Manul wild steppe cat. Lifestyle and nutrition of Pallas's cat. Character and behavior of the cat

This wild cat is known for its extreme unsociability - the Pallas' cat cannot be tamed, living next to a person for many years. Even Pallas cat kittens born in captivity never become tame.

Description of Pallas's cat

It was discovered and introduced to the world by the German naturalist Peter Palass, who discovered the predator in 1776 near the Caspian Sea, thanks to which the animal received its second name – Pallas’s cat. Of the two scientific names Felis manul and Otocolobus manul, the second one is puzzling, meaning “ugly ear” in Greek (otos - ear, and kolobos - ugly).

Appearance

Manul is recognized as the smallest wild cat living in the post-Soviet space. With its half-meter length and weight of 2–5 kg, it would resemble an ordinary cat, if not for its characteristic harsh appearance and lush fur, which gives it excessive massiveness. In general, the Pallas' cat seems very dense: the impression is complemented by short, thick limbs and a voluminous, not particularly long (23–31 cm) tail. The claws on the paws are strongly curved.

According to one hypothesis, the Pallas cat is closely related to Persian cats, which have the same rounded outlines, fluffy hair and an unusual (flattened) head shape. On its sides are wide ears with sideburns of long hair running to the sides.

Pallas's cat has not 30 (like most cats), but 28 teeth, where the fangs are three times longer than those of a domestic cat. The eyes are equipped with developed nictitating membranes: they act as a third eyelid, protecting the cornea from drying out and injury. The Pallas's cat is famous for the wary gaze of its large yellow-green eyes, under which there are 2 black stripes stretched across the cheeks. One ends at the base of the ear, the second - on the neck (under the ear).

This is interesting! The fantastic fluffiness of the Pallas's cat, compared to other cats, is explained by both the height of the hair (7 cm) and the density of its germination - 9 thousand per 1 sq. cm.

Pallas' cats vary slightly in size and color, depending on the subspecies (one of three) and habitat:

• Otocolobus manul manul – has a typical color (lives in most of its range, but is more common in Mongolia and western China);
• Otocolobus manul ferruginea - distinguished by a red-ocher color, with noticeable reddish stripes (lives in Uzbekistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan);
• Otocolobus manul nigripecta - shows a grayish color, acquiring a silver-gray hue in winter (inhabits Kashmir, Tibet and Nepal).

The standard winter color is formed by light gray and fawn-ocher shades, where gray hair has white endings. The limbs and belly are more red than the back, across which there are 6–7 black stripes running down to the sides. The tail is also ringed with several (up to 7) transverse lines and ends with a black tip.

Character and lifestyle

Manul, like many cats, lives separately and sedentary, without resorting to prolonged migrations. The male “owns” hunting grounds with an area of ​​up to 4 square meters. km., where it sets up a den, choosing secluded places between stones or in crevices. It often occupies the burrows of marmots (tarbagans) and foxes, or digs its own, in remote ravines and under cliffs. It rests in the den for part of the night, devoting the dark time of day to hunting.

More often it appears after sunset, early in the morning or during the day if it happens in the summer. In search of food, the Pallas's cat moves no further than 0.1–1 km from the den, inspecting the nearest fields, steppe and rocks. The method of movement resembles that of a fox, in a straight line and track after track, but with a different interval between round tracks (12–15 cm).

This is interesting! The Pallas' cat's arsenal of sound signals includes a sharp snort and a hoarse rumbling. Pallas's cat, unlike other cats, cannot hiss at all.

The predator does not tolerate intrusion into personal space - in this case it becomes extremely aggressive and uses sharp long fangs.

How long do Pallas' cat live?

According to rough estimates, in the wild the Pallas's cat does not always live to be 11–12 years old, but has a chance of living longer if it gets into a zoological park. Thus, in the Moscow Zoo, one of the Pallas cats lived to be 18 years old. In addition, the Pallas's cat was the symbol of the capital's zoo from 1987 to 2014, and the image of the cat was on the main entrance. But the history of the species in the zoo began much earlier, in 1949, when the first Pallas' cat appeared here.

Already in 1957, animals began to be exhibited constantly, and since 1975, predators began to reproduce regularly. Since that moment, over 140 kittens were born at the zoo, not all of which survived to adulthood, but it was the “Moscow” Pallas’ cat that joined the collections of American and European zoos. The Moscow Zoo is considered the leader in the number of Pallas' cat births, despite the difficulties of reproduction and keeping them in captivity.

Important! When the habitat changes, the manul experiences serious stress, which affects the immune system and overall health. Many individuals, finding themselves in an unfamiliar environment, die due to deadly infections.

It’s too early to talk about stable reproduction of Pallas’ cats in zoos, although some of them have far from the first generation of predators born in captivity. There are brave souls who try to keep Pallas's cat in private houses and apartments, deceived by its external resemblance to a cat. But there are too many factors that make home confinement impossible:

• intolerance to high temperatures (thick wool is designed for severe frosts, down to minus 50 degrees);
• refusal of unfamiliar food;
• a sharp decrease in immunity and susceptibility to disease.

