Stop everything you're doing because we just found the world's cutest cat species! Meet caracals, or to be more specific, baby caracals! These beautiful creatures have been religiously significant to the ancient Egyptians. They appear in their paintings, bronze figurines, whereas their sculptures were believed to guard the tombs of pharaohs.
Caracals live in Africa, the Middle East and The Indian subcontinent. Adults can weigh as much as 18kgs (40lbs), they can run at speeds of up to 50mph, and they can kill a grown man with their cuteness (ok, so maybe we made that last bit up). Caracals can be easily domesticated and even kept as pets. However, it may be illegal in some countries, so double-check before you decide to get one of these cuties!
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It's really beautiful, but for some reason I find it hard to believe they can be "easily" domesticated and kept as pets. How do just easily domesticate a wild animal?
A lot of "domesticated" animals aren't domesticated. Instead they are housed by people who understand their needs and work to make them as comfortable as possible. It's kind of how people keep foxes and wolf hybrids as pets. Yes there are people that think "this is a really cool breed. I want one" without doing any research and that does harm the animals. My advice with any exotic animals is take a few years when deciding to get one and research and plan ahead. Just like with normal house cats and dogs all of their personalitys are different and one will not be the same as others.
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Caracals are wild animals. The are NOT pets! People who have tried to domesticate them end up with a dangerous animal on their hands. In addition, because they are wild creatures, they can and do spray everything with urine - all the time - whether spayed or neutered - whether male or female. It doesn't smell good and once sprayed on your drywall, you may as well rip it out and start again. It is blatantly irresponsible to suggest these, or any wild animal, can or should be domesticated. For further information, I suggest you visit bigcatrescue.com. You can learn why you should never, ever keep a wild cat as a pet, or support any type of wild animal show, or pose for photos with any wild cub or adult cat (pay for play). Please educate yourselves on the damage these abuses (and make no mistake - they ARE abuses) do to, not only captive wild cats, but free ones as well.
Excellent comment. These animals are predators and one should not try to domesticate them as a plaything.
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I find this article misleading. Caracals can't be easily domesticated. I think, the correct term might be here "tamed". And even then you should remember that they are wild animals that are not as easily kept as domestic cats. They require a large space, they may tend to spray to mark their territory, prey on smaller animals (in the wild they hunt animals up to the size of impala antelopes.), can become shy and skittish when they reach adulthood, still have their wild instincts. And they grow to the size of a medium sized dog. So, when they lash out at you, they can really harm you. Back in the day they were kept as hunting companions alongside cheetahs. But still they are not domesticated animals like domestic dogs or cats. And given the rampant problems with unwanted exotic pets, I would recommend looking for a cat breed like Maine C**n or Pixie Bob, they look pretty, lynx like, and are really domesticated.
Yes totally agree. Domesticating animals takes generations of selective breeding. I think articles like these, although they don't mean to be, are actually harmful, because it gives the impression that you can have this adorable tame pet. When it ends up being too much, the animal gets dumped.
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Bored Panda, you've entertained me for so long and shown me many wondrous things I never knew about, but this may be the end. Both Iveta Pete's introduction and the emphasis on CUTENESS, especially paired with the suggestion that these wild cats make good pets, infuriate me. The photographs are enchanting, but what next? Adopt a baby Polar Bear? The move toward "designer" breeds is nauseating enough, but to imply -- no, to STATE -- that Caraculs make GOOD PETS is grossly inaccurate, irresponsible and even cruel. Cruel to the 40 pound wild animal who, though beautiful, is no longer the cute little kitty-poo that you can no longer fit into your designer tote bag and might take your neighbor's leg off and end up being "put to sleep" for it. I am furious (yes, I said that already) and disgusted at your irresponsibility when you know how this "story" can go viral in a heartbeat. That you should be ashamed of yourselves is the least of the things I would hope for.
(continued...) You should REMOVE the article, apologize for its misleading and dangerous content, and issue an apology to all who really treasure wild animals WHERE THEY BELONG.
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How awful to promote a wild animal as a pet. What is disturbing disgusting trend. I'm very ashamed of bored panda for promoting this horrible shameful thing.
I love this cat but find it hard to believe this cat can be easily domesticated. I am finding it hard to get my rescue cat to trust me. Bad idea to promote this beautiful cat to be domesticated, it belongs in the wild to run free.
