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A cream flat-faced kitten wearing a fuzzy lion mane hood sits on a leaf-strewn lawn in a backyard at golden hour. 7 / 23

The King of the Jungle Has Never Looked Quite This Anxious

AI imagehalloweenexotic shorthairlion costume

The king of the jungle has never looked quite this anxious. Out on the leaf-scattered lawn, a round-faced cream kitten sits wearing a shaggy lion mane hood, complete with two small rounded ears perched on top. Her copper eyes glance sideways, her little mouth turns down at the corners, and her whole expression seems to say she was not consulted about this costume. Behind her, a pot of mums, a carved pumpkin, a blue watering can, and a coiled garden hose catch the low golden light of an October evening.

There's a fun bit of truth behind dressing a house cat as a lion. All domestic cats are relatives of wild cats, and today's pet cats are believed to descend mainly from the African wildcat, which people began living alongside thousands of years ago. House cats still share many behaviors with their big cousins, from stalking and pouncing to kneading, grooming, and napping for long stretches of the day. Lions are unusual among wild cats because they live in social groups, while most wild cats are solitary. Domestic cats fall somewhere in between, often forming close bonds with people and with other pets in the household.

This particular lion seems to have skipped the roaring lessons, though. She looks far more interested in getting the mane off and heading back inside for a snack.

Every pride needs a leader. This one would rather lead the way to a warm blanket.

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