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arcanebeastsandcritters:

Cactus Cat

Region of origin: Southwestern United States

A nocturnal creature occupying the plains and brushlands of Nevada and Arizona down into northern Mexico, the cactus cat has a thick, thorny pelt and branching tail, but primarily earns its name from its diet, the sap of the cholla cactus. The cactus cat will wander in search of cholla, and then slice open its trunk using bony protrusions over its forepaws. The cats will make a circuit of their territory, marking the cholla this way until they comes back to the starting point, where the sap will have fermented into a mezcal. The cats will then consume this, becoming very inebriated and may be seen yowling and scrapping with one another in the desert night.