Telescopus, the Old World catsnakes, is a genus of 12 species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous snakes in the family Colubridae.

The genus Telescopus is characterised by having a slender slightly flattened cylindrical body and attaining a total length (including tail) of between 80–180 cm (about 2.5–6 feet).

They have medium-large eyes with vertical pupils, a typical feature of nocturnal reptiles, and have smooth dorsal scales.

The dentition of the genus is as follows; typically 10–12 maxillary teeth, with a space before a pair of grooved fangs at the rear of the mouth, approximately level with the eyes.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Telescopus.