It’s no secret that kittens are some of the cutest animals on the planet. Domesticated or wild, these tiny felines are adorably fuzzy with big, curious eyes that are busy taking in their new and exciting world. This sense of wonder is seen in the caracal, a caramel-colored wild cat that lives in Africa and the Middle East to India. Known for its strong build, long legs, and tufted ears, these babies open their eyes around day 10 and progress quickly from there—by one to two months old, they are following their mother to learn life skills like hunting.
The most notable feature on the caracal is its “tassel” ears. As kittens, this trait is especially pronounced—even seeming too big for its body—as black fur makes the ears seem extra pointy. It’s unclear the purpose of this distinct characteristic, but it’s theorized that these tufts might help camouflage the cat, keep flies out of the ears, or be used as a form of communication between fellow caracals. Check out just how adorable it looks, below.
Above photo credit: Sergey Polyushko
Photo source: Reddit
Photo credit: Fiona Ayerst
Photo credit: Andreas Jansrud
Photo source: snodialove
Once full grown, the caracal can run up to speeds of 50 miles per hour:
Photo source: a2ua
Photo source: a2ua
Photo source: a2ua
via [Bored Panda, San Diego Zoo]