01 March76988wild catsmanulpredatorPallas cat
The wild cat Manul is a predatory representative of small cats from the Felidae family. Manul is an interesting and unusual animal. The manul cat is smart, careful and secretive. The Pallas cat is also called the Pallas cat. In this article you will find a description of the Pallas's cat and its photo, and you can also learn a lot of interesting things about the amazing animal with the mysterious name Pallas's cat.
Habitat
The optimal living conditions for the furry representative of the cat world are light snow, moderate cold temperatures and a steppe with tall grass. The cat will feel comfortable even among rocky and mountainous terrain. The main thing is that the rocks and mountains have many exits.
The animal's body is not affected by severe cold. Pallas cats have strong immunity and are not prone to any diseases. The habitat of cats includes Transbaikalia and Central Asia, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Transcaucasia, the western part of China.
Appearance of the breed
Pallas' cats are large and fluffy cats with a powerful, muscular and strong physique:
- The head is medium in size, wide in shape, with small ears, slightly rounded at the ends, placed on it, like toy ears. Flattened muzzle, fluffy and long hair on the cheeks.
- The eyes are amber in color, slightly convex. The pupils do not react to color. This phenomenon is observed in most representatives of the cat world.
- The legs are short, but this is compensated by their power and muscularity.
- The tail is medium in length, very fluffy.
- Color – gray with white tips. The body is mottled with black stripes that stretch from the tail across the entire rump and across the body. There are dark stripes on the cheeks as well.
The size of the animal, despite its external massiveness, is quite compact. The weight of an adult is 2-5 kg. Compared to other powerful breeds, for example, the Maine Coon or the Norwegian forest cat, the Pallas cat is significantly inferior in size. The largeness and dimensions of the appearance are given by very fluffy wool.
Interesting facts about the Pallas cat breed
This is interesting:
- Evolutionary processes did not affect the appearance of the cat.
- Pallas named the cat "Otocolobus", which means "ugly ears". In fact, they are truly unusual, but calling an animal's ear ugly is wrong.
- The little kitten doesn't know how to meow. Predators communicate using harsh calls.
- Among the cat representatives, the Pallas's cat has the thickest fur. There are 10,000 hairs on 1 square centimeter of animal skin.
- The predator calmly tolerates temperatures of -50 0C.
- Due to the hermit's lifestyle, the animal's immune system is weakened. Pallas cat can easily become infected from domestic cats.
Breed subtypes
Manul is the main breed that has its own standards of appearance. The breed has several subspecies, each of which differs in its color and habitat.
Siberian manul
The habitat of Siberian individuals is Mongolia, China, Tyva and Transbaikalia. The color of the animal is standard (according to the breed), gray shades predominate in the coat, with white inclusions at the tips.
Tibetan variety
These individuals are common in Tibet, Nepal and Kashmir. The peculiarity of the color is that the coat is darker with black spots on the body, black stripes run along the tail and head, as well as the back. In winter, the animal's fur is covered with silver spots.
Central Asian Pallas's cat
The habitat of this subspecies is Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan. Representatives of this subspecies have a distinctive coat color - with a pronounced reddish tint, in which ocher color predominates. Dark lines with precise boundaries run along the body and tail; the color of the lines is red.
Life in the wild
Pallas' cats are cats that lead a sedentary lifestyle; only extreme circumstances can force the animal to leave its hole. Each manul has its own territory, where it will observe with displeasure the presence of other representatives of its own breed.
The cat lives in cozy dens, which are crevices, shelters under stones, and small caves. The Pallas's cat will also happily settle in abandoned burrows of other animals.
With the help of a hole, the animal protects itself from the sweltering summer heat and winter cold. As massive and stern as the manul looks, it is an absolutely non-conflict animal that prefers not to get involved in fights with other representatives of the wild.
The diet is quite varied - the Pallas's cat hunts small birds, eats insects, and small rodents. In addition, the fluffy cat's menu includes gophers, rabbits, and marmots. The Pallas's cat hunts in the following way: it finds the prey, hides, keeps watch, waiting for an opportune moment to attack, and as soon as it is confident in its abilities, and the prey loses its vigilance, it attacks.
The manul prefers to hunt passively, luring its prey for a long time and capturing it with one throw.
The animal is unable to run for long distances - this is due to the modest size of the heart muscle, which is not designed for such loads.
