With big golden eyes and striped fur, this Rusty-spotted Cat looks like your average house cat.  But there's nothing average about Jaipur and Rashna, two female Rusty-spotted Cats who were born at France's Parc des Félins on April 24.

Photo Credit:  Emmanuel Keller

Rusty-spotted Cats are among the smallest of all felines.  Weighing only two to three pounds (1-1.5 kg), these petite cats are found only in the forests of India and Sri Lanka.  Hunting at night for rodents, birds, and lizards, Rusty-spotted Cats snooze in thick vegetation or hollow logs all day.

Due to loss of habitat as forests are cleared for agriculture, Rusty-spotted Cat populations are in decline.  The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as Vulnerable.  They are sometimes kept as pets.

ZooBorns' 2nd all ages book, "ZooBorns CATS!" (Hardcover, 160 pages), features a Rusty-spotted Cat from France's Parc des Félins, just like today's feature! Pick it up on amazon and have it in time for the holidays! 

Order now: http://amzn.to/PChYpR