World’s grumpiest cats to find love at Edinburgh Zoo

Pallas’s cats are known online as the world’s grumpiest cat, but keepers at Edinburgh Zoo are hoping to turn that frown upside down as they welcome a new female to join their male.  

The new arrival, named Duchess, will be living with Akiko. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the wildlife conservation charity, hopes that the cats will produce kittens as part of the international breeding program for the species.  

Chloe Fyfe, a zoo keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, said, “Duchess has been settling in well and exploring her habitat. She is living up to her name – she’s very prim and proper. Akiko will have to work hard to impress her when they are introduced, but he is up to the task. She has a lovely personality and complements him perfectly. Fingers crossed for kittens in the not-too-distant future.”  

Pallas’s cats, or manuls, have become internet celebrities thanks to their grumpy faces. This cranky appearance is shaped by natural adaptations for survival on the steppes. Their flat heads and low-set ears help them remain hidden as they stalk prey, and their round pupils add to the frowning look that has made them so recognisable online.

Chloe Fyfe said, “The grumpy cat phenomenon has been fantastic. It’s made Akiko a real visitor favourite, and Duchess will quickly join those ranks. The growing interest in the species is invaluable, as it gives us a great opportunity to celebrate these remarkable animals and raise awareness of the challenges they face in the wild.”  

Pallas’s cats face various threats across their natural range in the wild from habitat loss and degradation through agricultural and infrastructure expansion, loss of prey and predation by domestic dogs. Their secretive nature and the remoteness of their habitat also make them difficult to study, and they are amongst the least known wild cat species in the world.    

RZSS has managed the breeding programme for the species for over 15 years. In that time, it has established the global conservation project the Pallas's cat International Conservation Alliance (PICA), alongside partners Nordens Ark and Snow Leopard Trust. Dedicated to protecting Pallas’s cats on a global scale, the project aims to enhance conservation efforts for the species through capacity building, research, awareness raising and strategic planning.