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Farms are great places for cats to live and most have at least a couple hanging around. They help the farmers keep mice and other vermin under control and from ruining all the food and grains given to the other animals. In exchange for their services, the cats often get room and board, as well as free reign of the barn.
That’s why it wasn’t a big surprise when one Russian farmer found some tiny little kittens in his barn. In fact, he was more than happy to have them around and yet something looked off about them. The little fur balls were just days old and had yet to open their eyes, but he could tell they were not the normal barn cats he was used to seeing around. Knowing they would need help to survive but unsure about what type of feline they were, he called the local experts at the Daursky Nature Preserve.
When workers at the reserve saw the kittens, they knew right away what type of cat they were. They informed the farmer that he had found a rare wildcat species known as Pallas’s Cats, or Manuls. The adorable cats are similar in size to domestic house cats but sport some crucial differences. One is that they have shorter legs and a stockier overall build. They also have thicker fur to help them survive in the high elevations and freezing cold places they are found. One of their most distinctive features is their flat ears, which coupled with their wide faces make them look so sweet and cute.
Since the mother Pallas’s Cat had seemingly disappeared or abandoned her newborn kittens, the reserve decided to try and re-home them with two female domestic cats they had on hand. The goal was to try and get the cats to nurse the kittens and as soon as they saw the furry little babies their instincts took right over. With the kittens being cared for and fed, reserve staff turned their attention to returning the Pallas’s cats to the wild where they belonged.
Once they were grown up the two kittens were fitted with radio collars and released back into their natural habitat. Winter was coming however, and the cats were not fully acclimated or prepared for the harsh conditions. Both lost a lot of weight and the radio collars fell off, so staff at the reserve decided it would be best to bring them back in for the rest of the winter. That would better guarantee their survival and when spring arrived, they’d re-release them.
When the weather started to warm up it was time to say goodbye to the cats for good. The second time around they had a much better chance at living in the wild and surviving. With months instead of weeks to get acclimated before the next winter set in, the Pallas’s cats were thriving and ready for it. Their rescue and rehabilitation was a success and now they are living how mother nature intended!
Watch the video below for the full story:
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