When it comes to deadly creatures, the animals that come to mind often have big claws, big teeth, and are just big in general.
"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my" was what Dorothy chanted as they walked through the forest, but as it turns out, the thing we need to be afraid of is actually much, much smaller.
BBC One has shared footage of a creature that has not only warmed our hearts, but kind of scared us a little bit, bringing attention to the world's cutest killers.
The black-footed cat from Africa may be the smallest feline in the continent, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.
Weighing in at less than five pounds, these vicious, little cuties are the stars of BBC's Big Cats series. While the series title seems a little bit ironic in this case, their small stature shouldn't discount their ability to take out their prey.
Don't let their sweet faces fool you, these hard to track cats are small but mighty. They can travel over 20 miles in one night, and can jump high enough to pull birds out of the sky and are fast enough to keep up with rodents.
Researchers were able to follow one of these little killers on one of her hunts, and captured footage of her leaping into the air to catch some food for her kitten. She's known as Gyra to the scientists, and she really didn't disappoint them when it came time for her to catch the prey.
These black-footed cats have the highest hit rate of any wild cat, catching their target 60% of the time, making them the most lethal hunters on Earth.
These cats are only found in Africa, but they aren't the only sneaky predators disguised by their kitten-like appearance. The rusty-spotted cat is the smallest cat in the entire world, and just like their African cousins, they are a lot more deadly than they appear.
The rusty-spotted cat has eyes six times more powerful than our own, so their ability to locate their prey is extremely impressive.
I don't know about you, but I think these tiny, vicious kittens are the most amazing thing ever. Really goes to show you that you can't always judge a book by its cover!
Source - BBC One / Huffington Post / MNN