And most importantly, the manul is stubborn and self-sufficient. He will never turn into a tame and will not contact people even after many years.

Range, habitats

Pallas's cat is quite widespread - in Central and Central Asia, in the south of Siberia (from the coast of the Caspian Sea to Transbaikalia). Pallas's cat inhabits Transcaucasia, Mongolia, Western China and Tibet, as well as Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Important! In recent years, the habitat of the Pallas's cat, almost completely exterminated in the open steppes, has become fragmented, turning into isolated zones.

In our country there are three such zones (eastern, Transbaikal and Tuva-Altai), and it is allowed that there is no gap between the second and third:

• eastern - the steppes of the Chita region (between Shilka and Argun) to Onon in the west;
• Transbaikal - within the boundaries of the forest-steppe and steppe regions of Buryatia (Dzhidinsky, Selenginsky and Ivolginsky) to the latitude of Ulan-Ude;
• Tuva-Altai - extreme southeast of Tyva and Altai.

The Pallas's cat looks for rocky outcrops and wide areas with bushes where it could hide during the day, which is why it is attached to certain landscapes - small hills, mountains (with adjacent plains) and mountain ridges, foothills and spurs of ridges. Wherever the Pallas's cat lives, there is a sharply continental climate with extremely low winter temperatures (down to -50° C) and shallow snow.

Diet of Pallas's cat

The Pallas cat's menu does not amaze with its variety - it consists of small rodents and occasionally small birds. The plowing of steppes for agricultural land (in terms of preying on livestock) looks twofold: on the one hand, rodents try to leave these places, on the other hand, they begin to accumulate near livestock camps and are more quickly discovered by Pallas’ cat.

Reproduction and offspring

Pallas's cat breeds once a year. The rut occurs between February and March. The male's mating call resembles a cross between a quiet bark and an owl's cry. Estrus in females does not last long, approximately 42 hours. When the rut begins, several partners show interest in the female, who is ready to mate, and periodically start violent fights. Pregnancy lasts from 66 to 75 days (average 60), and spotted kittens are born in April - May or late May - June. A litter usually contains 3–5 blind young, but there may be one or seven.

Each newborn weighs from 0.3 to 0.4 kg and is about 12 cm long. Kittens open their eyes after 10–12 days and change their fur at 2 months of age, when they already weigh 0.5–0.6 kg. Upon reaching 3–4 months, the young begin to hunt. Not all young Pallas' cats survive to reproductive age, which occurs at 10 months. Many kittens die in infancy from acute infectious diseases.

I'm starting a series of posts about WILD CATS. It turned out to be a discovery for me that there are quite a lot of them. I decided not to go into detail in one post, but to show them to you in detail.

Would you ever like to travel back in time and see what animals were like millions of years ago? In the case of cats, this does not need to be done, since there is a Manul - approximately 12 million years ago it was one of the first varieties of those cats from which modern cats originated. According to research by scientists, Pallas' cats have remained virtually unchanged since then. There was another variety, the Martelli cat, but it has completely disappeared. Manul is a unique animal that opens a window into the past of modern cats

The Pallas cat is the only wild cat similar in size to domestic cats. It may appear somewhat large just because of its very thick fur. Despite the fact that he looks somewhat awkward, he is very graceful, agile and fast. He has all the features inherent in the cat family, he survives well in natural conditions and can fend for himself in the fight against other predators

The main reason for the Pallas's survival over millions of years was its isolation. It lives in the wilderness of the Asian steppes, at altitudes up to 4 kilometers. The Pallas's cat lives in India, Pakistan, western China and Mongolia, as well as in Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Recently, this cat was also discovered in the wilds of Sayan Siberia. In these places it prefers rocky areas. semi-desert and barren mountain slopes. In other words, these are the places where there is the least likelihood of meeting your enemy. I think it won’t be difficult for you to guess that at this stage his main enemy is a person

Currently, three subspecies of Pallas's cat are known: the nominal, or Siberian, living in the northern part of the range and characterized by a generally gray fur color; Central Asian, distinguished by red fur (characteristic of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and the North); Tibetan, which is characterized by a darker color of fur with the presence of black stripes on the body and tail and brighter spots on the head (lives in Northern Pakistan, Northern India, Tibet, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan).

The Pallas cat, in general, is a small cat weighing from 2 to 5 kg and a body length of up to 65 cm - almost like a domestic cat, the fluffy wide tail is only 23-30 cm long. In general, it looks like a regular cat, but with a dense body on short thick legs and very thick light gray fur. The Pallas's cat is the fluffiest among all representatives of the cat family - there are up to 9,000 hairs per 1 square cm of its back. Each hair has a white tip, making the fur appear as if sprinkled with snow. The length of the hair of the Pallas's fur reaches 7cm. The color alternates between light gray and fawn-red tones, there are thin black stripes on the tail, on the back of the body and on the muzzle. On the Pallas's forehead there are specks of dark color, and the tip of the handsome man's tail is painted black.
Pallas's cat has large yellow eyes - fast, mobile, lively. Unlike domestic cats, the pupils are round and not vertical, like, for example, a tiger's. Pallas's cat has very good eyesight and hearing, but his sense of smell is less developed.

