Happy Caturday! Behold the caracal (Caracal caracal) and its stylish ear tassels. Some scientists think that this cat twitches its tufts to communicate with others (in addition to meowing, purring, hissing, and other feline vocalizations). It’s the fastest cat of its size, running up to 50 mph (80.5 km/h), and can jump as high as 10 ft (3 m)! In fact, this hunter has a reputation for jumping up to swat birds out of the air for a meal. Other prey include small mammals like hyraxes and hares. This species can be found in arid habitats in parts of Africa and Asia. 

Photo: Paul Fenwick, CC BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist