"For the first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied," the paper's authors write.
"Radiocarbon dating of the kitten's fur suggests that it had been buried for at least 35,000 years. It is the first time that scientists have been able to describe physical characteristics like the texture of the fur."
Researchers found the mummy of a 35,000-year-old saber-toothed cub... the kitten still had its whiskers and claws attached when it was pulled out of the permafrost.
The saber-toothed kitten had wider paws but no carpal pads, an adaptation that helped them walk over thick terrain, differing from modern lion cubs.
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