The manul itself is the slowest and clumsiest of all wild cats; it cannot run fast. Manul leads a sedentary and solitary lifestyle. Each animal lives in a separate, strictly defined territory, from which it immediately expels a neighbor who accidentally wanders there. It goes out hunting early in the morning and at night, during the day it hides and sleeps in burrows or crevices. Its main food is rodents, but it can catch a hare or a small gopher, a bird. In the summer it catches insects. The Pallas's cat gives birth once a year; there are from two to six cubs in a litter. The mating season falls, as it should be for cats, in February - March. “March cats” start fights for cats, but dads do not take part in raising kittens. The mother cat carefully looks after the children, licks them, warms them and feeds them with milk. But if the mother is angry, she bites the kittens. At the age of 3 months, kittens go out for their first hunt. In the wild, the Pallas's cat lives 10 - 12 years.

Everywhere, not excluding protected areas, the Pallas' cat is rare or extremely rare, and in some places it is on the verge of extinction. It is difficult to determine the exact number of this animal due to the secretive behavior of the Pallas's cat and the patchwork nature of its distribution. Pallas' cat breeds quite successfully in captivity, although zoos are faced with the problem of high mortality among Pallas' cat cubs from toxoplasmosis. Pallas' cats do not suffer from toxoplasmosis in the wild; they become infected from domestic cats in captivity.

The main threats to the Pallas's cat are habitat destruction, including as a result of grazing and mining; poaching; herding and wild dogs. Despite the prohibitions, the unworthy trade in mittens and even fur coats made from the fur of this rare animal continues.

Pallas's cat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the IUCN Red List and Appendix II of the CITES Convention (1995). The IUCN Red List (which replaced the international IUCN Red List) lists the status of the Pallas's cat as "nearly endangered"

In 2010, at the conference of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA), the international comprehensive research and production program “Study, conservation and reproduction of Pallas’s cat” was reviewed and approved.

The program is designed for 10 years. During the program, researchers plan to develop a technology for keeping and breeding Pallas's cat in artificially created conditions, create a stably breeding and genetically complete captive population of Pallas's cat in artificially created conditions, obtain the most complete information about the biology of this species both in captivity and in natural conditions, and promote conservation Pallas's cat in nature.
In addition to the main implementers of the program - the Moscow Zoo and a number of zoos that have Pallas's cats in their collections and wished to join the program - the co-executors of the program are the Siberian Ecological Center (Program for the Study and Conservation of Pallas's Cats), the Laboratory of Protozoal Infections of the State Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after. N.F. Gamaleya RAMS and State Natural Reserve "Daursky Reserve" (Trans-Baikal Territory).

Manul, like other cats, prefers solitude. The female and male meet briefly during the rutting season. Only the female is involved in raising the born cubs. The size of an individual plot is not clear; data on this is only indirect and fragmentary. For example, it is noted that during a hunt, the Pallas cat can move 0.1-1 km away from its den in the stones, visiting the nearest areas of the steppe, as well as fields, deposits and rocks. During the breeding season, several males follow a female in estrus, and fierce fights between them are common.

Pallas's cat feeds mainly on pikas and rodents: gerbils, voles, ground squirrels, hamsters, as well as partridges and chukars. Sometimes it catches young marmots, tolai hares, as well as small birds nesting or feeding on the ground. Catches its prey by hiding or guarding it near stones and holes. It can reach rodents with its paw from shallow burrows. A significant portion of the Pallas's diet consists of insects.

In zoos around the world, Pallas's cats are rare inhabitants. Despite the apparent simplicity of their maintenance, not a single zoo has managed to achieve stable and regular reproduction.

Pallas' cats first appeared at the Moscow Zoo in 1957, and since 1987 the image of a Pallas's cat has become its emblem, but it is very difficult to see it at the exhibition: this secretive cat comes out for a walk only at dusk, when visitors leave the zoo. A small enclosure of the Pallas's cat is located between the enclosures of the lynx and the Far Eastern leopard. Currently, the Pallas's cat is not on display - the enclosure is under reconstruction. Possessing unusually thick, warm fur, the animals feel great living all year round in outdoor enclosures. Tree trunks are placed in the cages, and Pallas' cats, which in nature move only on the ground, willingly climb on them and even climb up the bars to the ceiling of the cage, just like monkeys. Wooden houses are placed as a den for them, where a warm bedding of hay is placed in winter. In zoos, Pallas' cats also eat meat, but the best food for them is whole carcasses of rodents and quails, which are specially bred for this purpose. Pallas' cats have an interesting feature: in the fall, in October - November, their appetite increases. The animals eat one and a half times more than usual and rapidly gain weight - the weight of adult males at this time can reach 10 kg. But in December - January, the appetite worsens, and sometimes Pallas' cats even eat every other day.

