Pallas Cat

The Pallas’ cat (Otocolobus manul) is a small wildcat known for its unusual, and adorable, look: a flattened and rounded face, stocky build, and super fluffiness make it appear stout and plush. But they’re more than just pretty faces. Read on to find out what else makes the Pallas’ cat truly awesome. The Pallas’ cat also goes by the name manul. German naturalist Peter Pallas originally classified the cat as Felis manul in 1776. The word ‘manul’ has its roots in the Mongolian language. Its current scientific name, Otocolobus, comes from the Greek language and can be translated to ‘ugly-eared.’ When Pallas first described the cat, he erroneously suggested it was the ancestor of the domestic Persian breed because of its long fur, stout build, and flattened face. All that fluff creates the illusion of size. Pallas’ cats appear to be bigger and heavier than they actually are due to their stocky builds and long, dense coats. In reality, they’re about the size of domestic cats: they measure up to 26 inches in body length (with an 8-12 inch tail) and weigh only around 10 pounds. They have unusual pupils. Unlike other cats, the pupils of Pallas’ cats contract into small circles rather than vertical slits. Pallas’ cats are particular about their habitat. They live throughout central Asia, from western Iran to western China. Within this range, Pallas’ cats prefer the cold and arid environments of rocky steppes and grasslands at elevations up to about 15,000 feet.