Young Baby Caracal Kittens

Caracals were historically trained to hunt birds in Iran and India. Sometimes, a caracal was put into a stadium along with a flock of pigeons. People would make bets on how many pigeons the caracal would kill during a set time span. A well-trained caracal could take down up to twelve pigeons in one leap with its large paws and strong legs. This is where the expression "to put a cat amongst the pigeons" came from.
Cultural depictions
Caracals appear to have been religiously significant to the ancient Egyptians. Caracals were found in wall paintings, and sculptures of caracals and other cats guarded tombs. Some caracal bodies were embalmed.