The mating season for Pallas' cats in captivity occurs, as in nature, in February - March. At the age of one month, the cubs begin to leave the nest and try to eat adult food. By six months they reach the size of adult animals; at the age of one year, females can already reproduce.

Pallas' cats are stenotopic animals, i.e. living only in places with a certain landscape and climate. The fact that they find themselves torn out of their familiar environment weakens their immunity, and besides, the diseases that Pallas' cats suffer from are still poorly understood. Raising baby kittens in a zoo is not easy, even if the mother takes good care of them. Kittens often get sick and die. To protect them, from six weeks of age to three months, they are vaccinated against infectious feline diseases every two weeks, and then vaccinated annually throughout their lives. Female Pallas' cats are very nervous and restless mothers; if they feel that the cubs are in danger, they try to move and hide the kittens. In search of better shelter, they can run for a long time with the cub in their teeth and thus unwittingly can destroy it.

Adult Pallas' cats are also not easy patients for veterinarians. They get sick very secretly, not showing symptoms of the disease until it is too late. Often the well-being of an animal must be judged by the expression of its eyes and subtle nuances of behavior. Treating Pallas's cats is also not easy; to carry out veterinary measures, they have to be caught with a special net and firmly fixed. These small cats desperately defend themselves and with their claws and long sharp teeth are capable of inflicting serious wounds. But even among Pallas’ cat there are exceptions. In our zoo there lived a Pallas’ cat named Sultan. He was caught in the wild young and lived in the zoo for a very long time. Already at an advanced age, he injured his neck, and the wound did not heal for a long time. When they came to him for treatment, he stood up on his hind legs, leaned on the edge of the house with his front legs and exposed his neck to treat the wound.

It is very difficult to raise baby cats that, for whatever reason, have been left without a mother. One day, one of the female Pallas' cats kept in our zoo had to undergo a caesarean section. After the operation, the female could not take care of the children herself, and we ended up with two eighty-gram kittens in our arms. They immediately began searching through all their friends and acquaintances for a recently lambed domestic cat. The cat was found, and its owners, although they were very worried, agreed to lend us their pet and her six kittens for a while. The Siamese cat turned out to be an excellent mother and raised the kittens along with the kittens, without making any differences between them. But the kittens, despite the fact that they were often picked up and weighed every day, remained savages. While their half-brothers and sisters ran to the person and willingly played, the kittens tried to hide, huddling in shelters. When the time came to accustom the cats to meat, the first thing the little savage did when he smelled the meat was to grab his finger, which had pieces of minced meat, with his tiny teeth and bite it until it bled.

Pallas' cats are not tamed and, even after living for many years in the zoo, they do not make contact with people. But one day they brought us to the zoo a young female Pallas's cat, who was caught as a baby and raised in a Moscow apartment. The owners did not have to enjoy the company of the charming cat for long; she quickly became uncontrollable, attacked family members, and they had to give her to the zoo. The little predator, while remaining a predator, lost his fear of people. She perceived any appearance of a servant in the cage as an attack on her territory and attacked, trying to get to the person who entered, so it took two people to service this four-kilogram cat. One drove the aggressor into a corner and pinned her there with something, and the second hurriedly cleaned the cage and put in food. And although such aggressive behavior is not typical for Pallas cats, these unusually beautiful cats are not suitable to be pets.

Recently, interest in Pallas' cats in zoos has increased, and new research and observation methods have emerged. Much attention is paid to the study of their diseases. Perhaps soon we will learn a lot of new things about the life of these secretive animals, and keeping and breeding them in zoos will no longer be a problem. New knowledge will help protect Pallas' cats in their habitats, and the creation of a stable breeding population in captivity will reduce their removal from the wild.

Manul is a predatory mammal of the cat family. The history of the origin of the wild cat goes back to ancient times. This unique animal continues its genus for 12 million years. The peculiarity of Pallas' cats is that for such a long time they have not changed at all.

Pallas's cat is another name for Pallas cat, which was given in honor of Peter Simon Pallas, a famous naturalist. The scientist met and described this cat back in the 18th century in the Caspian steppes.

Appearance

The wild steppe cat Pallas bears a great resemblance to a large domestic cat. Its appearance and appearance are reminiscent of the Persian cat breed. Brief description of the appearance of the Manul cat:

• The body length is from 50 to 65 cm.
• The tail is from 21 to 31 cm long. The end has a rounded shape.
• Weight from 2 to 5 kg.
• The head size is small, and the muzzle has a wide and flattened shape.
• Small rounded ears are located at a great distance from each other.
• The eyes are yellow in color and have a characteristic feature - they remain round in bright light. While in a domestic cat, the pupils take on a vertical shape.
• The paws are short and massive, equipped with sharp claws.

Externally, the Pallas's cat looks much larger and heavier than a domestic cat due to its thick and long hair. The fur of this animal is so thick that about 9 thousand fibers grow on one square centimeter, and the length sometimes reaches 7 centimeters. There is a white color at the ends of the villi, which gives the fur a silvery tint. He has excellent vision and hearing, which cannot be said about his sense of smell.

