Zelenogorsk, a famous Pallas’s cat who became popular online for his habit of sitting on his tail to stay warm, has passed away at the age of 13. He successfully fathered 35 kittens, which is a significant achievement for this endangered species.
Pallas cats, sometimes called Manuls, are small, fluffy wild cats that live in the dry mountains and grasslands of central Asia and Russia.
I just adore these little guys! They’re perfectly built for living way up high in the mountains and dealing with freezing temperatures. What really gets me are their small size and those unbelievably cute, kitten-like faces. It’s good to know they aren’t critically endangered, the IUCN lists them as ‘least concern’, but we still need to help protect them!
Manul cats usually live between five and eight years in the wild, but one particular cat is gaining attention online for living well over that average lifespan – and for other remarkable reasons.
Zelenogorsk, the viral Manul, dies at 13 years old
Zelenogorsk, nicknamed for its meaning ‘Green Mountain’ in Russian, is a popular Manul cat. He was born in the Republic of Tuva, Russia, sometime between 2012 and 2013. Shortly after birth, he went to the Zelenogorsk Zoo in Krasnoyarsk before settling permanently at the Novosibirsk Zoo in 2014.
A cat with a perfectly round shape went viral after a short video showed him sitting in a funny position – with his paws resting on his tail, seemingly to keep his paws warm.
The video quickly became popular online and introduced many people to this amazing animal. After the clip was posted by the Pallas’s cat group ‘Manulization’ in 2022, he lived for another four years, passing away during the winter of 2025-2026 at the age of 13.
When Novosibirsk Zoo shared the news in February 2026, people online were amazed by how long Zelenogorsk lived, as well as by how many offspring he had. According to Manulization, he fathered at least 35 kittens with seven different mothers.
People have noticed and are playfully amazed by how successfully he’s been having offspring, and his dedication to keeping his species alive hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Zelenogorsk, the famous Pallas’s cat who became popular for his habit of curling his tail around his paws to stay warm, has passed away. He was a very successful father, with 35 kittens, and lived a remarkably long life – twice as long as typical for his species.
— TopMob (@TopMob) February 5, 2026
According to Manulization, Pallas’s cats typically don’t live past five years in the wild. However, they often live longer when cared for in zoos. Zelenogorsk, a Pallas’s cat living in captivity, enjoyed a long and comfortable life with plenty of love and care.
A cat named Zelenogorsk recently became an internet sensation after amazingly finding its way back home from Spain. The French couple who owned the cat lost him during a road trip in late 2025, but somehow, he made the journey back all on his own!
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2026-02-06 00:49