beauty

Where does the Pallas' cat live? What does the predatory cat Manul look like and where does it live? Photo and description

Manul- This wild steppe cat, who lives in the Central Asia region, as well as in Western China, Mongolia, Tibet and other countries. Today this cat is practically unstudied.

While exploring the Caspian steppes, a scientist named Peter Pallas was very surprised by such an incredible find. After all, he is the lucky one who saw the Pallas's cat first.

This happened at the end of the eighteenth century. The scientist could not even think that in front of him was one of the oldest representatives of the cat family. This fluffy predatory animal amazed the naturalist from Germany, first of all, with its unusual appearance.

The scientist did not like the name “manul,” which came from Turkic dialects, so the cat received the name Otocolobus, which translates as “ugly ear.”

The ears of this representative of the cat family are indeed quite original in appearance, but are they so ugly? Most likely, the scientists were in a hurry with the name. There is another name for the Pallas cat - Pallas's cat.

The fluffy and beautiful fur of the Pallas cat brought him a lot of trouble: these cats were actively exterminated. Today manul is under protection photo available in the Red Book. You cannot hunt these cats.

Evolution has hardly affected the appearance of this cute and beautiful animal. Today, the Pallas's cat, all the advantages of which are very clearly visible in numerous photographs, looks the same as it looked in ancient times.

Description of manul cats

In general, this cat breed has quite a few differences from the most common domestic cats. The length of the Pallas's body and tail, the shape of the skull and everything else is very similar to the classic cat standards common among pets. But the obvious difference is the length of the paws - they are short, and because of the very fluffy fur coat of the Pallas's cat, the limbs look plump, however, this can be said about the entire animal as a whole. The average weight of a Pallas's cat is about five kilograms.

This cat has very soft fur, it is long, fluffy and silky to the touch. Scientists say that approximately nine thousand hairs grow on one square meter of the Pallas's body. The fur of the Pallas's cat is light gray, and the tips are light. The tail usually has dark horizontal circles.

The tail itself is gray, with a black rounded tip. There are lighter hairs on the tips of this cat's ears. The cheeks are also covered with black stripes, most often there are two of them. There are similar patterns all over the body. The lower body of the animal is brown with light spots.

An interesting feature of Pallas’ cats is that the pupils of their eyes are called tiger pupils, as they have a round shape, which distinguishes these cats from their domesticated “relatives”. They are yellow in color, round and rather convex. Another difference is that the eyes are quite widely spaced.

Since in the steppe area the weather is almost always windy, and the air temperature is most often high, the eyes of the Pallas's cat are developed in such a way that it constantly blinks - this way the eyes do not dry out. Although these animals live in natural conditions, their claws are not sharpened, but on the contrary, they are long and sharp.

In the wild, such an animal can live for approximately ten years, but in captivity, Pallas's cats often reach twenty years of age.

The size of the Pallas' cat is similar to that of ordinary cats, but its appearance is quite massive. It is worth saying that in reality these animals weigh half as much as ordinary domestic Maine Coons.

Animal standard:

strong body;
somewhat flat muzzle;
gray wool with light tips;
black stripes on the tail and body, the tail is black;
lightened tips of the ears;
two black stripes on the cheeks;
large yellow eyes with unusual pupils.

Cat breeds

Today there are three varieties of Pallas's cat breeds known. They don't have any special differences from each other. Their body size does not differ, but there is a slight difference in the color of the coat.

Simple manul

As mentioned above, the coat color of a simple manula– light gray, usually like this animal lives in the steppes of Mongolia, Siberia and China. At the end of the eighteenth century, this cat shocked the whole world with its appearance.

Central Asian

The color of such cats is quite different from those described above. The fur of these Pallas cats has a red tint, as well as red stripes that are visible quite clearly. These representatives can be seen in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and so on. For the first time, people were able to get acquainted with Pallas's cats of this breed in the mid-nineteenth century.

Tibetan

The color of the Tibetan Pallas's fur coat is slightly darker than the standard one, and in winter its coat acquires a beautiful silver color. This wild animal is found in Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and so on. The Tibetan Pallas' cat first became known in the mid-nineteenth century.

Character and habits of manul cats

Pallas's cat can be called a real loner, a steppe warrior.

Manul cat, whose photos are now so numerous on the Internet, has a difficult character; it is difficult for him to get along even with his own relatives.