Look Whittier you say: easily domesticable; when you say that you're encouraging mean people to put in a cage this animals for reproduction to sale The puppies. You're very irresponsible.
Cats are tricky, as most of them can be "tamed" very quickly. Actually, cats are self-domesticating. They don't seek out fights; they're nature's perfect energy conservationists. Most cats are happy to lay around all day, let you rub them behind the ears and give them food. That's what makes cats like the Caracal such a dangerous choice for a pet. They're small and cute at first, and then they grow into 30+ pound critters that can kill an adult human with ease. Even the owner of a generic domestic cat can probably tell you at least one story about a cat tearing up his arm or leg. I live in Costa Rica, and there are a few tame Ocelots and Margays here. They still live in the wild, but tourists have fed them, and now whenever they hear or see a tourist, they run up and rub against their legs, looking cute and looking for a handout. They are "tame." They are also perfectly capable of seriously injuring you.
Very cute. Allow them to have their freedom if you value your own. Imagine if someone took you out of your natural environment. Let's enjoy them in the wild and appreciate the freedom.
It's terribly selfish to force a wild animal to live in captivity just because you 'want' one. And the author is absolutely disgusting for even suggesting it. What a cheap, despicable way to get more comments and votes on your post.
No they can't be domesticated. We have them wild on our farm. Really very good at looking after themselves.
Stunning animal. I agree with Cesi. I do not think these cats are meant to be domesticated. These are wild creatures. Look at how big cats, chimpanzees, elephants, and a score of others are 'domesticated', through cruelty. Leave these wild cats alone. Stop promoting g them as pets.
Reading through these comments, it's like a broken record. No original thought at all, just a bunch of leftists brainwashed with the same Big Cat Rescue propaganda. The person from South Africa said they are mean, but she's referring to wild ones. A feral felis catus will be hissy and defensive just like a wild caracal. Most caracals you see in homes are from lines that have been domesticated for generations. Look up "caracal pet" on YouTube and look at some of the Russian breeders' videos. You'll see caracals there eating from people's hands, allowing a little boy to pick them up (yes, grown ones) and hold them upside down. Rubbing against people and purring just like housecats. They're not generally mean or vicious at all. And it's not like you're keeping a lion or a tiger (though from the comments here I doubt many of you can tell the difference between a 40 pound caracal and a 600 pound tiger.) The article is correct. Caracals can make great pets for the right people.
Your comment is very intelligent, except the second sentence makes you sound like you are rightist brainwashed. These people are social media brainwashed, very reactionary, no research just OMG Comment Share. Most don't bother to read anything. You get the same idiots on the left and right on a whole world of topics.
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They are a wild animal , leave them to roam in freedom forget domesticating them , there are enough domestic cats gone wild or needing homes without capturing these .
Maybe I'm the only one, but I think this is a cat version of Lee Pace 5c7e370045...81f9a3.jpg 
It is soooo cute i'll maybe change my mind from getting a Puma!!! Awww so cute
Centuries ago, Ancient Egyptians had already began domesticating these lovely creatures and they were even placed higher than ordinary humans. I wonder why model families can't domesticate them with utmost care?
O felines of the Pharaohs, protect your masters' doors until the end of time
It ìs a wild animal, for chrissakes, admire it, love but above all respect it, this should never be a pet
I agree, I think its EXTREMELY irresponsible for both this publication and the author to encourage ANY domestication of this animal. Its wrong on multiple levels and if no one at Bored Panda doesn't realize this then they're in the wrong field, without question. I don't usually advise this, but this story should either be pulled from the internet or at the least, rewritten.
Yes they can be domesticated very easily. Just make sure you do your research on them first. They have a unique diet but not too unique to where you have to change everything. And if you're going to have one please do not de-claw them. Or any cat for that fact of the matter. I have a Bengal. She's 90% Bangalore only 10% domestic and almost four feet long. She eats normal cat food just fine but she is a lot and requires of course Kitty highways at high places and special treatment. I took her away from really bad people so I domesticated her the best I could after all the abuse happened to her and she's my baby girl. She's very smart and knows how to open every door and can get it even around the kid locks. The one thing she has not figured out are the deadbolts thank God. Also please remember to keep your kitty indoors. There's too much out there that can harm them. Bengals are wild just like caracals if you didn't know. It takes patience to understand them. That's all.
