A lack of knowledge hinders any assessment of the threats to Felis margarita scheffeli. However it is trapped for its skin and may be persecuted as a pest. There is uncertainty over whether land degradation is a problem or actually is a benefit to the sand cat.
The sand cat is a small felid distributed discontinuously and sporadically throughout the deserts and sand dunes of northern Africa and southwestern Asia, including the Sahara and the Arabian deserts.
Felis margarita scheffeli is considered as "Lower Risk" sub-category "near threatened" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".