The coat color of these animals can be either light gray or fawn-red (depending on their habitat). The back of the body and tail are painted with black stripes. There are also black stripes on the sides of the muzzle, and the forehead is marked with black specks. The lower part of the body is brown with a white coating.

Habitat of the Pallas's cat

These wild cats are found in the steppes of Central and Central Asia, Mongolia, Western China, India and parts of Siberia. Habitats are steppes, foothills, mountains and small hills, where a sharply continental climate with cold winters is typical. In the mountains, Pallas's cat is capable of climbing to heights of up to 4500 meters above sea level.

Pallas' cats are divided into three main subspecies:

• regular or Siberian (forest);
• Tibetan (cave);
• Central Asian (steppe).

Wild steppe cats - lifestyle, character, possibility of taming

Lifestyle and character

The character of the Pallas's cat is not simple. He is secretive and cautious, prefers a solitary lifestyle. Of all the wild cats, he is the slowest, slowest and unadapted to sudden and fast movements.

Pallas's cat is a predator, and therefore night is its element. During the daytime, he prefers to sleep, and at night, in the pitch darkness, he begins to hunt small rodents. Due to its clumsiness and slowness, the Pallas' cat has to set up ambushes near their burrows. The color of this wild cat has a camouflage quality and helps in hunting. It feeds mainly on mouse-like rodents and pikas, occasionally on gophers and hares.

He hides from enemies in holes and gorges or climbs onto rocks. It makes its den in small caves, rock crevices or in old fox and badger holes. When irritated, it can make sharp sounds similar to the cries of an owl.

Have you ever heard of Pallas's cat? Its amazing name comes not from the floor covering, but from the name of the discoverer of this cat, the naturalist Pallas. The second and more popular name of this wild cat is Manul. It is a close relative of the jungle and wild steppe cats.

The manul is very similar to our pet in both size and habits. Its weight is not that big - up to 5 kg, and its dimensions are actually not very large - on average 60 cm. The only difference from a domestic cat is its thick and rather long hair. Nature added white pigment to the tip of each hair, and it seems that the Pallas’s cat is dusted with snow. It is this coloring that adds visual volume to it. In general, Pallas's wool is very amazing and unique. It is considered to be the thickest of all cats.

The Pallas's cat is famous for its fur coat, which literally envelops its body. The Pallas' cat's ears are already quite modest in size, located on a small head, and are practically invisible against the background of his luxurious fur. Representatives of this breed wear sideburns, which gives their appearance a little mystery and uniqueness. Males are slightly larger than females, but this difference is almost invisible. The pupils of the Pallas's cat, unlike those of the domestic cat, do not lengthen if you shine a light on them in the dark, but always remain round. The coat color varies from light gray to light brown, and almost always has small round spots running from the forehead to the tail. Pallas's tail is relatively short

Natural habitat is steppes and semi-deserts. Pallas' cats are found from Asia to Iran, as well as in Mongolia and some regions of China. Where there is room for small rocks and low-growing bushes, there is room for the steppe cat. The Pallas's cat is a nocturnal animal, prefers to sleep alone all day, comfortably settling in an abandoned badger or fox hole. They hunt only at night. Despite their close relationship with cats, they are quite slow and lazy. They get tired very quickly and do not like to jump, unlike a domestic cat. Even less often they make a voice; the maximum that these animals are capable of is either a snort or a hoarse rumbling. They try to stay away from people and populated areas.

Manul is an excellent hunter. Careful and patient. He is able to track down and kill game similar in weight to his own body, for example, a hare or a marmot. But more often these are small animals, such as mice or a small bird. For hunting in winter, they choose open areas where there is little snow, because because of their luxurious fur coat they get stuck in the snow.

Pallas' cats, despite their natural longevity, reproduce only once a year. Their mating season is quite modest and quiet, compared to the screams of domestic cats. The cat wedding occurs from late February to early March. And after 2 months, kittens are born. The female Pallas's cat is setting up her den, and will raise kittens in it until the next mating season. She usually produces from 2 to 5 kittens. And being born blind, they are already distinguished by their attractive fluffiness. Pallas' cat babies, literally with their mother's milk, absorb the main rule “Always be careful.” They make their first attempt to hunt under the strict supervision of their mother, and not earlier than they are 4 months old.

The big problem remains the number of these cats. Although they try to stay away from humans, who are their main danger, they are also exposed to feral dogs. Their small size makes them easy prey for eagles and golden eagles. When people set traps for hares, they often kill this cautious animal. The Pallas cat is so cautious in nature that until the 18th century it was not described anywhere. Today, Pallas' cats are on the verge of extinction: due to long and hungry winters, kittens die from hunger and infections, and they often become victims of stray dogs. The situation with this animal species is complicated by its extremely closed lifestyle, which does not allow its numbers to be kept under control.

You don't need a time machine to find out what modern cats looked like millions of years ago. Just look at the Pallas's cat - a wild steppe cat, which to this day has practically not changed in appearance and leads a measured lifestyle for centuries.