In essence, these cute animals with always a serious expression on their faces are true lovers of solitude.

They make their homes in mountain crevices, in small caves, and will be happy if they come across an abandoned fox or badger hole on their way.

Pallas' cats hunt at night, as is customary with most predatory animals. Although, a Pallas cat who went hunting early in the morning or late in the evening is also not such an exception to the rule.

They like to walk during the daytime, especially when it comes to the spring or summer season. They, like all cats, love to bask in the sun.

Almost everything in your life manul does it leisurely, without unnecessary haste. They stalk the future victim with dignity and calm, and then overtake it from an ambush. It is convenient for them to track prey right next to its burrow. U wild manuls an excellent reaction that gives them the opportunity to successfully hunt and get their own food.

Sensing danger, the Pallas cat will immediately hide; in rare cases, it happens that he immediately tries to hide in cover. However, manul– is not a helpless animal, although it may seem otherwise. He knows how to emit a menacing roar and also attack the offender.

Pallas' cats cannot purr. It is very rare to hear even the usual cat meow from them. When communicating with relatives, they make rude sounds similar to the exclamation “wow”. Having met the offender, manul cat will growl and hiss.

Caring for Pallas cats

At first it may seem that contain manula pretty easy at home: wild cat will be able to live in a relatively small space, and their menu does not include any very unusual components.

However, these furry predators are rarely seen even in large zoos, and they do not always want to breed there.

A very small number of zoos can proudly declare that they have had successes in breeding Pallas cats in captivity. There are only three such zoos in the Russian Federation.

Domestic cat's cat It is very difficult to keep in captivity, this is fraught with big problems.

Little ones manula kittens may simply not survive to adulthood, as they are susceptible to various diseases. The most terrible disease for these babies is toxoplasmosis.

In the steppe expanses, in the homeland of the Pallas's cat, there are frosty winters and bright sun. They do not allow bacteria and viruses to develop, so cats living in the wild do not get sick. But a domesticated cat can easily catch almost any disease.

It is not recommended to contain manula V home conditions. This animal is a predator that simply cannot become attached to its owner. Some of the Pallas' cats are not nervous when communicating with a person, but they do not show any special emotions and are not eager to establish contact.

At an early age, the Pallas's cat learns what the hunter's instinct is. Animals have sharp teeth with which they bite painfully.

You cannot explain to this pet with a difficult disposition, even if he was no longer born in the wild, that you just want to pet him or play with him.

Those who still want to purchase a Pallas's cat will have to do so in accordance with the law of the country, since this is a protected species of animal.

The manul will be too unusual and wayward pet, resisting establishing any contact with its owner.

Manul is a representative of wild cats that has become widely known relatively recently. Sometimes you can hear the second name of this animal - Pallas's cat, which it received in honor of its discoverer, the naturalist Pallas. In the cat family to which the Pallas cat belongs, he is in the group of so-called small cats; his relatives are reed cats, wild forest cats and steppe cats.

Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul).

Manul looks like a large domestic cat, body length is 52-65 cm, weight 2-5 kg (usually 3-4 kg). As you can see, the weight of the Pallas' cat is not that great, but outwardly it seems much larger due to its long and very thick fur, which envelops the cat's body like a fur coat. The fur of the Pallas's cat is the thickest in the cat family - up to 9,000 thousand hairs grow per 1 cm² of skin! It also has other distinctive features. Firstly, it is a shortened tail, and secondly, widely spaced short ears, almost buried in the fur. The head of the Pallas' cat is also relatively small and slightly flattened. The Pallas's coat forms a uniform, dense coat, and only on the cheeks it is slightly longer and creates “sideburns”, however, they are not always clearly visible. The color of the Pallas's cat is reddish-gray, the back is streaked with barely noticeable transverse stripes, they are clearly visible on the cheeks and tail, there are small dark spots on the top of the head, the tip of the tail is black. Sexual dimorphism is not pronounced, males are only slightly larger than females.

Pallas' cats do not climb trees; they simply walk on inclined surfaces that are not too steep.