They are not meant to be pets. The end. But the photography is stunningly beautiful.
They pee all over everything to mark their territory, if you want that inside your house than you're crazy and wild animals will be wild, leave them there
I died laughing when I saw this. I live in South Africa. I know Caracals well. Caracals can never and will never be domesticated. They're like leopards. They have serious anger issues. They HATE all other animals, including humans. They eat people's cats (and everything else) around here. They are cute but they are really nasty. Even the babies are just cute little calls of teeth and claws. They are not cuddly or friendly for a single moment of their entire lives. The author was way off about the last bit.
They are possibly related to the Canadian Linx. I know of no other species characterized by the long pointy 'whiskers' at the top of their ears... but I'm all ears!!
To the person in the photo holding this caracal - why did you need to have a wild cat as a pet? There are more than enough domestic cats to go around. Do NOT keep caracals as pets!
Caracals should not be kept as pets. This one is clearly indoors. Do NOT get one as a pet!
To the person in this photo: what happened to the mother of this kitten? The pet trade is terrible - only domestic cats should be pets.
Beautiful, but to say that they can be easily domesticated & kept as pets is promoting wildlife trafficking. Why can't we just admire wild animals when just "captured" with a long lens instead of needing to cage & own them.
Cute yes...but obviously vicious. I googled a bit and read an article. These fluffballs obviously slay goats and similarly sized animals, and they also do "surpluss kills", i.e. hunt more than they would need for food if they get the chance to. On the other hand, they themselves seem to be hunted a lot. Quite interesting reads. Thus: very cute, but I hope people will not consider to make these animals pets...
People want to domesticate everything and are then surprised if/when it goes wrong at some point. So many animals are adorable but some are just not supposed to be pets.
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A lot of "domesticated" animals aren't domesticated. Instead they are housed by people who understand their needs and work to make them as comfortable as possible. It's kind of how people keep foxes and wolf hybrids as pets. Yes there are people that think "this is a really cool breed. I want one" without doing any research and that does harm the animals. My advice with any exotic animals is take a few years when deciding to get one and research and plan ahead. Just like with normal house cats and dogs all of their personalitys are different and one will not be the same as others Sometimes the need to "domesticate" them comes from the fact that in the wild they are becoming extinct.
Caracals are wild animals. The are NOT pets! People who have tried to domesticate them end up with a dangerous animal on their hands. In addition, because they are wild creatures, they can and do spray everything with urine - all the time - whether spayed or neutered - whether male or female. It is blatantly irresponsible to suggest they can or should be domesticated. For further information, I suggest you visit bigcatrescue.com. You can learn why you should never, ever keep a wild cat as a pet, or support any type of wild animal show, or pose for photos with any wild cub or adult cat (pay for play). Please educate yourselves on the damage these abuses (and make no mistake - they ARE abuses) do to, not only captive wild cats, but free ones as well.
Oh yes beautiful kittens... BUT i have seen grown a*s adult Caracals and they are wild!!! i wouldn't have one of those as a pet even if someone gift one to me!
They are not cats as such, they are wild felines and they should NOT be kept as pet. I love cats and felines but i think is very irresponsible for Bore Panda to encourage keeping a wild animal as a pet
Look what does beautiful kittens will grown to be, and think again if you really would want one in your house..... Caracal-ca...cc78f2.jpg 
Keeping wild animals as pets is idiotic - and fortunately illegal in most civilized countries. WE DON'T NEED TO OWN EVERYTHING WE LIKE. Sorry for shouting but this boundless materialism drives me crazy! And the lack of information isn't helping. Hans did the research already, so I don't need to bother. And I'm happy to see the comments are mostly very sensible.
eta: I meant to write 'the lack of information in the post'. And thanks, Hans, for researching this.
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These are NOT pets. They are wild animals and should be left in the wild.
Caracals do not make good house pets and anyone who say's they do obviously do not appreciate the animal for the natural essence & wild beauty!!
I would not call them pets. Owning one is prohibited in the Netherlands. Only zoo's and specialized shelters may get an exemption.
Wild adult cats are killed in the den to take their babies at a day or 2 old to "feed" the pet trade. These animals are not meant to be domesticated and to state they can be is both irresponsible and misleading. There are hundreds of thousands of domesticated house cats looking for homes...I would suggest someone wanting a cat start there. ALL CATS have their own brand of charm. Leave the wild cats where they belong....IN THE WILD!!