Who is Pallas's cat

Manul is a relict representative of the cat family, a wild and indomitable hermit with an unusual appearance. Thanks to its fluffy fur with an unusual color and the expression of its eyes, which contain universal wisdom, this animal has won the hearts of millions of people on our planet. The history of the manul goes back to ancient times. It appeared on earth about 12 million years ago and became the ancestor of some species of domestic cats.

Felinologists hypothesize that Persian and Angora cats are direct descendants of the Pallas's cat.

This wild beast owes its name to the Turks. From the Turkic language “manul” is translated as “fast”. Another name for the Pallas cat is Pallas's cat. He received it in honor of the naturalist Peter Simon Pallas, who discovered and introduced the elusive animal to the world. In the second half of the 18th century, at the behest of Empress Catherine II, the successful scientist went on an expedition to the Caspian steppes, where he unexpectedly discovered a Pallas's cat. History is silent about why the naturalist didn’t like the Turkic name of the cat, but he named it Otocolobus manul, which is translated from Latin as “ugly ear.” The structure of a cat's inner ear is truly unusual in shape, but calling it ugly is a stretch.

Pallas's cat population

The wild cat leads a very secluded lifestyle. He is a master of conspiracy and, having sensed a person, can sit in ambush for hours, practically merging with the landscape. This did the cat a disservice. The exact number of the animal is very difficult to determine.

According to biologists, the number of animal individuals at the beginning of this century ranged from 3 to 3.5 thousand.

In Russia, the Pallas' cat population is estimated as follows:

• Mountain Altai - 250–300 individuals;
• Buryatia - up to 70 individuals;
• Chita region - up to 2500.

Conservation status of the animal

The Pallas's cat is listed in the Red Books of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia, as well as in the IUCN Red List with the status of “nearly endangered”.

Reasons for the decline in animal numbers:

• poachers;
• presence of dogs without a leash in the same area;
• the use of traps and snares for hunting fur-bearing animals;
• harsh climatic conditions and ice;
• weakening of the food supply;
• larger predators;
• food competitors:
  • foxes;
  • wolverines;
  • martens;
  • golden eagles;
  • steppe eagles;
  • eagle owls.
• various infectious diseases.

Human rights organizations have developed a program: “Study, conservation and propagation of Pallas’s cat.” During the 10-year program, zoologists plan to multiply the cat population in artificially created conditions. Manul is the symbol of the Moscow Zoo.

Table: classification of the wild cat Pallas

Description of the breed

Manul is the smallest of all wild cats. The size of the animal is no larger than that of an ordinary cat.

Appearance of a wild cat

Distinctive features:

• body length - 52–65 cm;
• weight - 2–5 kg;
• thick tail 23–31 cm long;
• small head, slightly flattened in the middle;
• bulging yellow-green eyes with developed nictitating membranes and round pupils, uncharacteristic for the cat family;
• very thick wool up to 7 cm in length;
• short massive paws with long retractable claws;
• wide-spaced, small, rounded ears;
• gray or sandy-brown fur color;
• the underparts are brown with white tips;
• bleached ear tips;
• two black stripes on the muzzle extending down from the eyes;
• dark spots on the forehead;
• sideburns on the cheeks.

Due to its overly fluffy vegetation, the Pallas's cat looks quite large. Zoologists say that every square centimeter of a wild cat contains up to 9 thousand hairs. In the mountains at an altitude of up to 4–5 thousand meters, the thick fur coat acts as a heating pad. Thanks to this incredibly fluffy and warm robe, the Pallas's cat feels quite comfortable even at -50°. Pallas's wool contains up to 9,000 hairs per square centimeter

Short powerful paws and a thick tail with several transverse stripes give the wild cat additional brutality. We can say about this fluffy beauty that he stands firmly on his feet. The tail is thick, of medium length, with dark rings at the end. The head is rather small in relation to the body and slightly flattened in the middle. Small, widely spaced, rounded ears adorn the head of the fluffy impatiens. A characteristic difference is two camouflage stripes running from the eyes to the neck. Such stripes are usually painted by special forces trying to blend in with their surroundings. The main feature of a wild cat is its eyes. Yellow, with a green tint, they have round pupils, and even in bright light they do not narrow, like ordinary representatives of the cat family. The cat's eyes are equipped with nictitating membranes that protect the visual organ from drying out. Tufts of hair like sideburns are also a characteristic feature of the Pallas cat's appearance. Pallas's cat, unlike ordinary cats, has not 30, but 28 teeth. The fangs are very long and quite sharp.
Pallas' cat has yellow-green eyes with round pupils, silver fur and very long fangs.

The coat color is gray or reddish brown. In winter, the color changes slightly - the ends of the fur are covered with a white coating, which creates the feeling of frost on the fur coat. This color is necessary so that the Pallas cat can literally blend in with its environment. Even an experienced ninja will envy the camouflage properties of the animal’s fur.