The Pallas' cat's range covers all of Central Asia from Transcaucasia and Iran in the west to Mongolia and Northwestern China in the east. Pallas' cats inhabit steppes and semi-deserts, overgrown with grass and low shrubs; they are found in the foothills and mountains at altitudes of up to 3000 m, but only on treeless slopes. They especially love places with rocky outcrops and stone deposits. Like all cats, manulas live alone, sticking to permanent areas that are tied to shelters. A Pallas' cat's den is most often a crevice in the rocks, a depression under a stone, or an abandoned hole of a fox, marmot, badger, or honey badger. Pallas' cats spend the whole day in the hole, and go out hunting at night or at dusk.

The manul always looks from under his brows, which is why the belief arose about a certain “severity” of this animal. In reality, Pallas' cats are not at all evil, but they are extremely cautious. It is safety considerations that make Pallas cats run wild and avoid contact with people. They are never found near human settlements or in areas of intensive agriculture and cattle breeding. In nature, Pallas' cats also follow “safety precautions”: they hunt in the dark, move slowly, often lie down in the grass, and rarely give a voice. In general, these animals are slow, they run only in extreme cases, reluctantly, and get tired quickly; Pallas’ cat jumps worse than all other cats. The sounds made by Pallas' cats are short snorts; the emotional intensity is expressed in a hoarse rumbling.

Crouching Pallas's cat.

Despite the apparent awkwardness, Pallas' cats successfully hunt small animals (pikhas, mice, voles), less often birds and even insects (in the absence of other food sources). At the same time, they are able to catch large prey - a hare, a marmot, whose weight is equal to the weight of a cat. The Pallas's cat tracks its prey by sounds and carefully creeps up to it, less often patiently watches in the shelter. Hunting in winter is complicated by the high snow cover in which the Pallas's cat drowns, so these cats love open places blown by all the winds.

Pallas' cat breeds once a year. The mating season begins in February-March, but it is much calmer than for domestic cats. Pregnancy lasts 60 days, the female gives birth to 2-5 kittens in the den. Pallas cat kittens are born blind, but already have short and thick fur. From birth, they follow the main rule of the Pallas' cat, “caution above all,” so they sit quietly in the den, come out of hiding only under the supervision of their mother, and behave a little wildly. But in a calm environment, like all kittens, they play and learn hunting techniques. They make their first attempts to hunt at 3-4 months of age, and become completely independent on the eve of the next mating season (at 10 months). Pallas' cats live 10-12 years.

Pallas cat kittens in an artificial den at the zoo.

Due to their small size and commitment to open spaces, the life of Pallas' cats is full of danger. In nature, they are threatened by wolves, eagles, golden eagles, eagle owls, and feral dogs. Snowy winters and lack of food pose a particular danger to these animals; kittens can die from infections. The extreme caution of the Pallas' cat and the undeveloped nature of its habitats saved this cat from meeting people for a long time. It was described relatively recently, in the 18th century, and had no economic significance. Nevertheless, the number of Pallas' cats is indomitably declining and solely due to human fault. Nowadays, Pallas' cat is threatened by habitat loss, disturbance during breeding, reduction of food supply, stray dogs and... poachers. Although manuls are not hunted, they often die in traps set for hares and foxes.

Manul hunts in the winter steppe.

These cats are kept very rarely in zoos; they are almost never tamed, maintaining distrust of people for a long time and hiding in a den. Cases of Pallas' cat breeding in captivity are very rare (apparently the natural fertility of cats suffers from the disturbance factor in zoos). For this reason, Pallas' cat cats did not attract the attention of either visitors or zoo owners for a long time, and until the end of the 20th century they remained a species of interest only to specialists. Pallas' cats gained unexpected fame and love with the advent of the Internet. Several expressive photos of impressive cats became an Internet meme and spread across the Internet like an epidemic. We can only hope that the popularity of the Pallas's cat will force people to take a more conscious approach to protecting this wonderful animal.

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's 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 (it 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.

In the wild habitat, in the steppes and burrows, the manul cat lives, unique in the density and color of its fur. The German naturalist Pallas described this predatory feline back in 1776. Since then, the Pallas cat has been known as Pallas's cat. Unfortunately, every year the animal becomes more and more difficult to find within even very remote areas of its natural habitat. The animal is characterized by caution, but humans create insurmountable difficulties for the life and reproduction of the cat.

