The black-footed cat is the tiniest feline in Africa, and one of the smallest in the world, measuring about 40 cm, with an impressive body weight of 1.9 kg. Unlike most felines, they’re poor climbers, instead they dig in the sand to take refuge in burrows. The black-footed cat is endemic to the arid grasslands of southern Africa, and doesn’t need to drink water to survive, since its diet of rodents and small birds covers all its water intake needs. Despite its name, only the pads on the bottom of its paws are black, the rest of its spotted fur is cinnamon-colored.

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310763120 (01/02/2024)

Authors: Gerard Navarro, Eloi Olivella, Laura Padrós i Júlia Prades