The internet’s famously grumpy cats are about to be set up on a date.
Edinburgh Zoo has welcomed a new female Pallas’s cat called Duchess, who will soon be introduced to resident male Akiko in the hope the pair hit it off and produce kittens.
Known online as the “world’s grumpiest cat” thanks to their permanently unimpressed expressions, Pallas’s cats have become social media favourites in recent years.
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Now keepers are hoping there’s a happy ending for the furry duo as part of an international breeding programme for the elusive species.
Duchess, aged two, recently arrived from Nordens Ark in Sweden and has already begun settling into her new home alongside six-year-old Akiko, who has lived at Edinburgh Zoo since 2024, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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.”
Despite their permanently grumpy appearance, the cats’ distinctive features are actually clever survival adaptations.
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Their flattened heads and low-set ears help them stay hidden while stalking prey across the rocky grasslands and steppes of Central Asia, while their unusual round pupils – unlike the vertical slit pupils seen in most small cats – add to their famously frowning expression.
They also have one of the densest fur coats of any wild cat, helping them survive freezing temperatures in their mountain habitats.
About the size of a domestic cat, Pallas’s cats – also known as manuls – are solitary hunters that use rocky crevices and abandoned burrows for shelter before emerging to catch rodents, pikas and other small prey.
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Fyfe added: “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.”
Although listed as Least Concern globally, Pallas’s cats face growing threats across their natural range from habitat loss, infrastructure development, declining prey populations and attacks by domestic dogs.
Their secretive behaviour and the remoteness of their habitat also make them one of the least-studied wild cat species.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has managed the European breeding programme for the species for more than 15 years and helped establish the Pallas’s Cat International Conservation Alliance, which works with partners across Central Asia to protect the species through research, conservation and public awareness.
Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of Edinburgh Zoo’s famously grumpy couple may have to be patient, though.
Akiko still has one important job to do – convincing Duchess that he’s worthy of becoming the father of the zoo’s next generation of internet-famous kittens.
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