Who is Pallas's cat

It is known that the Pallas's cat is a small predatory mammal from the cat family. Belongs to the group of small cats and is a relative of forest, steppe and reed cats. Present on the territory of some zoos, but poorly adapted to life in captivity due to weak immunity to infections common among people. The owner of the thickest and longest fur of all felines.

Where does the steppe cat live?

The habitats of the steppe cat are steppe, semi-desert, partly mountainous regions of Africa no higher than three thousand meters above sea level, as well as the Western and Central Asian regions of Central Asia, northern India, Kazakhstan and the territory of Transcaucasia. On the territory of the Russian Federation, traces of the steppe cat’s habitat can be found in the vicinity of floodplain bushes and in semi-desert areas, not far from a water source. The animal tries to constantly stay in dense thickets.

The Pallas cat has similar habitats to the steppe cat, but unlike the steppe cat, it is not found in Africa. Each subspecies has its own habitat:

Otocolobus manul manul (Siberian, six light gray color) - the Pallas's cat lives almost everywhere, but most of all in the west of China and Mongolia;
Otocolobus manul ferruginea (Central Asian, the coat has reddish stripes) is found in the territories of Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan;
Otocolobus manul nigripecta (Tibetan, silver-gray coat) - found in Tibet, Nepal, Kashmir.

Subspecies of Pallas's cat - photo

The color of the Pallas's coat has a slight dependence on the region of its habitat and determines the classification of the animal into three subspecies:

Siberian (nominal): This subspecies was first described by the German naturalist Pallas and has a light gray coat color.
Central Asian Pallas's cat: known since 1942, the wool has a dark gray shade that can change depending on the time of year, in winter it is silver.
Tibetan: known since 1842, the coat is reddish in color with noticeable reddish stripes.

What does a cave cat look like?

The Palassov cat has a peculiar appearance, which has given scientists the basis for the hypothesis that it originated or is related to Persian cats. Similarities with these representatives of the cat family are observed in fluffy fur, a rounded skull shape and a head size that is unusual for other breeds. The difference from a domestic cat is its indomitability.

Adult sizes

In size, an adult animal does not differ from the familiar domestic cat. The cat's body length reaches 52-65 cm, the handsome tail is 23-31 cm long, and the animal has sharp teeth. The body weight of the animal ranges from two to five kilograms. Males are larger than females, but not by much. The animal differs from the domestic cat in its more massive, dense body. Short thick legs make the animal squat. The claws are long, sharp, curved at the ends.

Structure of the skull and ears

The cat's head of this member of the family is distinguished by its small shape. The skull is wide, slightly flattened, which distinguishes the animal from other cat breeds. The head is crowned with small round ears, they are widely spaced to catch various sounds. This position of the ears on the head helps the predator to hunt better and hide from enemies. The shape of the ears even served as a name for the species - the name Otocolobus from Latin means “ugly ear”.

Features of the structure of the eyes

The Pallas's cat is distinguished by the presence of large bulging eyes with round pupils. The color of the iris is yellow. Compared to the pupils of a typical domestic cat, the pupils of the Palass cat do not become slit-like in bright light, but remain round. The eyes have highly developed nictitating membranes, which helps the mucous membrane not dry out under the influence of the harsh conditions of the windy steppe.

Wool and its color

The main difference from the domestic cat is the thick fur of the Pallas' cat. For one square centimeter of lush fur there are approximately nine thousand hairs, reaching a maximum length of seven centimeters. Tufts of elongated hair and a tail with a black rounded tip are noticeable on the cheeks. The color of the animal is a mixture of ocher, light gray and fawn shades. The hairs are white at the tips; narrow dark stripes are visible on the back of the body and tail; the same, but vertical, can be found on the sides of the muzzle and the corners of the eyes. The lower body is brown in color.

Lifestyle and nutrition of Pallas's cat

The wild cat Pallas leads a sedentary, solitary lifestyle. Its activity begins in the early morning and continues at dusk. During the day, the cat sleeps in a shelter - rock crevices, small caves, under stones. Sometimes Pallas' cat can be found in old burrows of various small animals (fox, badger, marmot). Due to the camouflage properties of the color, the cat successfully hunts, but it is characterized by its slowness and clumsy movements.

The diet of the Pallas cat consists of pikas, mouse-like rodents, gophers, baby marmots and birds; the animal can catch a hare. During summer periods or times with little food, the animal may eat insects. The cat watches for prey near stones and holes. A cat cannot run fast; if danger comes, it hides. It runs away from enemies onto stones and cliffs; when alarmed, cats emit a hoarse rumbling or sharp snorting. Pallas' cat's appetite is average.

