The California kangaroo rat has large hind feet for hopping and a long tail. It is active mainly at night and eats seeds and fruit.
The back ranges from cinnamon to nearly black, while the underside is very light. The long, furred tail has a white tip.
It is mainly nocturnal and solitary. Seeds and fruit make up much of its diet, and it may cache food near its burrow.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.