Enemies
In the wild, the Pallas cat is of no interest to other animals. The only representative of the fauna that the Pallas's cat is afraid of are wolves. The cat is also afraid of large birds of prey - eagles and golden eagles, trying not to come into their field of vision.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Manul prefers regions with a sharply continental climate. This area is characterized by strong temperature changes between winter and summer, as well as a small layer of snow cover.
This provides a good opportunity for the furry predator to hunt, because it cannot move on thick and fluffy snow. Thanks to its thick and warm fur, the Pallas cat is able to withstand severe frosts down to -50 degrees.
Prefers to settle in steppe and semi-steppe areas, in the mountains, on small hills and intermountain clefts. Mountain Pallas' cats are capable of staying at altitudes of up to 3 – 4.8 thousand meters above sea level. It is quite rare in lowlands and forests, mainly due to its gradual displacement from natural habitats.
Adaptability
Representatives of this breed, no matter what conditions they find themselves in, are constantly on the alert. Life in the wild with many other predators, in particular wolves, developed in them certain traits that, through a long evolution, developed and reached their apogee:
- there are membranes on the animal’s eyelids that protect the organs of vision from drying out in strong winds;
- body flexibility and agility are traits that enable the animal to feel comfortable on rocky terrain, easily maneuvering between stones;
- maximum visual and hearing acuity make the Pallas cat not only an unsurpassed hunter, but also allow you to easily hide and evade enemies, sensing a potential threat in advance;
- The Pallas cat's reaction to any irritant in his direction is always immediate, and this quality saves a cat in the wild.
An unusual feature is that the Pallas cat begins to snort loudly and make other strange sounds, thus trying to scare his enemy.
History of the discovery of the Pallas's species
The wild forest cat Manul owes his discovery to the German naturalist Peter Pallas, after whom he received his scientific name. The species was discovered and described by a natural scientist in 1776 while exploring the Caspian steppes.
This predator of the cat family is one of the oldest animals on the planet, which has been practically untouched by evolutionary changes.
Scientists believe that Pallas's cat looks the same as it did millions of years ago. The little animal was luckier than, for example, saber-toothed tigers.
The word “manul” is Turkic and scientists do not know its exact meaning. Most likely it means "cat". Although the indigenous population of the Caspian region and the neighboring Mongol tribes treated this animal not only with respect, but also with the highest respect, they practically deified the beast.
In the scientific world, the Pallas's cat has long been classified as a wild forest cat, but as a result of an in-depth study of the characteristics of the species, scientists have identified the animal in a separate class with the name Otocolobus manul or Felis manul.
Life in captivity
The Pallas's cat is completely unsuitable for life in captivity, so keeping it as a pet will not work. Difficulties with adaptation also arise in animals that end up in zoos. Due to severe acclimatization, the manul withers away, the protective functions of the immune system decrease, and the cat begins to get sick often.
After completing acclimatization, the Pallas's cat begins to feel freer in the zoo and quickly gets used to the enclosure allocated to it, which zealously protects it from the encroachments of other animals. In captivity, if conditions are created for him that are as close as possible to natural ones, the Pallas's cat continues to lead an active life, hunting game, which is its usual diet.
Kittens from a litter that are born in captivity have very weak immunity, often get sick for a long time, many of them live no more than 10-15 months.
Features of keeping a manula as a pet
Warnings not to keep a Pallas's cat as a pet have reasoned explanations. The representative of this cat world is absolutely wild and unadapted to life in society.
Even if you take home a very baby cat, he will not grow up grateful and affectionate, and will quickly forget about who fed him. Owners should expect outbreaks of aggression in their direction, as well as the fact that the cat will lunge at them and scratch them.
But, despite such negativity towards household members, manul is a breed of cats that have a calm and friendly character, and their aggressiveness is caused solely by their reluctance to be in captivity.
The manul in the apartment is like a pet; there are torn curtains, clothes and completely damaged furniture. In addition, the owners will spend nights without sleep, because the animal hunts, and does this mainly in the dark.
The owners will quickly fall out of love with the fluffy fur of the Pallas's cat, as it will constantly and actively shed. In this case, wool will be everywhere without exception, from clothing to cutlery.
