Critter Science
  • Zoology
    • Ecology
      • Animal Conservation
        • CITES: Protecting Wildlife
        • Endangered Animals
        • Ex Situ Explained
        • In Situ Explained
      • Ecosystems
        • The Biomes
        • Coastal Erosion
      • Evolution. The Facts.
        • Animal Devolution
        • Arachnids – What are They?
        • Natural Selection
        • Evolution of Amphibians
        • Evolution of Birds
        • Fish and Sharks
        • Natural Selection
        • Primate Language: The Debate
        • What is a Marsupial?
      • Predator vs Prey
      • Producers and Consumers
    • Sustainability
      • Climate Change
      • Global Warming
      • Pollution
        • Air Pollution
        • Land Pollution
        • Light Pollution
        • Microplastics Pollution
        • Noise Pollution
        • Water Pollution
      • Recycling
        • Recycling Plastics
      • Renewable Energy
    • Animal Behavioral Patterns
      • Elephant Communication
      • Types of Animal Dormancy
    • What are Species?
      • Amphibians vs Reptiles
      • Animal Reproduction
      • Claws, Nails, and Talons
      • Frogs vs Toads
      • Fur and Hair
      • Gecko Feet
      • Invasive Species
      • IUCN Statuses
      • The Enigmatic Purr
      • Venom vs Poison
      • What is a Marsupial?
    • About the Critterman
  • Daily Critter Facts
    • Amphibian Facts
      • Frog Facts
      • Newt Facts
      • Salamander Facts
      • Toad Facts
    • Arthropod Facts
      • Arachnid Facts
      • Insect Facts
    • Bird Facts
      • Flightless Bird Facts
      • Predatory Bird Facts
      • Scavenger Bird Facts
    • Cryptozoology
    • Fish Facts
      • Cephalopod Facts
      • Crustacean Facts
      • Jellyfish Facts
      • Reefs
      • Shark and Ray Facts
      • Shellfish Facts
    • Flying Mammal Facts
    • Gastropod Facts
    • Land Mammal Facts
      • Canine Facts
      • Feline Facts
      • Lagomorph Facts
      • Marsupial Facts
      • Mustelid Facts
      • Primate Facts
      • Rodent Facts
      • Ungulate Facts
    • Parasite Facts
    • Reptile Facts
      • Crocodilian Facts
      • Lizard Facts
      • Snake Facts
      • Turtle Facts
    • Sea Mammal Facts
      • Dolphin Facts
      • Porpoise Facts
      • Sea Lion Facts
      • Seal Facts
      • Whale Facts
    • Worm Facts
  • For Teachers
    • Animal Quizzes
      • Amphibians Quiz
      • Bird Quiz
      • Cat Quiz
      • Dolphin Quiz
      • Insect Quiz
      • Reptile Quiz
    • Butterfly Life Cycle
      • Butterfly Metamorphosis
      • World’s Largest Butterfly
      • World’s Largest Moth
    • Metamorphosis – A Frog’s Life Cycle
    • The Cellular Structure of an Animal
    • Insect vs Bug
    • Animal Word Search
    • Coloring Pages
  • Study Guides
    • African Animals
    • Antarctica Animals
    • Asian Animals
    • Australian Animals
    • Central American Animals
    • European Animals
    • North American Animals
    • South American Animals
  • Diseases & Parasites
    • Bsal
    • Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)
    • Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
    • The Deadly Chytrid Fungus
    • All About Parasites
    • The Rabies Virus
    • White-Nose Syndrome
  • Contact
    • General Contact
    • Guest Article Submission
      • Guest Articles
        • Guest Articles – 2024
    • What Critter is This?
    • Animal Welfare Organizations
    • Privacy Policy
Subscribe
Pallas’s cat

The Fascinating Pallas’s Cat

  • 22 December, 2021
  • Critterman
  • 1 Comment
  • 696 Views
  • 3 Likes
Daily Critter Facts, Feline Facts, Land Mammal Facts

