It was a large cat-like predator which lived in North America during the Bridgerian NALMA (part of the early-middle Eocene, 50.3-46.2 Ma).

Wortman (1894, 1902) suggested that Patriofelis may have been a semiaquatic otter-like predator specialized for hunting turtles, while H.F. Osborn (1900) argued that it was an arboreal generalist with cat-like behavior.

Matthew (1909) disagreed with both ideas, as its short limbs and blunt claws would have made it more suited for hunting on the ground.

[8] They found that it had a unique interlocking spinal column which made the backbone very stiff, unlike modern carnivorans and more similar to armadillos and artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates).

Instead it was probably a terrestrial ambush predator, adapted to navigate through thick brush and grapple prey with its strong forelimbs.