The association’s institutions house over 50 sand cats.

Despite the cute appearance of the felines – who have big eyes and a petite frame – the cats are a ferocious animal that zookeepers warn shouldn’t be kept as a pet, according to the zoo.

The kittens mark the North Carolina Zoo’s third animal birth in less than two weeks. A baby male giraffe calf was born on May 20 and a baby male chimpanzee was born the following day.

Cosmo and Sahara were paired through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Sand Cat Species Survival Plan, “which aims to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of sand cats to increase their numbers,” the North Carolina Zoo said in the release.

The association’s institutions house over 50 sand cats.

Despite the cute appearance of the felines – who have big eyes and a petite frame – the cats are a ferocious animal that zookeepers warn shouldn’t be kept as a pet, according to the zoo.