What is a Pallas Cat?
The Pallas’ Cat or Otocolobus manul is a wild cat which is native to the steppes of Asia. These cats are variously classified as threatened or endangered, depending on which criteria are used. In either case, biologists generally agree that action should be taken to preserve the Pallas’ Cat, and a number of zoos around the world have established breeding programs, exchanging the cats they breed to keep them diverse and healthy. This wildcat is named for Peter Pallas, who observed them around the 18th century. Pallas initially thought that these cats were the forerunners of the modern Persian breed, as they look rather like Persians. However, research has proved that the Pallas’ cat is actually an entirely different species, and unlike a Persian, a Pallas’c Cat is not something you want on your lap!
