What the sources say
Pallas's Cat (Manul)Otocolobus manul
Every figure, record and mechanism on the Pallas's Cat (Manul) profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 48 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.
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Source
01
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan 2013
Felis manul (Pallas' cat). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan, 2013.
- The page saysPikas and small rodents such as gerbils and voles
- The source says
The majority (85.5%) of Pallas cats' diet is comprised of small rodents and pikas (Ochotona dauurica) ... the most frequent small mammal remains were Daurian pikas (Ochotona dauurica), Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and mountain voles (Alticola stoliczkanus)
- The page saysWhere it lives in Russia, temperatures range from 38°C to -43°C.
- The source says
The habitat of Pallas cats in Russia is dominated by vegetation composed of Artemesia, Festuca, Stipa, and a variety of small shrubs. These areas are characterized by temperate continental climates with temperatures ranging from 38 degrees Celsius to -43 degrees Celsius.
Note: "these areas" follows the Russian habitat sentence, so the figures are scoped to Russia - The page saysIt is poorly suited to moving through deep snow, so it only lives where winter snow cover stays under 10 cm.
- The source says
Pallas cats are poorly adapted to moving through deep snow, so their habitat is restricted to areas with less than 10 cm of snow cover during the winter.
- The page saysIt can't dig its own burrow either, so it relies heavily on abandoned marmot burrows for winter dens, and on rock crevices and caves in summer.
- The source says
these cats cannot excavate their own burrows and therefore rely very heavily on the availability of abandoned marmots' burrows for winter dens, in addition to rock crevices and caves in the summer
- The page saysA study of 146 scat samples found that the small mammals it ate most often were Daurian pikas, Mongolian gerbils and mountain voles, with small amounts of perching birds, carrion and insects too.
- The source says
In a study of 146 scat samples, the most frequent small mammal remains were Daurian pikas (Ochotona dauurica), Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and mountain voles (Alticola stoliczkanus), but there were also small amounts of passerines, carrion and insects present.
Note: passerines are perching birds - The page saysIt hunts by stalking, by flushing prey out of undergrowth, or by waiting outside a burrow for prey to come out.
- The source says
Pallas cats use a variety of behaviors when they are hunting including stalking, flushing and ambushing prey ... Flushing occurs when cats walk quickly through summer undergrowth, to flush out and capture small mammals and birds ... ambush hunting occurs when cats wait outside a burrow for prey to emerge, before attacking
- The page saysIt may be a poor runner, so outrunning a fox, wolf or large bird of prey is unlikely
- The source says
Pallas cats may be poor runners; therefore running is an unlikely means of escape from large terrestrial or aerial predators.
Note: "so" is the source's "therefore" - The page saysa fox, wolf or large bird of prey
- The source says
Known Predators red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) Corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac) wolves (Canis lupus) large birds of prey (Aves)
- The page saysinstead, a threatened cat freezes low against rock or vegetation, or bolts for a rock crevice or den.
- The source says
Threatened Pallas cats will run into a ‘bolt hole’, such as a rock crevice or den, slink down low and freeze next to rocks or vegetation, or run into the cover of nearby rocks or ravines.
- The page saysIn captivity, Pallas's cats are highly susceptible to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
- The source says
Pallas cats are highly susceptible to the obligate intracellular coccidian, Toxoplasma gondii, in captivity worldwide.
- The page saysfor a cat that moves slowly compared with the predators around it
- The source says
they move slowly compared to other sympatric and predatory carnivores and rely on crypsis and camouflage with their background
Note: vibe.reason, settled in #178: replaces 'ancient stone castle atmospheres, and grumpy solitary mountain mystery', which argued from mood - The page sayshides by keeping still: a threatened manul slinks down low and freezes next to rocks or vegetation
- The source says
Threatened Pallas cats will run into a ‘bolt hole’, such as a rock crevice or den, slink down low and freeze next to rocks or vegetation
Note: vibe.reason, settled in #178; 'hides' is the crypsis in the same ADW passage
Source
02
Elmwood Park Zoo
Pallas's Cat. Elmwood Park Zoo.
- The page saysIn the wild it can live 8 to 10 years.
- The source says
They can live 8 to 10 years in the wild, and more than 12 years in captivity.
- The page saysIts large eyes and squashed face give it a distinctly grumpy look
- The source says
Their large eyes and squashed facial features give them a distinct "grumpy" look.
Source
03
Felidae Conservation Fund 2021
Pallas's Cat. Felidae Conservation Fund, 2021.
- The page saysIts body is 50 to 65 cm long and it weighs 2 to 5 kg, with a thick, bushy tail about half the length of its head and body combined.
