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Homescience

Meet Pallas's Cat: A feline that stands on its bushy tail to shield its paws and is among the world’s oldest

The elusive Pallas’s cat, one of the world’s oldest wild felines, has a unique habit of standing on its thick, bushy tail to shield its paws from freezing ground.

Sheetal Kumari | August 27, 2025 / 18:13 IST
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Grumpy Wild Cat: Meet the Pallas’s cat, or manul, a rare wild feline from Central Asia known for its grumpy face and dog-like yelps. (Image: Canva)
Grumpy Wild Cat: Meet the Pallas’s cat, or manul, a rare wild feline from Central Asia known for its grumpy face and dog-like yelps. (Image: Canva)
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Ancient Lineage: One of the oldest cat species, it diverged from a leopard ancestor about 5.2 million years ago. (Image: Canva)
Ancient Lineage: One of the oldest cat species, it diverged from a leopard ancestor about 5.2 million years ago. (Image: Canva)
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Compact Body: Though stocky-looking, it’s only the size of a house cat beneath its thick, insulating fur. (Image: Canva)
Compact Body: Though stocky-looking, it’s only the size of a house cat beneath its thick, insulating fur. (Image: Canva)
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Winetr Armour: The dense coat protects it from freezing winds across Central Asia’s steppe and high-altitude grasslands. (Image: Canva)
Winter Armour: The dense coat protects it from freezing winds across Central Asia’s steppe and high-altitude grasslands. (Image: Canva)
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Hidden Shelter: Secretive and solitary, Pallas’s cat hides in rocky crevices and marmot burrows during the day. (Image: Canva)
Hidden Shelter: Secretive and solitary, Pallas’s cat hides in rocky crevices and marmot burrows during the day. (Image: Canva)
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Stealth Hunter: It emerges at dusk, ambushing rodents at burrow exits—or scooping them out with its paws. (Image: Canva)
Stealth Hunter: It emerges at dusk, ambushing rodents at burrow exits—or scooping them out with its paws. (Image: Canva)
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Seasonal Camouflage: Its greyish, mottled fur changes with seasons, blending perfectly into rocky terrain for camouflage. (Image: Canva)
Seasonal Camouflage: Its greyish, mottled fur changes with seasons, blending perfectly into rocky terrain for camouflage. (Image: Canva)
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Clever Features: Low-set rounded ears keep it hidden, while its bushy tail helps balance and warmth. (Image: Canva)
Clever Features: Low-set rounded ears keep it hidden, while its bushy tail helps balance and warmth. (Image: Canva)
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Unique Eyes: Unlike most small cats, it has round pupils for sharp distance judgement in hunts. (Image: Canva)
Unique Eyes: Unlike most small cats, it has round pupils for sharp distance judgement in hunts. (Image: Canva)
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Elusive Survivor: Living up to nine years, this elusive feline marks vast territories and sometimes rests on its own tail to stay warm. (Image: Canva)
Elusive Survivor: Living up to nine years, this elusive feline marks vast territories and sometimes rests on its own tail to stay warm. (Image: Canva)

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