Housing of Pallas's cat

Over the past 15 years, the cat's habitat has acquired the appearance of isolated foci. Habitats include treeless desert mountains, arid areas, deserts and steppes, and rocky shelters. The animal's habitat is characterized by fragmentary grass and shrub vegetation, rocks, and low mountains with outcrops. It requires rocky outcrops and vast areas of bushes where the animal makes a nest and hides during the day.

The areas where the Pallas cat lives with little snow are characterized by a harsh continental climate, where temperatures in winter reach minus 50 degrees. Animals cannot move on loose deep snow, so they settle in areas with a snow cover no higher than 20 cm. Pallas's cat can be found at an altitude of 3-4.8 km above sea level. Wherever the beast is found, there are few of it.

Number and reproduction

According to statistical observations of zoologists, the manul cat reproduces once a year. The female's pregnancy lasts from February-March to April-May. Kittens reach sexual maturity at the age of 10 months, the animal lives up to 12 years. At the beginning of the 1990s, about 2,800 individuals lived in Russia; today this figure is approximately 3,500 animals. The living density is three individuals per 10 square kilometers.

Pallas cat kittens

A manul cat has from two to six kittens in a litter, sometimes more. A newborn kitten weighs approximately 300 grams and reaches a length of 12 cm. The characteristic dark spotting is immediately noticeable in the color of the animal. Cubs are born blind, helpless kittens; their eyes open at 10-12 days. Having reached the age of 3-4 months, kittens experience hunting instincts for the first time. The mother always looks after the offspring.

Status and protection of the animal

The manul cat is rare or extremely rare, its numbers are declining everywhere, sometimes reaching the brink of extinction. The exact number of the animal is unknown due to its hidden behavior and patchy distribution. Animals are killed by poachers (hunt for fur), dogs, snares and traps for catching hares and foxes. Another reason for the decline in the number of Pallas cats is the deterioration of the food supply, the reduction in the number of marmots and rodents from eagle owls, they are destroyed by wolves, and infectious diseases. Snowy winters and ice are difficult for manul cats.

In Russia, the Pallas's cat is listed in the Red Book, in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List with the status of “nearly endangered”, in Appendix II of the CITES Convention. This means that hunting the animal is prohibited. In 2013, the Russian Geographical Society supported the program “Preservation of Pallas's cat in Transbaikalia.” The Daursky Nature Reserve was awarded a grant to obtain new information about cats. Measures to protect the animal are in development.

Manul cat breed in captivity

The manul cat is rarely found in zoos, although it quickly gets used to captivity and even reproduces. The reason for the absence of animals in zoos is the frequent death of cubs from toxoplasmosis. According to modern estimates, there are about 150 individuals in captivity, and there are some in the Moscow Zoo. Pallas' cats cannot be domesticated. He does not get along with people or other animals, spoils furniture, and sheds a lot often.

Video

Octolobus Manul is another name for the breed, which means “ugly”. There is no clear opinion about the cat's appearance. Some consider him a terrible and formidable monster, while others find him cute. The wild relative differs greatly from the domestic cat. First of all, this concerns sizes.

The length of the cat at the withers reaches 65 cm. The body is knocked down, confidently rests on 4 short legs. The weight of the animal reaches 7 kg. The body is strong and massive. The head is wide, low set. The thick coat reliably protects the cat from cold nights and harsh weather conditions. By the way, the animal’s fur coat became a stumbling block. Because of its fur, the Manul was on the verge of complete extinction. Although there are cases where cats grew up in zoos and bred in an artificial environment.

In the wild, he relies only on himself. In pursuit of prey, a dense skeleton and muscle mass of the cat was formed. The fat layer is present, but not much.

In the scientific community, a wild cat belongs to the same type. Scientists recognize 3 varieties of the breed. A typical representative does not have a rare color and is found in Mongolia and China. The Central Asian subspecies is distinguished by its rare color and valuable fur. Tibetan Pallas's cat is a dream. The wool is an unusual, gray-silver color. In summer it gets a little darker.

