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The cutest killer
The black-footed cat is the smallest wild cat of Africa. It has big green eyes, tawny fur with dark spots and stripes for camouflage, and strong feet with black soles. This adorable hunter has a head-and-body length of no more than 35-52 cm (14-20 in.) and only weighs between 1.1 and 2.45 kg (2.4 to 4.5 lbs.), which is a lot less than the average house cat. Unfortunately, you’re not very likely to spot one of these cuties in the wild, even when you’re in Africa, as the black-footed cat is nocturnal and very shy.
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Cat world’s best hunter
While your sleepy couch tiger gets their food served in a bowl, the black-footed cat travels between 5 and 16 km (3.1 and 9.9 mi) each night while hunting for food. Once these cuties decide to go in for the kill, they have a 60% hit rate – the highest of any wild cat. To compare, the average domestic cat only manages to get hold of their prey 32% of the time. It’s no surprise that the black-footed cat needs to eat a lot to replenish all that energy spent traveling and hunting. Luckily, thanks to their excellent skills, they manage to catch up to 14 small animals a night.
