If you thought your pet kitty’s habit of dragging in their backyard prey was gruesome, be glad you’re not dealing with an African black-footed cat: They consume around 3,000 rodents a year. About the size of a domesticated kitten, these diminutive terrors hold the title of the world’s deadliest cat thanks to their incredible hunting success rate — but you’d never know it from their sweet faces. Click below to learn more and watch a video of African black-footed cats in the wild.

Rebekah Brandes

Assistant Editor

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The World’s Deadliest Wild Cat Is the Size of a Kitten and Equally Adorable

If you were a gerbil or a small bird in the deserts of southern Africa, you’d likely spend your nocturnal hours fearing the African black-footed cat — or the Felis nigripes, if we’re being technical — a vicious killer with night vision and incredible hearing abilities, capable of targeting its prey with exceptional accuracy.

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