BEIJING, November 13. /TASS/. Timofey the Pallas’s cat has become a favorite among Chinese tourists, with some visiting the Moscow Zoo specifically to see the animal, Moscow Zoo Director Svetlana Akulova told TASS.

"It is true that Chinese citizens love Pallas’s cats and know Timofey. Visitors from China really do come to the zoo specifically to see him, he has become a real 'fluffy ambassador' between our cultures," Akulova said.

According to Akulova, the character named Tusun Xiaomo, inspired by Timofey, has also attracted considerable attention from Chinese audiences. It was unveiled in Shanghai in collaboration with Moscow’s Agency of Creative Industries. At the same time, the zoo’s director noted that it is still too early to discuss specific production contracts or agreements, since the work remains at an early stage.

Akulova also discussed Timofey’s seasonal weight gain ahead of winter. The Pallas’s cat currently weighs six kilograms. Following his natural instincts, he is putting on weight and growing a thicker coat in preparation for the cold.