In early August, keepers at Zoo Tel Aviv Ramat-Gan were thrilled to discover that mother cat, Rotem, had given birth to four wriggly little kittens. Initially there was concern that Rotem would be unable to care for so many kittens, but she has proven to be a capable mother for her curious youngsters. Now at three weeks old, the kittens have just begun to emerge from the den to the delight of visitors.

Specially adapted for desert life, Sand Cats can thrive in some of the world's driest areas beyond, the range of any other feline. Much like the Fennec Fox, Sand Cats sport big furry pads between their toes to dance along the hot sand and oversized ears, which act like radiators to disperse heat.

Despite these unique feline characteristics, the Sand Cat has not been able to outrun the triple threats of habitat destruction, inadvertent trapping by farmers, and predation and disease from domestic animals. Today they are extinct in the wild in Israel and on the decline throughout their native range of deserts in Asia and North Africa.

Photo credits: Tibor Jäger

After 63 days of gestation, a rare Sand Cat Kitten was born at Israel's Zoological Center Tel Aviv Ramat Gan - Safari. Once plentiful in numbers in the dunes of Israel, the Sand Cat has become extinct in the region. This is Safari Zoo's first successful Sand Cat birth and it is hoped this kitten will join Israel's Sand Cat Breeding Program in order to help reintroduce the species into the wild.

Three weeks ago, the kitten's mother Rotem refused to go into the night chamber at the end of the day. Keepers let her stay outside and the next night she gave birth to a tiny baby in the den in the outdoor enclosure. Keepers first saw the kitten when it poked it's tiny head and looked out from the den.

Photo credits: Tibor Jager

Many more pics below the fold...

Earlier this month, Sweden's Parken Zoo welcomed two new Sand Cat kittens. Small and stocky, the Sand Cat's oversized ears help to dissipate heat and detect prey scurrying along the sand, much like the Fennec Fox. Watching the curious kittens exploring their enclosure can't help but make you think of their domestic cousins. Thanks to Mats Ellting for the photos.

Photo Credits: Mats Ellting

Two sand cat kittens were born at the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort in the United Arab Emirates. The kittens’ birth was a result of an assistive reproductive technique called in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. This marks the first time the procedure was successful in Sand cats. The research project is on-going and includes captive sand cat populations in the United States and Europe and is conducted in collaboration with the University of Illinois and the Cincinnati Zoo.

Sand Cat Kittens in Cincinnati
In January we brought you the birth of two fluffy sand cat kittens at the Cincinnati Zoo. Today we check back in on them thanks to Aileenie Photography. Sand cats are near-threatened in the wild although many Middle Eastern countries have taken steps to prohibit hunting them.

Meet the Cincinnati Zoo's newest little Arabian Sand Cat kittens, who just debuted to the public today. Born on October 29th, the kittens, male "Najah" and female "Fath," currently weigh just 1lb. 12 oz. and 1 lb. 6 oz. respectively.

 Photo credits: Cincinnati Zoo 

The kittens' parents are a specially selected breeding pair from the Al Wabra Reserve in Qatar. Sand cats have fur on their feet to walk on hot sands and dig their own burrows to make nests and avoid the heat of the desert.