Bizarre Friendship Between Caracal and Domestic Housecat Baffles Internet

A cute display of feline friendship has gained serious viral attention online after a video of caracal Pumba and his ginger housecat friend amassed 8.6 million views.

The star of the video, Pumba, is a domesticated caracal, a wild cat species known for its striking appearance and distinct behaviors. Owner Deniss Jegorovs took him in as a three-month-old kitten at his home in Latvia, where it is legal to own a caracal.

In the TikTok video posted by @pumbacaracal, Pumba is seen hissing softly while nestled comfortably next to ginger housecat friend Izjuma. The unusual pairing stood out on many social feeds, amazing animal lovers.

The caracal is also known as a "desert lynx," and is native to the dry regions of Africa and Asia. Famed for their distinctive tufted ears and agility, caracals are typically solitary animals—making Pumba and Izjuma's friendship even more impressive.

With uniformly tan colored coats, they are medium-sized, often reaching around 16-20 inches and weighing between 18-42 pounds.

In the wild, they inhabit forests, savannas, and marshy lowlands. Their famous pointy ears with tipped black tufts have over 20 muscles that swivel around to help them detect sounds. They are also capable of leaping high into the air, often knocking tens of birds out of the sky with one swipe.

The legality of owning a caracal as a pet in the U.S. varies from state to state, and despite being legal in some states, permits are still required. Other states prohibit caracal pets altogether.

Earlier this year, the Big Cat Public Safety Act made it illegal to privately possess or breed other big cats to keep as exotic pets or for commercial purposes—including lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars or cougars. Current owners were grandfathered in and required to register their animals to ensure that first responders and animal control officers are aware of the presence of such animals in their communities.

Gabriella Leighton, a researcher at the Urban Caracal Project based in Cape Town, South Africa, warned against the idea of a domesticated caracal altogether. She told Newsweek: "We do not condone keeping wild animals as pets. Caracals are wild animals, and, unlike domestic cats, have not been selectively bred over hundreds of years to be house pets."

The viral video of the feline friendship has gained plenty of attention, including over 6,000 comments on TikTok.

"I thought you walked out to your porch to find a wild animal with your house cat... until I saw the collar," said shocked TikTok user Stephanie Ray Gregory.

Juno joked: "Keep your enemies closer."

Others commented on how relaxed the ginger housecat looked: "That's the most unbothered cat I've ever seen," said Rosegold. Another comment said: "The orange cat is just chilling."

This isn't the first time Pumba has gained viral attention either. With 9.6 million followers on TikTok, the caracal is seriously loved online where owner Jegorovs shares all of his antics—from playing with toys to tucking into his raw meat meals.

Elsewhere, people have been doing their best to avoid big cats. In northeastern Minnesota, a series of mountain lion sightings left people on high alert.

Newsweek reached out to @pumbacaracal via email for comment.

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