The absence of constant snow, in which the Pallas's cat is used to caring for its coat, must be compensated by frequent water treatments and endless combing of its thick and lush coat.
If you want to have such an unusual cat, you should provide him with a vast local area, where he will feel much more comfortable than in an apartment. After all, Pallas' cats prefer solitude to society and, outside of hunting, spend time in solitude in their hole.
Nutrition
In conditions of captivity (living in an apartment/house), the Pallas's cat must be provided with its usual diet. The menu should include fresh and lean meat and fish, and the cat should regularly receive greens and berries. Pallas' cat consumption of industrial dry and wet food is unacceptable.
Character and habits
- Lonely lifestyle. They are found only during mating games, when males actively compete for the attention of the female. In other periods they prefer not to contact their own kind.
- Activity begins at dusk and after sunset , and mostly sleeps during the day. In warm weather, it can bask in the sun, but this is rather an exception to the general daily routine.
- It makes its lair in rock crevices, caves (hence another name - cave cat), under stones and in old burrows of foxes and badgers.
- Pallas' cats are characterized as the slowest and most clumsy representatives of the cat family. They are not adapted to running fast, covering long distances, or even deftly climbing trees.
- Mom raises her kids quite strictly. If the kittens are very capricious, they may even bite the scruff of the neck or give a blow with their paw.
- At home, the Pallas's cat shows its wild temperament and can be aggressive towards its owners and other pets. That is why taming a Pallas cat is an extremely difficult task with very modest chances of success.
The main diet consists of rodents, birds and other small animals. Occasionally it can catch a hare or a young marmot. During periods of famine, when the number of rodents decreases, it does not disdain insects. It lies in wait for prey, masquerading as the surrounding area, which is facilitated by its original camouflage color.
The manul cat is not able to run fast, so in case of danger it prefers to hide among the stones. It is impossible to tame the Pallas's cat due to its rather angry and aggressive nature. Even Pallas cat kittens raised at home become wild with age.
Interesting: Pallas's cats cannot purr even in childhood! They communicate with each other using rude screams, and when meeting an enemy they emit a threatening hiss.
Features of reproduction
The duration of the estrus period is 42 hours, pregnancy lasts 2-2.5 months. The period of appearance of a new litter is April, May. Until the kittens are 4 months old, they are constantly near their mother, as they are completely incapable of independence.
Kittens that are already 4 months old begin to take an active part in hunting. Eye opening occurs between 10 and 12 days from birth. The kitten's weight is 100-300 g, length - 12 cm, no more. Kittens grow quite quickly and intensively, and they also gain weight - 2 months after birth, the kitten already weighs 0.5 kg. Sexual maturity occurs at 10 months.
Puberty and reproduction
Despite his complex and unfriendly character, during the mating season Manul is transformed. Observations of small populations of animals made it possible to establish that the cat is very affectionate with his girlfriend.
First, the cat must be won back in battle with rivals, because the female is in heat for only 2 days out of 365 and you have to hurry.
The mating season occurs once a year and most often occurs in February-March. The female bears the offspring for about two months, an average of 60 days.
In mid-spring, from two to six blind, fairly large (up to 200 grams in weight and 12 cm in length) kittens appear in the den. The babies' coat is much darker than their parents' and they are absolutely helpless.
The cubs grow quickly, by one month they begin to crawl out of the hole and try solid food, and by four or five they already know how to hunt on their own. Only the mother raises them; after mating, the males leave the fertilized female.
Adolescents reach sexual maturity by 10-11 months and begin to live independently, but individuals can be considered fully adult from 15-18 months.
In the wild, wild cats live for 12-13 years, in captivity longer - up to 20-23.
Breed protection
Pallas's cat is a breed that is on the verge of extinction, therefore it is listed in the Red Book of the CIS countries and is also protected by the International Convention CITES.
The decline in the number of Pallas' cats is associated with poaching. In any country within the breed’s habitat, the Pallas’s cat is strictly protected by law, and hunting the animal, regardless of the purpose, is recognized as poaching and is punishable by law.
The difficulty in creating special measures to protect the species is that Pallas's cats lead a hidden lifestyle, so it is quite problematic to establish constant surveillance of them. In the future, the task is to create nature reserves, public and private reserves, in which conditions for animals will be created that are no different from natural ones, which will make it possible to gradually restore and then increase the number of these furry hermits.
