The Pallas's cat was first described in 1776 by Peter Simon Pallas who observed it in the vicinity of Lake Baikal. In the early 19th century, it was reported to occur in Tibet, and in the early 20th century also in the Transcaspian Region. To date, it has been recorded across a large areal extent, albeit in widely spaced sites in the Caucasus, Iranian Plateau, Hindu Kush, parts of the Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, Altai-Sayan region and South Siberian Mountains. In these regions, it inhabits rocky montane grasslands and shrublands, where the snow cover is below . It is well camouflaged and adapted to the cold continental climate in its native range, which receives little rainfall and experiences a wide range of temperatures. It finds shelter in rock crevices and marmot burrows, and preys foremost on lagomorphs and rodents.