Featured Image Credit: X/HogleZoo
Topics: Cats, Animals, US News, World News
Olivia Burke
The world's deadliest cat has had her housewarming party and is all unpacked after being sent to live in a new home.
But seen as though her species have an insatiable hunger, lightning speed and extraordinary survival abilities, how is she getting on with her new neighbours?
When you see an image of little Gaia, you may be forgiven for falling for the Puss in Boots effect when you see her big eyes gazing sweetly at the camera.
She looks like butter wouldn't melt in a recent series of snaps which show her exploring her new space and kicking a chill in her little cat basket.
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But despite appearances, the adorable eight-month-old is actually one of the deadliest cats on the whole planet.
Gaia is a black-footed African cat who was born back in May last year in Glen Rose, Texas, and weighs a tiny 2.64 pounds.
She has now settled into Utah’s Hogle Zoo after she was moved there in October 2023, who have made it clear that although she is small in size, she is 'large in her feisty personality'. I told you, don't let those big eyes fool you.
The zoo has regularly been keeping people posted on Gaia's progress throughout recent weeks after she underwent a quarantine period and full health check before being introduced to the public.
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Bob Cisneros, the Associate Director of Animal Care at the facility, has now shared another update on her condition.
Describing Gaia as a 'pretty feisty cat' and a 'mighty warrior', he explained that she has been accustoming herself to her new environment at night when she isn't under the watchful eye of any other animals or zoo employees.
Cisneros said: "When we all come in [in the morning], she’s hunkered down in her little cave."
He is well aware of her species' reputation for being 'voracious hunters' and a 'very fierce cat, pound for pound', saying that black-footed cats have a hunting success rate of over 60 percent.
Gaia is being kept on a strict diet for the foreseeable future, which consists of ground bone, skeletal muscle and organs, and 'the occasional mouse that’s already been humanely euthanised through the zoo’s distributors'.
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She arrived at the zoo a few months ago from the Black-Footed Cat Consortium for breeding purposes and her new carers in Utah said they believe the move will ‘significantly contribute to the program’.
There are only 29 of the cats in the Consortium and it’s the smallest species of wild cat in Africa.
As you may have guessed, they get their name due to having black or dark brown soles or pads - which may add to their cuteness, but also serves as an indicator about their terrifying abilities.
Although they don’t prey on humans and only bite in self-defence, black-footed cats are carnivores and go after rodents, birds, reptiles, insects and spiders.
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They are extremely stealthy as well as boasting incredible vision and speed, making them a formidable predator in the wild - although social media users reckon Gaia is 'so cute' and 'just a baby'.
Hogle Zoo is home to another black-footed cat, named Ryder, who they plan on introducing to her.
"Gaia’s introduction to Ryder, the male black-footed cat, is in the cards, but we’ll let these two feline friends get acquainted when Gaia reaches maturity," the zoo said.
The arrival of this little cutie comes just months after Hogle Zoo’s record-breaking black-footed cat, Sanura, died.
She was the oldest to live in an accredited zoo at 18.5 years old and was ‘known for her sassy personality and perfect grumpy cat side eye glare’.