Distinctive features:

Characteristic dark stripes on the body and back.
Bone build.
Silvery coat with light tips.
The tips of the ears are bleached.
Large bulging eyes with round pupils.
Two black stripes on the cheeks.
Massive head.
The tail is black.

Another feature of Pallas's cat is the presence of nictitating membranes, thanks to which the animal's pupils are reliably protected from adverse weather conditions and the mechanical impact of other predators. In the wild, predatory cats live a little more than 10 years. In captivity they live twice as long. But this does not mean at all that Octolobus Manul is suitable for home keeping.

Origin of the breed

The story of Pallas' cat deserves special attention. 50 million years ago, the beast Miatsid lived on the planet. This is the oldest ancestor of modern cats, dogs, bears and other mammals. A little later, Dinikt appeared - the closest relative of all modern cats. He was the size of a small lynx, had thick fur, an elongated body (like a weasel), a short tail and agility that was enviable for those times.

After 20 million years, Dinikt began to evolve and “divide” into big and small cats, which led to a shortening of the spine and elongation of the legs. And only 1 million years ago cats acquired the appearance familiar to our eyes.

But the Octolobus did not transform into any species of cat. In fact, this is a transitional species - a living relic. What does it mean? To answer this question, let's think about how big cats differ from small ones.

The first ones know how to roar and do it very well. Predators emit a deep, threatening, loud and powerful roar, alerting others to their presence. But not all cats can do this. Puma, for example, seems to be large, but does not know how to roar. Therefore, it refers to small cats.

Another difference is the pupil reaction. In large animals it narrows to a point, in small animals it narrows into a narrow slit. For this reason, most tigers and jaguars in photos have almost human-like eyes.

Now let's take a look at Manul. A small, dense body, short legs, a typically cat-like head with round eyes. It turns out that he is a big cat, despite his small size. But he doesn't know how to roar. Moreover, this cat does not know how to purr and meow, which, by the way, tame tigers do excellently.

The German naturalist Peter Pallas first became acquainted with the Manul, in whose honor the cat later received its second name. During studies of the Caspian steppes carried out at the end of the 18th century, the scientist realized that this was the oldest representative of felines, since this representative retained the features of a noble predator and an ordinary “mongrel”.

Translated from Turkic, “Manul” means “ugly ear.” It’s strange why scientists have such associations, since the cat has completely normal ears.

Exterior

Octolobus is a predator whose size does not exceed the dimensions of a domestic cat. Distinctive features are lush, thick hair, a predatory look, a head structure atypical for cats, and a strongly built body. By the way, thanks to their clumsiness, Pallas' cats do not run after game - they track down prey, waiting in a secluded place.

However, you shouldn’t completely rely on the cat’s clumsiness - his reaction is lightning fast. If you try to force affection, the cat will leave. If there is nowhere to go, the cat will lie on its back or side, tucking its paws. This is a bad sign - rather, the animal is preparing to attack. Perhaps in the next second 30 teeth and 18 claws will dig into your hand. And, as soon as the predator’s paws open, Manul, like a demon, will begin to tear the flesh of a potential enemy.

What can I say? When it was hunted for its rich fur, riders preferred to catch up with the predator and kill it with one blow to the head, since the cat could jump on the horse’s neck and kill the innocent animal. Traditionally, traps were set, which made it possible to obtain a skin 50-70 cm long of a fawn shade with noble guard hair.

Wool

Manul is on the verge of extinction. This is largely due to the animal's fur. Thick and fluffy fur is the envy of poachers, who have reduced the wild cat population. Coat color varies from light gray to fawn. The hairs at the ends are white or black. On the back of the body and tail of the Pallas's cat there are dark transverse stripes - another distinctive feature of the predator. There are also dark marks on the cat's face.

The belly and paws are light in color, and the tips of the ears are black. The density of the coat is the pride of the Manul. Thanks to this factor, the cat seems much larger than it actually is. Information for reference: per 1 square centimeter of its body there are about 9000 hairs, the length of which reaches 70 cm. One can only guess how much this fur weighs.

Torso

The size of the predator is small. The body length reaches 65 cm, the tail - 30 cm. The maximum weight of the cat is 7 kg. The body of the animal is dense and massive. A sort of ball of fur on short legs. At the same time, the predator confidently wields it and easily catches agile mice.

