Strange Kittens Found On A Russian Farm Turn Out To Be Rare Pallas’s Cats

When a Russian farmer was making the rounds on his property, he came across four little fluff balls that were unlike anything he had seen before. Unable to identify the creatures and what kind of help they might need, he called the Daursky Nature Reserve. Little did he know that he had just begun a journey that would change his life.

The people at the Daursky Nature Reserve were able to identify the animals as Pallas’s cats, also known as manuls, a rare species of wild cat that is native to Central Asia. And these kittens were going to need a lot of help if they were going to survive.

Manuls are the same size as domestic cats, but there are some big differences. Their build is stockier, their legs are shorter, and their fur is thicker so that they can survive in harsh climate. Their faces are wider and ears are flatter, as well.

Nature Reserve staff tried to see if two domestic cats at the facility would nurse the rare kittens. Luckily, the cats took them in and nursed them as their own, saving their lives. The kittens began to grow, and their caretakers began to fall in love.

The cats flourished at the nature reserve, and their caretakers knew what the next step would be. As sad as it was to say goodbye, they would be sending these kitties into the wild, back where they belong.

On their first winter alone in the wild, the rescued manuls lost the radio collars that the reserve put on them to track their progress. They also lost a lot of weight.

They ended up being taken back to the nature reserve for the rest of the winter, and were released again in the spring when they could adjust more easily.

This time, they became well acclimated to their new surroundings.

Now the manuls are back in their natural habitat and thriving.

These unique cats are safe in sound in their natural habitat, all thanks to the kind farmer and the dedicated staff at the nature reserve (and their own wonderful cats). It really does take a village to raise a family!

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