- The source says
Weight: 2-5 kg / Body Length: 50-65 cm / Tail Length: 21-31 cm ... a squat, short-legged felid with a thick, bushy tail that is about half the length of its head and body combined
- The page saysUnder all that fur, it's actually about the size of a house cat.
- The source says
Although its long coat and thick fur make it appear quite large, this cat is actually about the size of a domestic house cat.
Note: "all that fur" is the source's "long coat and thick fur" that make it look large
Source
04
AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources
Felis manul. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.
- The page saysOne captive Pallas's cat lived to at least 15.9 years.
- The source says
One captive specimen was at least 15.9 years of age when it died
Source
05
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Pallas' Cat. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
- The page saysRound pupils
- The source says
pupils that contract into small circles rather than the typical vertical slits of most felines
- The page saysears set low for peeking over boulders
- The source says
short ears set low on the sides of their head, they can remain undetected when peering over boulders
- The page saysstalking prey across Central Asia's rocky steppes
- The source says
Their current range is throughout central Asia from western Iran to western China ... Pallas' Cats have a very specific habitat in rocky steppes and stony outcroppings with sparse shrub coverage ... while stalking their prey
- The page saysA flat head with short ears set low on the sides, letting it peer over boulders while stalking prey without being seen.
- The source says
With a flat head and short ears set low on the sides of their head, they can remain undetected when peering over boulders while stalking their prey in an area with very little cover.
- The page saysRocky steppes and stony outcrops with sparse shrubs across Central Asia
- The source says
Their current range is throughout central Asia from western Iran to western China ... Pallas' Cats have a very specific habitat in rocky steppes and stony outcroppings with sparse shrub coverage.
- The page saysplus birds, carrion and insects in winter
- The source says
In the winter, when prey is less available, they will switch to a more generalized foraging strategy and consume a greater variety of food items. This includes birds, carrion (dead animals), and insects.
- The page saysIts head is flat and its short ears sit low on either side, so it can peer over boulders without being seen while stalking prey where there is very little cover.
- The source says
With a flat head and short ears set low on the sides of their head, they can remain undetected when peering over boulders while stalking their prey in an area with very little cover.
- The page saysinstead of narrowing to vertical slits like most cats', a manul's pupils contract into small circles
- The source says
Pallas' cats have large yellow eyes with pupils that contract into small circles rather than the typical vertical slits of most felines.
- The page saysIt ranges across Central Asia from western Iran to western China, and its core populations are in Mongolia and China.
- The source says
Their current range is throughout central Asia from western Iran to western China. ... The core populations of Pallas’ cats occur in Mongolia and China now.
Note: current institution page replaces ADW 2013. Its "Historically, populations also extended into Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan" was dropped: the 2023 paper puts the Caucasus inside the current range - The page saysIt keeps to rocky steppes and stony outcrops with sparse shrubs.
- The source says
Pallas' Cats have a very specific habitat in rocky steppes and stony outcroppings with sparse shrub coverage.
- The page saysMost of its diet is pikas and small rodents.
- The source says
Most of Pallas’ cat’s diet consists of pikas and other small rodents.
- The page saysIn winter, when prey is harder to find, it switches to a wider range of food.
- The source says
In the winter, when prey is less available, they will switch to a more generalized foraging strategy and consume a greater variety of food items.
- The page saysIts head is flat and its short ears sit low on either side, so it can peer over boulders without being seen while stalking prey where there is very little cover.
- The source says
With a flat head and short ears set low on the sides of their head, they can remain undetected when peering over boulders while stalking their prey in an area with very little cover.
Note: faq 1 - The page saysMost cats have pupils that narrow to vertical slits. A Pallas's cat's pupils contract into small circles instead.
- The source says
Pallas' cats have large yellow eyes with pupils that contract into small circles rather than the typical vertical slits of most felines.
Source
06
Brown et al. 2005
Brown et al. (2005). EXPLORING THE ECOLOGIC BASIS FOR EXTREME SUSCEPTIBILITY OF PALLAS' CATS (OTOCOLOBUS MANUL) TO FATAL TOXOPLASMOSIS. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.
- The page saysIn a 2005 study, only 2 of 15 wild Pallas's cats caught in Mongolia had antibodies to it, which suggested that wild cats have little chance of meeting the parasite in their natural habitat and usually aren't infected until they are brought into captivity.
- The source says
15 wild Pallas' cats, 15 domestic cats, and 45 prey animals (rodents and pikas) captured in Mongolia ... only two of 15 (13%) wild Pallas' cats were seropositive ... These findings suggest that wild Pallas' cats have minimal opportunity for exposure to T. gondii in their natural habitat and, typically, do not become infected with this parasite until being brought into captivity.