The compact head has a slightly flattened shape. Combined with thick hair, this gives scientists reason to assume a relationship with Persian cats. The ears are set wide apart.

Character

Manul is a wild animal that not everyone can tame. The animal is active at night. During the day, the predator tracks prey, waiting for it near holes or stones. The cat is slow, his strong trait is perseverance. The manul can track its prey for a long time, waiting for the right moment.

It seems that Manul is an unbridled predator and it is difficult to instill the habits of a domestic cat. And yet its character differs from firmly established associations. Yes, this is a careful animal that will not risk its health in vain.

Yes, he is slow, so he would prefer to wait a few more hours rather than rush headlong into his prey. This is a born master of camouflage, which can wait for hours for prey in the bushes or other secluded place. The animal feels good early in the morning. He devotes the rest of his time to sleep and rest.

It is difficult to say whether it is possible to keep Pallas's cat at home. After all, this is a wild animal. Moreover, it is a predator who prefers solitude. You can see wild cats in zoos. It's hard to imagine how the owner of a Manul will feel. Fear for your life, fear for the well-being of the animal - perhaps it is better to leave the cat alone and admire its beauty from afar.

Only zoos offer acceptable living conditions. But even in them, the cat feels vulnerable and shows aggression towards its neighbors. Fangs and claws are used - the cat uses them as soon as it feels that its skin is in danger. These qualities are characteristic of those Pallas' cats that people tried to tame. In the wild, they are quiet and docile animals that prefer not to contact other representatives of the flora.

Distinctive behavioral traits:

Reclusive lifestyle . Individuals meet each other only during the mating season, when the guys actively fight for the girl’s attention. The rest of the time, representatives of the breed prefer not to communicate with each other.
Activity at night . During the day, the cat sleeps and gains strength.
Makes a lair in rock crevices or caves (hence another name for the breed - cave cat), old fox holes and raccoon dwellings.
Pallas cats are clumsy and slow as it seems at first glance. The animal is not adapted to fast running, but the cat is excellent at wait-and-see tactics.
Mother cat is a strict parent. Kittens are raised strictly. If the kids are playing around, you can grab a punch.
As a pet, Manul is a bad choice. The cat shows aggression towards children, other pets and even its own owner.

At the moment, the breed is under protection, so it is almost impossible to buy a Pallas cat. And this breed does not take root well at home. Still, wild blood takes precedence over human affection.

Nutrition

The main diet is small rodents, birds, partridges, larks, as well as hares and gophers. In times of famine, Manul is not averse to eating insects and wild berries. Regular cat food is strictly prohibited. Gastronomic preferences determined where the cat settled. It makes its lair in caves and rocks, where small animals often spend the winter.

Manul at home

A wild cat is unpredictable. Its maintenance requires a lot of patience on the part of the person who finally decided to have an exotic pet. You won’t get a contented purr from him (they simply don’t know how to do this) as a sign of gratitude. Appreciation, affection and love are not about Manul. Even a tiny kitten won't curl up on its owner's lap.

The reality looks like this: damaged furniture, damaged wallpaper, curtains and curtains torn to shreds, scary sounds at night and a feeling of constant danger. When the owner is at work, the cat sleeps and gains strength for the night hunt. Early in the morning, Manul comes out of hibernation and shows his wild nature in any way.

Another typical problem of the breed is rich fur. A domesticated wild cat needs constant brushing. Cats shed throughout the 12 months, their fur flies in clumps and comes out everywhere - do you need it?

Kittens raised in captivity have weak immunity and often get sick. It is almost impossible to cure the animal in this case, since effective methods for treating such pets have not yet been developed.

And yet, buying a Manul is not so easy. There are practically no official breeders, and poaching is punishable by law. Yes, and the price is from 3 thousand dollars for a wild pet. In the end, think about whether you can keep this animal at home, whether its living conditions will at least to some extent correspond to its natural habitat.

Don't forget that the Pallas's cat is a rare animal. Not every nature reserve, national park or zoo allows itself such luxury. At the moment, the wild cat is on the verge of extinction. Every year, Pallas's cat falls into traps and dies at the hands of poachers and the paws of dogs. The wild nature does not spare the Pallas's cat either - many individuals die from hunger and other predators.

All that remains is to add that there are many exotic animals that take root well in the human environment. Manul is not that case. You risk ruining your life and killing an innocent animal.