Caracals have always been one of my favorites! But, there are so many beautiful small wildcats that are endangered, and many could disappear before most people are even aware they exist. The endangered big cats get most of the attention, but they all need and deserve our protection.
Please don't advocate keeping a wild animal as a pet.... really, what is this?
Its a WILD cat, not a pet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the author is suggesting to get a wild animal at home and its still unedited?????????????????????????
they are adorable and would love to have one, but I do not want to promote wildlife trafficking. loves-wher...75a98b.jpg 
@BigCatRescue : " Caracals can be easily domesticated and even kept as pets.", so says the text, WHAT THE CAT??? Caracals´re wild cats and should NOT be kept as pets!!! 🤬🤬🤬
SHAME ON YOU for promoting the possession of these WILD ANIMALS! Yes, they are CUTE, VERY CUTE, but then so are baby lions and tigers, but you wouldn't bring on those into your home would you? You left out the part about them spraying and destroying your home because of their natural instincts.....if you want a cat, then RESCUE a domestic, there are MILLIONS of them out there waiting for good homes. These babies are snatched away from their mothers and suffer lifelong problems because of it. You need to promote the conservation of their habitats NOT the possession of them!
Totally agree!! Caracals are wild cats and should stay in the wild!!
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Bobcats are WILD ANIMALS who should live in the WILD : WHY BREED THEM IN CAPTIVITY???
I'd just like to know, are they really soft? Where have they been, I've never heard of a Caracal, and do we need to domesticate them, are they not safe in the wild? So many questions! I do want to touch one, however, I've said that about Lions and Tigers and Bears too! So far no luck!
These cats as vicious fully grown, able to kill a sheep or small antelope. They are nocturnal and very skittish. I have yet to see one in the wild on our annual trips to the Kruger National Park, going on these for almost 30 years now. Fully grown males will be around 50 to 60cm (24" for the imperials) and will be able to jump up to 2.5m high. In my honest opinion, they are *not* house pets and there is a saying "You can take the monkey out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the monkey". A wild animal will always be a wild animal unless it can be successfully bred in captivity for a few generations.
It is an African cat so domestacation... I dont know...I live in Europe and we have these cute little cats it is called Rys . images-57f...413077.jpg 
This looks like a South African 'Rooikat' (Red-cat)... I would definitely not want one of these in my house if you see what they are capable of in the wild.
Ah ok, just did a bit of research and I see a Caracal=Rooikat, yeah I wouldn't trust one of those.
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I know them as "Rooikat", directly translated it means "red cat". Gorgeous...
i loved it i even followed!!! There just so cute i just can't refuse to look at them
Beautiful, but to say that they can be easily domesticated & kept as pets is promoting wildlife trafficking. Why can't we just admire wild animals when just "captured" with a long lens instead of needing to cage & own them.
Cute yes...but obviously vicious. I googled a bit and read an article. These fluffballs obviously slay goats and similarly sized animals, and they also do "surpluss kills", i.e. hunt more than they would need for food if they get the chance to. On the other hand, they themselves seem to be hunted a lot. Quite interesting reads. Thus: very cute, but I hope people will not consider to make these animals pets...
People want to domesticate everything and are then surprised if/when it goes wrong at some point. So many animals are adorable but some are just not supposed to be pets.
Load More Replies... A lot of "domesticated" animals aren't domesticated. Instead they are housed by people who understand their needs and work to make them as comfortable as possible. It's kind of how people keep foxes and wolf hybrids as pets. Yes there are people that think "this is a really cool breed. I want one" without doing any research and that does harm the animals. My advice with any exotic animals is take a few years when deciding to get one and research and plan ahead. Just like with normal house cats and dogs all of their personalitys are different and one will not be the same as others Sometimes the need to "domesticate" them comes from the fact that in the wild they are becoming extinct.
Caracals are wild animals. The are NOT pets! People who have tried to domesticate them end up with a dangerous animal on their hands. In addition, because they are wild creatures, they can and do spray everything with urine - all the time - whether spayed or neutered - whether male or female. It is blatantly irresponsible to suggest they can or should be domesticated. For further information, I suggest you visit bigcatrescue.com. You can learn why you should never, ever keep a wild cat as a pet, or support any type of wild animal show, or pose for photos with any wild cub or adult cat (pay for play). Please educate yourselves on the damage these abuses (and make no mistake - they ARE abuses) do to, not only captive wild cats, but free ones as well.