Note: 2005 is the reference's year; seropositive means antibodies were found - The page saysAbout 60% of Pallas's cat kittens in North American zoos died as newborns, mostly from toxoplasmosis, the 2005 study reported.
- The source says
Recent efforts by North American zoos to establish a genetically viable captive population of Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) have been compromised by high newborn mortality (approximately 60%), primarily because of toxoplasmosis.
Note: 2005 is the reference's year; past tense because the 2023 paper reports breeding has since succeeded - The page saysWhy the species was so susceptible was unknown.
- The source says
The basis for this extreme susceptibility to toxoplasmosis is unknown.
- The page saysThat held back the zoos' efforts to build a genetically viable captive population.
- The source says
Recent efforts by North American zoos to establish a genetically viable captive population of Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) have been compromised by high newborn mortality (approximately 60%), primarily because of toxoplasmosis.
- The page saysA 2005 study found that wild Pallas's cats in Mongolia have little chance of meeting the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, and usually aren't infected until they are brought into captivity.
- The source says
the general health status of wild Pallas' cats in Mongolia was evaluated ... These findings suggest that wild Pallas' cats have minimal opportunity for exposure to T. gondii in their natural habitat and, typically, do not become infected with this parasite until being brought into captivity.
Note: 2005 is the reference's year - The page saysIn North American zoos, about 60% of kittens were dying as newborns, mostly from toxoplasmosis, and nobody knew why the species was so susceptible.
- The source says
Recent efforts by North American zoos to establish a genetically viable captive population of Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) have been compromised by high newborn mortality (approximately 60%), primarily because of toxoplasmosis. The basis for this extreme susceptibility to toxoplasmosis is unknown.
Source
07
Flack et al. 2023
Flack et al. (2023). Chromosome-level, nanopore-only genome and allele-specific DNA methylation of Pallas's cat, Otocolobus manul. NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics.
- The page saysa BBC documentary's verdict as the grumpiest cat in the world
- The source says
Deemed the ‘the grumpiest cat in the world’ by the BBC documentary series Frozen Planet II
- The page saysTibetan Plateau
- The source says
O. manul's wide geographic range spans varied climatic regions including the Caucuses Mountains, Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau
Note: stats.habitat; the 2023 paper, not ADW 2013, so the range statement is current - The page saysis a small wild cat native to the mountain grasslands and shrubby steppes of Central Asia
- The source says
Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul), or the manul cat, is a small-bodied carnivore native to the montane grassland and shrubland steppe habitats of Central Asia
- The page saysA 2023 genome study also counts the Caucasus Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau within its wide range.
- The source says
O. manul's wide geographic range spans varied climatic regions including the Caucuses Mountains, Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau
Note: final pass: the paper spells it Caucuses - The page saysThe manul is the only living species in its genus, Otocolobus.
- The source says
The manul cat is the sole extant species in the monotypic genus Otocolobus
- The page saysWhere it sits on the cat family tree was still an open question in 2023: one genetic study placed it beside the group that includes the leopard cat and fishing cat, while another put it nearer the genus Felis, which includes the house cat.
- The source says
phylogenetic analyses surrounding the relationship of this genus to other small-bodied cats are ongoing. A phylogenetic study using select nuclear genes across the felid radiation placed Otocolobus as a sister lineage to the genus Prionailurus, a taxonomic group that includes the fishing cat (P. viverrinus) and leopard cat (P. bengalensis) among others (14). In contrast, a whole-mitogenome phylogeny placed Otocolobus closer to Felis, which includes the domestic house cat
Note: 2023 is the paper's own date; replaces Felidae Fund's unattributed 'oldest living cat species' line - The page saysthe BBC documentary series Frozen Planet II called it "the grumpiest cat in the world."
- The source says
Deemed the ‘the grumpiest cat in the world’ by the BBC documentary series Frozen Planet II
Note: the page states only that the BBC said it, which the paper cites; no claim that the cat is grumpy in temperament - The page saysBy 2023, a genome study reported that a successful captive breeding program had made manuls widespread in zoos around the world.
- The source says
A successful captive breeding program has led to O. manul being widespread in zoo collections around the world
Note: 2023 is the paper's own date - The page saysEach cat roams a wide home range and populations are thin, though, so its conservation status varies from place to place.
- The source says
Because of its wide home range and low population density, the conservation status of O. manul varies geographically.
Source
08
Ross et al. 2020
Ross et al. (2020). Otocolobus manul. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T15640A180145377.
- The page saysLeast Concern
- The source says
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
- The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern.
- The source says
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.