Charismatic but Vulnerable: International Pallas’s Cat Day is Celebrated Today

Many know Timofey the Pallas’s cat—the symbol of the Moscow Zoo and the hero of countless memes, whose 'fattening up' and courtship rituals Russians follow with keen interest. Today’s date, 23rd April, is dedicated to him and his relatives: International Pallas’s Cat Day. The "Irbis" Association explains the species' characteristics and why it needs protection.

The Pallas’s cat is a rare wild cat listed in Russia’s Red Data Book. In our country, Pallas’s cats primarily inhabit the mountains and steppes of Altai, Tyva, Buryatia, and the Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk Territories. These animals possess the thickest, most dense fur of any feline on Earth, enabling them to survive even in extremely severe frosts down to -50°C.

The diet of Pallas’s cats includes various rodents, birds, and insects, but mostly consists of pikas—small lagomorphs. By regulating their numbers and consuming up to five animals per day, the Pallas’s cat prevents pasture degradation and curbs the spread of natural infections. Thus, the Pallas’s cat indirectly supports biodiversity and preserves the habitat for many other plant and animal species. However, this natural balance is now under threat: due to the conversion of steppes into arable land, devastating fires, and the aggressive use of chemicals, the Pallas’s cat is rapidly losing both its home and its ability to forage.

The situation is exacerbated by the human factor: although the Pallas’s cat’s fur is not highly valuable, poachers still kill them for trophies, and in some cases for their meat. Furthermore, the cats often die in traps set for other animals and face intense competition from natural enemies—foxes, wolves, and snow leopards. Despite being listed in Russia’s Red Data Book as a rare species with declining numbers, no systematic monitoring of its population has been conducted for over a decade, so accurate data is lacking.

The "Irbis" Association, with the support of Mars LLC, is currently implementing a programme to protect, study, and increase the Pallas’s cat population in Russia. The first phase involves establishing a network of camera traps in historical Pallas’s cat habitats: Altai, Tyva, Buryatia, and the Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk Territories. The traps will be set in summer, data collection and processing will begin, and the first results will be officially published in winter. The collected information will allow assessment of population size, study behavioural characteristics, and form a basis for further conservation and scientific activities.

The project is not limited to camera traps—work with people will also be a crucial component. Volunteers and educators will help local residents learn more about their rare neighbour and its significance for nature. Together with them, scientists will seek ways to stop poaching, protect the steppes from fires, and make the regions safer for the Pallas’s cat.

🐱 The Pallas’s cat is one of the greatest introverts among predators. It lives almost entirely alone within its own territory — around 100 sq km for males and 30−40 sq km for females — and only meets other Pallas’s cats during the mating season in February-March. Although this wild cat appeared on Earth at least 5 million years ago, very little is known about it. Estimating the exact population is especially difficult because of its secretive nature.
🐱 Pallas’s cats have the densest fur of all feline species: up to 10,000 hairs grow on just one square centimetre of their body. This is why they can easily withstand extreme cold.
🐱 An ordinary domestic cat can weigh even more than a wild Pallas’s cat. Their kittens are tiny — weighing less than 100 grams — while an adult Pallas’s cat (they are considered fully grown by 8 months old) usually weighs only 3−5 kg. Their size is also quite modest: about 60 cm in body length, plus a 30 cm tail.
🐱 It is vital for a Pallas’s cat to gain weight during autumn. Specialists call this process "fattening". Pallas’s cats do not hibernate and continue hunting throughout winter, so their only way to survive the cold season is to build up enough fat reserves. In winter, a Pallas’s cat can weigh 6−7 kg and spends even more time searching for food.

🐱 In the Kyrgyz language, the word "manul" simply means "cat", while in Greek it means "dwarf ear". The species received this name because of its short ears. Pallas’s cats are also known as steppe cats, rock cats, and Pallas’s cats — named after the German naturalist who first discovered this predator on the coast of the Caspian Sea.
🐱 Pallas’s cats are quiet animals and very rarely make any sounds, avoiding unnecessary attention. They prefer to live in secluded places such as caves, rocky areas, dense shrubs, and burrows. If a Pallas’s cat cannot make its own shelter, it may occupy someone else’s — they are often found in abandoned fox, marmot, or badger burrows.
🐱 Only around 150 Pallas’s cats are kept in zoos worldwide, and almost all of them are related to one another. Zoologists from the Moscow and Novosibirsk Zoos have made a major contribution to the study of these wild cats and their behaviour.