Zelenogorsk, the viral Pallas’s cat known for sitting on his tail to keep his paw pads warm, has died at 13 years old after fathering 35 kittens in a major victory for the endangered species.
Pallas Cats, also known as Manuls, are small, fluffy wild cats native to the arid mountains and steppes of central Asia and Russia.
They are specialized for high altitudes and cold temperatures, and are famous for their tiny stature and kitten-like faces. They are also an endangered species, though they rank as an animal of ‘least concern’ on the official IUCN list.
Manuls typically live five to eight years in the wild… but one of these cats is going viral for outliving this standard by over half a decade, among other reasons.
Pallas’s cats are listed as a species of ‘least concern’ on official animal conservation lists.
Zelenogorsk, the viral Manul, dies at 13 years old
Zelenogorsk (Russian for ‘Green Mountain’) is an internet-famous Manul who was born in 2012 – 2013 in the Russian Republic of Tuva. He came to the Zelenogorsk Zoo in Krasnoyarsk soon after he was born, and was later moved to his permanent residence at the Novosibirsk Zoo in 2014.
The round, almost spherical-looking cat became a viral sensation thanks to a short video showing him sitting with his paws on top of his tail, presumably to keep his feeties from freezing.
This video took social media by storm, and was many viewers’ first introduction to the species. He lived for about four more years after Pallas’s cat activist group ‘Manulization’ uploaded the clip in 2022, eventually dying in the winter of 2025 – 2026 at 13 years old.
His impressive lifespan became a major talking point online after Novosibirsk Zoo announced the news in February 2026… as did his expansive lineage. According to Manulization, Zelenogorsk fathered 35 kittens by at least seven different mothers.
His efforts in ensuring the survival of his species have not gone unrecognized, with users cracking jokes and expressing genuine awe at his propensity for procreation.
“Pallas’s cats rarely live more than 5 years in the wild,” the Manulization wrote online. “In zoos under human care Pallas’s cats live longer. Zelenogorsk lived a long and happy manul-life in comfort and being loved.”
Zelenogorsk is the latest kitty to go viral after a French couple’s pet cat miraculously found its way home from Spain when it escaped during a road trip in late 2025.
