Villagers travelling through Ratnagiri were unsure of a tiny cat they spotted close to a forested patch near Sakharpa village, wondering if it was a leopard or tiger cub. They quickly took pictures and flashed it on a WhatsApp group for identification.

Honorary wildlife warden of Sindhudurg, Nagesh Daptardar told mid-day that his team was delighted to note that it was a rare rusty spotted cat. This breed of cat is among the smallest and rarest and is found in India and Sri Lanka; they are also very difficult to spot. Daptardar said, "It is a good thing that the villagers left the kitten exactly where they spotted it. There have been sightings in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, too."