Manul is a wild cat, completely composed of contradictions. On the one hand, it’s practically a soft toy, hugging which you want to fall asleep. On the other hand, a predatory beast with a gloomy, sullen look. For this unusual combination of appearance, the Pallas's cat has become an Internet meme with the call to “pet the cat.” Judging by its lifestyle, the cat does not want anyone to find it, much less stroke it.

Character and habits of the Pallas's cat

Distinctive character traits:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• caution and secrecy;
• twilight and nocturnal existence;
• slowness and clumsiness;
• sporadic (solitary) existence;
• hiding.

The character of the Pallas's cat is so secretive that scientists who follow the life of a cat with non-standard ears call him a phantom. Loneliness is the basis of the wild cat's lifestyle. Experts say that Pallas's cat is one of the most careful animals that will never step on recently fallen snow, much less leave marks on sticky soil. To prevent the beast’s lair from being identified by its tracks, it will wait for days until the virgin snow is marked before it by one of the inhabitants of the same habitat. Most often, the Pallas's cat follows the tracks of ibex and northern antelope, which run in a pack and leave clear prints.
Pallas' cat is a master of camouflage and a very cautious animal with an isolated way of life.

Manul leads a sedentary lifestyle and prefers solitude. The invasion of relatives into its territory is suppressed immediately and harshly. Prefers a twilight and nocturnal lifestyle, mostly sleeping during the day.

However, the Pallas' cat is not averse to basking in the warm rays of the sun during the day. In spring and summer, a wild cat can stay awake during the daytime.

Pallas's cat leads a measured, leisurely life. The Pallas cat is not used to fussing and running long distances. And although outwardly the hermit seems clumsy and clumsy, he has excellent reactions. The Pallas's cat is quite nimble and knows how to squeeze into narrow holes. In most cases, when a cat sees an enemy, it prefers:

• retreat;
• hide;
• climb high on the rocks.

Although this beast is not so harmless. Possessing large, sharp fangs and long, strong claws, the Pallas' cat can offer serious resistance. When attacking, the animal hisses menacingly, snorts and growls, making guttural sounds from the throat. Sometimes his cries are similar to the hooting of an eagle owl. But Pallas’s cat doesn’t know how to purr.

Video: Pallas cat growls and hisses

The wild cat makes its lair in secluded places. Typically this is:

• rock crevices;
• small caves;
• niches under stones;
• burrows abandoned by other animals;
• hollows of fallen trees.

The Pallas's cat tries not to meet a person, and if their paths cross, he immediately leaves without showing any interest.

The Pallas's cat does not pursue prey, but waits, disguised in an ambush, and then simply steals away.

Diet of the steppe hermit

Pallas's cat is an obligate predator (feeding on the meat of its own victims). The composition of the diet depends on the place of residence and climatic conditions. The predator's food is not very varied. These are mainly small rodents and birds. But the Pallas's cat is not averse to eating the fresh meat of a gape rabbit. In summer, the cat eats pasture, and during periods of food shortage it eats insects.

Pallas's cat main menu:

• rodents:
  • voles;
  • gerbils;
  • hamsters;
  • gophers;
  • marmots;
  • jerboas.
• small mammals:
  • pikas;
  • tolai hares.
• birds:
  • partridges;
  • chukars;
  • larks (and other birds that build nests on the ground);
  • swifts;
  • pigeons;
  • Bluetails.
• insects;
• berries and plants.

At the zoo, Pallas's cat is fed:

• meat;
• rodents;
• carcasses of small birds;
• cereals.

Food is usually given in the evenings.

Video: morning hunting of Pallas's cat

Wild cat habitat

Where the Pallas's cat lives, the following prevail:

• sharply continental climate with differences up to -50°;
• steppe winds;
• low snow cover;
• thickets of grass and low bushes.

The wild cat inhabits steppe and semi-desert areas in the mountains and can rise up to 4500 meters above sea level.

Habitat:

• Transcaucasian highlands:
  • Altai;
  • Tuva;
  • Krasnoyarsk region.
• steppes of Transbaikalia;
• Middle Asia:
  • Uzbekistan;
  • Tajikistan;
  • Kyrgyzstan;
  • Turkmenistan.
• Afghanistan;
• Iran;
• Kashmir;
• western China;
• plains of Mongolia.

Subspecies of Pallas's cat

This population can hardly boast of a variety of subspecies. In scientific circles, only three subspecies are classified:

1. Regular (or Siberian) manul. Known since 1776. This subspecies has a standard light gray color. Distributed throughout most of its range, although most often found in some regions of Siberia, China and Mongolia.
   The common Pallas's cat is light gray in color.
2. Tibetan Pallas's cat. Known since 1842. This subspecies has a darker color, which becomes silver in winter due to bleached tips. It is found in Nepal, Tibet, the northern states of India and Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
   Tibetan Pallas cat wears a silver coat
3. Central Asian manul. The subspecies has been known since 1842. It has a reddish fur color and with clearly defined stripes of a brown tint. This subspecies of Pallas's cat can be found in Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and other countries of Central Asia.
   Reddish color with darker stripes is the calling card of the Central Asian Pallas cat.