Oh yes beautiful kittens... BUT i have seen grown a*s adult Caracals and they are wild!!! i wouldn't have one of those as a pet even if someone gift one to me!
They are not cats as such, they are wild felines and they should NOT be kept as pet. I love cats and felines but i think is very irresponsible for Bore Panda to encourage keeping a wild animal as a pet
Look what does beautiful kittens will grown to be, and think again if you really would want one in your house..... Caracal-ca...cc78f2.jpg
Keeping wild animals as pets is idiotic - and fortunately illegal in most civilized countries. WE DON'T NEED TO OWN EVERYTHING WE LIKE. Sorry for shouting but this boundless materialism drives me crazy! And the lack of information isn't helping. Hans did the research already, so I don't need to bother. And I'm happy to see the comments are mostly very sensible.
eta: I meant to write 'the lack of information in the post'. And thanks, Hans, for researching this.
Load More Replies... These are NOT pets. They are wild animals and should be left in the wild.
Caracals do not make good house pets and anyone who say's they do obviously do not appreciate the animal for the natural essence & wild beauty!!
I would not call them pets. Owning one is prohibited in the Netherlands. Only zoo's and specialized shelters may get an exemption.
Wild adult cats are killed in the den to take their babies at a day or 2 old to "feed" the pet trade. These animals are not meant to be domesticated and to state they can be is both irresponsible and misleading. There are hundreds of thousands of domesticated house cats looking for homes...I would suggest someone wanting a cat start there. ALL CATS have their own brand of charm. Leave the wild cats where they belong....IN THE WILD!!
Caracals have always been one of my favorites! But, there are so many beautiful small wildcats that are endangered, and many could disappear before most people are even aware they exist. The endangered big cats get most of the attention, but they all need and deserve our protection.
Please don't advocate keeping a wild animal as a pet.... really, what is this?
Its a WILD cat, not a pet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the author is suggesting to get a wild animal at home and its still unedited?????????????????????????
they are adorable and would love to have one, but I do not want to promote wildlife trafficking. loves-wher...75a98b.jpg
@BigCatRescue : " Caracals can be easily domesticated and even kept as pets.", so says the text, WHAT THE CAT??? Caracals´re wild cats and should NOT be kept as pets!!! 🤬🤬🤬
SHAME ON YOU for promoting the possession of these WILD ANIMALS! Yes, they are CUTE, VERY CUTE, but then so are baby lions and tigers, but you wouldn't bring on those into your home would you? You left out the part about them spraying and destroying your home because of their natural instincts.....if you want a cat, then RESCUE a domestic, there are MILLIONS of them out there waiting for good homes. These babies are snatched away from their mothers and suffer lifelong problems because of it. You need to promote the conservation of their habitats NOT the possession of them!
Totally agree!! Caracals are wild cats and should stay in the wild!!
Load More Replies... Bobcats are WILD ANIMALS who should live in the WILD : WHY BREED THEM IN CAPTIVITY???
I'd just like to know, are they really soft? Where have they been, I've never heard of a Caracal, and do we need to domesticate them, are they not safe in the wild? So many questions! I do want to touch one, however, I've said that about Lions and Tigers and Bears too! So far no luck!
These cats as vicious fully grown, able to kill a sheep or small antelope. They are nocturnal and very skittish. I have yet to see one in the wild on our annual trips to the Kruger National Park, going on these for almost 30 years now. Fully grown males will be around 50 to 60cm (24" for the imperials) and will be able to jump up to 2.5m high. In my honest opinion, they are *not* house pets and there is a saying "You can take the monkey out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the monkey". A wild animal will always be a wild animal unless it can be successfully bred in captivity for a few generations.
It is an African cat so domestacation... I dont know...I live in Europe and we have these cute little cats it is called Rys . images-57f...413077.jpg
This looks like a South African 'Rooikat' (Red-cat)... I would definitely not want one of these in my house if you see what they are capable of in the wild.
Ah ok, just did a bit of research and I see a Caracal=Rooikat, yeah I wouldn't trust one of those.
Load More Replies... I know them as "Rooikat", directly translated it means "red cat". Gorgeous...
i loved it i even followed!!! There just so cute i just can't refuse to look at them
