Pallas’ Cat
Otocolobus manul manul
WILD STATUS
Threatened.
DISTRIBUTION
Limited habitat ranging from the western edge of Russia and Turkey, eastward to Siberia, Mongolia and China.
SIZE
Weight 2.5-3.6 kg (5.5-8 lbs). Very similarly sized to domestic cats.
HABITAT
The Pallas’ Cat lives in deserts, steppes and treeless rocky mountainsides. They may be found as high as 3,960m (13,000 ft). Their fur provides protection from the cold, snowy winters at altitude.
REPRODUCTION
6-8 kittens are born after a 74-75 day gestation period in dens under large rocks, and in abandoned burrows.
DIET
The Pallas’ Cat is believed to eat pikas, small mammals, marmots, squirrels, hares and birds, using a hiding technique and wait silently for their prey to pass by.
INTERESTING TIDBITS
- The fur on Pallas’ Cat’s belly and tail is nearly twice as long as on the rest of it's body. Like the snow leopard, this provides insulation when the cat hunts on snow, cold rock or frozen ground.
- They are mainly active dawn and dusk, therefore, difficult to study.
- Dens are found in small caves and rock crevices. They also take refuge in the burrows of marmots, foxes and badgers.
- They are generally found at lower altitudes than snow leopards, and prefer flat, rolling steppe and south-facing areas where snow accumulations are less.
- Pallas’ Cats have a gorgeous coat, ranging in colour from a grizzled gray to a beige buff, with white tips giving it a frosted appearance. Even today, their pelts fetch a good price and they are rapidly dwindling in number. Consequently, these animals now are legally protected in Mongolia and China.
- By eating three times their usual food in the fall, they make it through the harsh winters, returning to their normal weight by springtime.
- Increasing feral cat populations are introducing disease to the Pallas’ Cat.
ANIMAL FACT SHEET
To download this page and also get a full page photo of the Pallas’ Cat click here for a PDF.
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