The ‘World’s Deadliest Cat’ Is Getting More Attention for Its Cuteness
What’s the deadliest cat you can think of off the top of your head? A lion or tiger, perhaps? While those may be great guesses (and are probably what we would’ve thought, too), they’re both incorrect. The black-footed cat is actually the one who nabs the infamous honor of deadliest cat, despite weighing less than five pounds — and being too adorable for words.
Recently featured in an ongoing PBS series called Super Cats, the black-footed cat stood out among the other fur-ocious felines for its small size and impossibly fluffy fur.
(Photo Credit: Gallo Images – Shem Compion/Getty Images)
But don’t be fooled by the black-footed cat’s cartoon-like eyes and innocent demeanor; this pint-sized powerhouse has a 60 percent killing rate while hunting its prey, according to the BBC series ironically titled Big Cats. In comparison, a typical lion only succeeds in catching its prey about 20 to 25 percent of the time, reports The Smithsonian.
Despite being the smallest feline in Africa, measuring just barely two feet in length, the black-footed cat is absolutely insatiable when it comes to finding food. From locusts to birds to gerbils, virtually anything that moves could be a potential meal for the little guy. Although this kitty weighs about 200 times less than a typical lion, maybe it’s time to crown a new king of the cats.
(Photo Credit: Carol Polich Photo Workshops/Getty Images)
The black-footed cat hunts feverishly amongst the desert scrubs in South Africa, stalking and sneaking up on prey after the sun sets. Due to the nocturnal creature’s incredibly high energy — higher than many other predatory cats in Africa — it may hunt and kill as many as 14 prey in just one night.
Some black-footed cats get so energized about eating that they can jump up to snatch a bird right out of the sky. Talk about taking a meal “to go.”
(Photo Credit: Carol Polich Photo Workshops/Getty Images)
But since we’re not birds or rodents — or standing in front of one in the pathway of a black-footed cat — we’re lucky enough that we can appreciate this kitty’s cuteness from behind the safety of our computer screens.
(Photo Credit: Tom Brakefield/Getty Images)
From its stripes to its spots to its tiny little teeth, we have to say this cat is “killer” charming.
Next, see some gorgeous two-faced cats that’ll make you do a double-take in the video below:
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