Gaia initially has the appearance of a tabby cat that one may have in their house but is a deadly hunter who weighs a little 2.6 pounds at just nine months old.
A domestic cat typically weighs between eight and twelve pounds, according to WebMD. Gaia is therefore around one-fourth of that size.
“She is small in size but large in her feisty personality,” Hogle Zoo said about a cat named Gaia, its newest resident, reported Yahoo news.
She belongs to the endangered black-footed cat species, which is identified by the black or dark brown dots scattered throughout their fur. Despite having soft fur, wide ears, and large eyes, and being smaller than a teacup, Gaia is regarded as the world's deadliest cat.
If you believe the title belongs to a larger, more intimidating cat, such as a lion or puma, think again. According to PBS, the black-footed cat has earned it because they have a 60% success rate when hunting. They are also deserving of the title of smallest cat in Africa.
In contrast, the success rate of lion hunting alone is between 17% and 19%. According to the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust, the percentage rises to about 30% if the lion hunts in pairs or a group. Put another way, a black-footed cat's success rate in a pair or group is twice that of a lion's.