.
The Bornean Bay cat is the mystery cat of the family. Its description rests on just a few skins and skulls, most collected in the late 1880s, scattered in several museums around the world. Tissue and blood samples for genetic analysis were acquired only in late 1992, when a female captured by trappers on the Sarawak-Indonesian border was brought to the Sarawak museum on the point of death. The cat weighed 1.95 kg, but was estimated to have weighed between 3-4 kg when healthy.
Catopuma badia is found only on the island of Borneo. Collection and sighting records with fairly precise locations, are all from the highlands, and most are near rivers, although the latter may reflect a collecting bias.
The bay cat has long been considered rare and possibly endangered. Trappers who captured a bay cat in 1992 were apparently aware of its rarity and value to animal dealers.
Catopuma badia is considered "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".