Small, Adorable Animals That Are Secretly Deadly and Terrifying

Tread carefully. These cuddly creatures can become cold-blooded killers in mere seconds. Perhaps unbelievable but nevertheless true, below are some of examples of friendly fur balls that are secretly fiendish and fearsome.

Grasshopper Mouse

Don’t be fooled by this little guy’s cute whiskers and tiny paws. The Grasshopper Mouse is “only distantly related to the common house mouse” and is a carnivorous species that feeds on insects, snakes, and scorpions.

It’s also immune to the various venoms and poisons its prey uses to defend themselves. Stalking its prey like a cat, the mouse often defends its territory by “howling.”

Black-Footed Cat

While this fella looks like a normal house-cat that’s wandered outside his fence, the Black-Footed Cat is considered one of the deadliest cat species on Earth. The smallest cat in Africa, this nocturnal hunter averages fourteen small animal deaths a night and preys on rodents, birds, antelope offspring, and rabbits.

Dingo

Dingos are experts when it comes to eliminating a threat. When pursuing their prey, these wild dogs “access and target” their potential meal by deducing how much damage their target could inflict should the hunt be reversed.

Sizing up their prey and recognizing their weaknesses allows the dingo to attack large animals such as kangaroos and water buffalo. Most dingoes will corner and exhaust their prey before going in for the kill by attacking the throat.

Slow Loris

Might not want to cuddle too hard with this wide-eyed little dude or else you run the risk of becoming the target of its toxic bite. By licking a sexual gland on their forearm, the Slow Loris is able to secrete a deadly toxin using its saliva.

It can also be spread on their fur during grooming sessions as a means to protect their offspring from predators.