Sand Cat

Barely larger than a house cat, the sand cat is built for one of Earth’s harshest climates. Fur-covered foot pads insulate it from scorching dunes, oversized ears dissipate heat, and thick pale coat lets it vanish against the sand.

It hunts by night and gets most of its water from prey, seldom drinking even when water is available. During winter cold snaps it stays underground in a burrow, often one borrowed from a rodent it may have just eaten.