Her fluffy face and huge eyes are cute enough to be the on the latest Instagram pet page you’re obsessed with. However, Gaia, a new resident at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, is actually one of the deadliest cats in the world.
In an X post from earlier this month, the zoo announced that the 8-month-old black-footed cat was the newest resident of its Small Animal Building.
“Her arrival marks an important step in the conservation of her species,” the zoo said. Fans of “Super Cats” on PBS may have already seen these cats in action, and clips from the show have circulated on social media.
According to the International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada, the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) is one of the smallest cat species in the world. At just over 2 pounds, these cats are even smaller than a typical household tabby cat. Black-footed cats are listed as vulnerable on the Red List.
“As special adaptations to their desert habitat, these cats have a broad skull with large, rounded ears, which provide enhanced hearing in an area with scarce prey,” said the ISEC. “Low-set ears are often completely flattened in an ‘aggressive’ posture, an adaptation to hunting in areas with little cover. They are protected from the hot sand by hair on the black soles of the feet.”
They’re found in only three countries, all located in southern Africa: Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. There, legend has it that the tiny cats can bring down an entire giraffe.
That isn’t actually true, the IESC said, but it does stress just how fierce black-footed cats are.
“During a study in South Africa, researchers found 1,725 prey items were consumed, with the males taking larger prey species,” said the IESC. “Mammals were most often taken (72%), followed by small birds, while invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles were rarely eaten. Small rodents like the large-eared mouse were particularly important during the reproductive season for females with kittens.”
Every night, the cats eat around eight to 14 meals, and one cat alone can eat more than 3,000 rodents annually, said the Smithsonian. In fact, they can capture more prey in a single night than a leopard does in six months.
“Weighing in at just under 3 pounds and boasting the biggest eyes you’ve ever seen, she may look adorable, but looks can be deceiving. With an impressive 60% hunting success rate (compared to ~20% by big cats), she stands as one of the deadliest cats in the world,” said a recent Instagram post from the zoo. “You can visit Gaia and the male black-footed cat, Ryder, in the Small Animal Building.”