Reproduction and offspring of Pallas's cat

The steppe cat breeds once a year. The mating season, like that of domestic cats, begins:

• at the end of February;
• in the beginning of March.

Due to the population decline, several gentlemen compete for one female during the rut. The strongest wins.

While courting a friend, the manul becomes incredibly gallant:

• prepares the lair;
• obtains food;
• protects and protects the territory from enemy encroachments.

The “beloved” wild cat has a very short estrus period - only 42 hours. If during this time it was not possible to produce offspring, then this process is postponed until next year.

After mating, the suitor hides in the first bush of the steppe, leaving his girlfriend alone to cope with bearing and raising offspring.

After conception, the cat looks for a comfortable place for pregnancy and childbirth. The interesting situation in the female Pallas's cat lasts from 66 to 75 days. Fluffy kittens appear:

• in the end of April;
• in early or mid May.

There can be from one to seven blind kittens in a litter. If the mother dies, then, as a rule, all the offspring die. Typically, babies are born with short and thick fur. The female Pallas's cat feeds her litter with milk and licks them like all ordinary cats.

Dimensions of newborn manulas:

• weight from 200 to 300 grams;
• length - 10–12 cm.

Video: funny baby cat's cat

Almost all kittens open their eyes on the 12th day. Pallas' cats grow up very quickly. A wild cat is a very caring mother who leaves her babies only for the hunting period. In an emergency situation, the cubs sit quietly in the den and do not come out of hiding until the mother arrives. In a calm and measured life, a cat teaches kids the skills of hunting and growing up in a difficult world. Period of sexual maturity of the Pallas's cat offspring:

• hunting period with mother - 3–4 months;
• adult size - 6–8 months;
• reproductive age is about 10 months.

The lifespan of the fluffiest cat in the world is very short:

• in natural habitat - 10–12 years;
• in zoos and nurseries - up to 18 years.

Photo gallery of little Pallas' cats

Pallas's cat cub in its natural habitat Pallas' cat kittens look at the world with newly opened eyes Pallas' cat cub has thick fur from an early age When walking, Pallas' cat's always go in a group in order to neutralize their opponent in a timely manner And after all, someone will get such a suitor Pallas' cat cubs are not much different from ordinary ones kittens Pallas's babies have long fangs and strong claws from childhood

Life of a wild cat in captivity

Pallas's cat is listed in the Red Book; accordingly, any attempt to purchase this animal for personal use is illegal. At the federal level, animal trade can only take place between state-supported nature reserves and zoos. Illegal acquisition of steppe savage is punishable by law. Ways to purchase a Pallas cat for personal use: save a sick animal from death or rescue it.

Several reasons not to make Pallas's cat a house cat

Some fans of exotic animals want to have a Pallas's cat as a pet. However, almost no one can tame a cat’s wild temperament. He cannot be trained and does not attach his heart to his owners. There were cases when a cat fed Pallas' cat cubs. But the grown-up kids remained wild, showing aggression even towards their wet-nurse.

1. Aggressive behavior. The Pallas' cat is not a cat that you can cuddle or play with like a house cat. The steppe hermit will never allow the owner to be familiar, much less aggression towards himself.
2. Wrong diet. The predatory animal feeds on game caught on its own. Human food or cat food is not suitable for feeding a feral cat. It will be very difficult to create a balanced diet for a manul cat.
3. Tight territory. Manul is accustomed to freedom and steppe expanses. A small area will depress a freedom-loving cat.
4. Life rhythm. Manul leads an active lifestyle at dusk and at night. The owners will have to adapt to the rhythm of the cat’s life.
5. Various diseases. The immunity of the Pallas's cat is different from the immune system of the domestic cat. Infections that do not cause much harm to a domestic pet are fatal to a wild animal. In addition, the Pallas cat does not tolerate the touch of human hands, and in order to carry out veterinary procedures, the cat will have to be firmly restrained.
6. Damage to property. Living next to this animal, you can forget about the ideal cleanliness and fashionable interior forever.
7. Constant shedding. The fluffiest cat will actively shed and leave its fur all over the house. In order to somehow reduce the amount of hair falling from the Pallas's cat, you will have to constantly comb it. It is unlikely that an aggressive pet will meekly endure such a procedure.
8. Mating season. Finding a pair of Pallas's cat is almost impossible. It is impossible to sterilize an animal, which means that you will have to adapt to the unpredictable behavior of the animal during this period.

There were cases when the owners of this arrogant animal, unable to cope with difficult behavior, gave it to the zoo. Most often, attempts to tame a Pallas' cat end in the death of the animal.

In zoos, where comfortable living conditions have been created for wild cats, Pallas' cats live much longer than in the wild and even actively reproduce.

Video: Pallas' cat at home

You should not try to tame the Pallas's cat. A proud and indomitable animal must live in the wild, among dusty feather grass, steppe winds and twinkling stars overhead. The best thing a person can do for a wild cat is to keep it in the wild.