The Pallas’s cat is as fascinating as it is unique looking. They’re only about the size of a house cat, but they appear much larger. This is due to their thick, fluffy coat and stocky stature. These cool kitties can be found in the Caspian Sea region through Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and northern India, all the way to China and Mongolia. Their preferred habitat is arid and cold regions in upland areas with plenty of hills. They also like stony alpine deserts as well as steppe grasslands with rocky outcrops. Even though they suffer at the hands of habitat destruction and climate change, these cool cats are still listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; with an estimated 58,000 wild individuals remaining, to date.

First the Stats…

Scientific name: Otocolobus manul
Weight: Up to 6.7 lbs.
Length: Up to 26 inches, plus up to a 12.2 inch tail
Height: Up to 14 inches
Lifespan: Up to 12 years

Now on to the Facts!

1.) First off, their pupils are unlike other small cats in that they contract into small circles, rather than vertical slits.

2.) They can be found at elevations of up to 15,000 feet!

3.) These cats have among the longest and most dense fur of any other known cat.

4.) Their fur changes color based on the season. In the winter, their coats are more of a solid light grey. In spring and summer their coats take on a more ochre color with stripes.

5.) Like most cats, the Pallas’s cat is solitary; only coming together to mate.

But wait, there’s more on the Pallas’s cat!

6.) They tend to be mostly cathemeral (active both day and night). But they also have peaks of being crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).

7.) The most commonly appropriated hides are those of abandoned marmot burrows.

Did you know…?
Their scientific name Otocolobus is Greek for “ugly-eared.”

8.) The density of cats is pretty low, with there only being a recorded up to 11 cats per 62 square miles.

9.) A group of cats is called a clowder, clutter, destruction, or pounce.

10.) Pallas’s cats hunt by stalking their prey or ambushing it. 1 method is to camp out by the entrances to burrows and pouncing on their prey as they exit their burrow.

But wait, there’s still more on the Pallas’s cat!

11.) Pikas, mice, murines, ground squirrels, mouse hares, voles, small birds, grasshoppers, and lizards are all preyed on.

12.) Like other cats, they are polygynous (males mate with several females).

13.) Females birth 3 – 6 kittens after a 9 – 10 week gestation (pregnancy).

14.) Even though they are a smaller cat species, they are still aggressive. They have been documented growling even before they can open their eyes.

15.) Eagles are their primary predators.

16.) They are named after the German naturalist Peter Pallas.

Now a Not So Short Pallas’s Cat Video!

Be sure to share & comment below! Also, check out the Critter Science YouTube channel. Videos added frequently!

Want to suggest a critter for me to write about? Let me know here.

Learn more about all kinds of cool critters, right here!
AsiacatEurasiaEurasianfelinePallas' catPallas'spredatorprey
Critterman

With over 50 years of critter experience to my credit and hundreds of zoology teaching hours to people around the world, I have amassed not only a continuing thirst for critter knowledge but a desire to teach others all I can about the majesty and wonder of our natural world. Critter Science is a culmination of such knowledge. I have hands on as well as book acquired intel on all kinds of critters. Whether they're on land, sea, or in the air. I will never say that I know everything about all animals. That's impossible, even for a savant. But, that being said, ask me any animal question and I'll answer it. If I don't know the answer, I'll get an answer for you!

The African Dwarf Crocodile
The Reclusive Spotted Linsang
Related Posts
  • rhinoceros auklet
    The Rhinoceros Auklet 29 August, 2025
  • Tanzanian blue ringleg centipede
    The Tanzanian Blue Ringleg Centipede 28 August, 2025
  • Queensland whistling tarantula
    The Queensland Whistling Tarantula 27 August, 2025
  • Daily Critter Facts
  • Guest Articles
  • BYET
  • Teachers
  • Study Guides
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025, Critter Science. All Rights Reserved.