Pallas's cat's range extends from the Caucasus eastward to Central Asia, Mongolia and adjacent parts of
Dzungaria and the
Tibetan Plateau. It inhabits montane
shrublands and
grasslands, rocky
outcrops,
scree slopes and ravines in areas, where the continuous snow cover is below . The typical vegetation in this part consists of small
shrubs,
sagebrush (
Artemisia),
Festuca and
Stipa grasses. The
continental climate in this region exhibits a range of between the highest and lowest air temperatures, dropping to in winter. Records in
Azerbaijan are limited to one Pallas's cat skin found in
Karabakh and a sighting of an individual in
Julfa District, both in the late 20th century. On the Iranian Plateau, two Pallas's cats were encountered near the
Aras River in northwestern Iran before the 1970s. Farther east in the Alborz Mountains, an individual was recorded among rocks at an elevation of in 2016. In the
Aladagh and
Kopet Dag Mountains, Pallas's cat was recorded inside and in the vicinity of protected areas. In the south of the
Zagros Mountains, an individual was caught in a
corral used by
transhumant pastoralists in
Abadeh County in 2012. The surrounding area consists of rocky steppe habitat dominated by mountain almond (
Prunus scoparia),
Astragalus and
Artemisia. In the Hindu Kush, a Pallas's cat was observed sunbathing at the fringe of a rocky high-elevation plain near
Dasht-e Nawar in
Afghanistan's
Koh-i-Baba range in April 2007. Pallas's cat was also photographed multiple times in
Bamyan Province between 2015 and 2017. In the Transcaspian Region, its presence was first reported in the Kopet Dag mountains and in the vicinity of the
Tedzhen and
Murghab Rivers in the late 19th century. In
Turkmenistan's
Sünt-Hasardag Nature Reserve, a camera trap recorded an individual in 2019. Pallas's cat is allegedly also present in
Köpetdag Nature Reserve. Historical records of Pallas's cat are known in the
Surxondaryo Region and
Gissar Range along the border of
Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan. In
Kazakhstan, it inhabits the highlands and steppes of central and
east Kazakhstan Region, the periphery of the
Betpak-Dala Desert, the northern
Balkhash District and the
Tarbagatai Mountains. It is also present in
Chagan-Uzun and
Argut river basins,
Mongun-Taiga,
Uvs Lake Basin,
Sayano-Shushenski Nature Reserve,
Tunkinsky National Park,
Lake Gusinoye basin and in the
interfluves of the
Selenga,
Chikoy and
Khilok rivers. In the eastern
Sayan Mountains, its presence was documented for the first time in 1997. In
Transbaikal, it inhabits montane steppes at elevations of , where annual rainfall ranges from . In 2013, an individual was observed on the
Vitim Plateau. Pallas's cat inhabits the semi-desert steppe of
Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve in Mongolia. In
Khustain Nuruu National Park and
Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, it prefers rocky and rugged habitats that provides cover and camouflage. On the Tibetan plateau, two Pallas's cats were observed in undulating
alpine meadow amidst
plateau pika (
Ochotona curzoniae)
colonies at in
western China's
Qumarlêb County in 2001. One of them swam across an
irrigation channel. In
Gêrzê County, an individual was sighted in desert steppe habitat at an elevation of in 2005. In 2011, Pallas's cat was photographed in an alpine meadow in the core area of
Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. In
Ruoergai, it was observed at several places in habitat that was frequented by
pastoralists and their livestock herds. The presence of Pallas's cat in the
Indian Himalayas was first reported in
Ladakh's upper
Indus Valley in 1991. In
Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, Pallas's cats were sighted close by riverbanks at elevations of in 2013 and 2015. In
Gangotri National Park, a Pallas's cat was photographed in rocky
alpine scrub at in 2019. In
Sikkim, an individual was observed on a rocky slope at an elevation of in the vicinity of
Tso Lhamo Lake in 2007. In
Arunachal Pradesh, a Pallas's cat was recorded in September 2024 in the rugged high-elevation rangelands of
Tawang and
West Kameng districts. In December 2012, Pallas's cat was recorded for the first time in the
Nepal Himalayas. It was photographed in the upper
Marshyangdi river valley in alpine
pastures at elevations of and in
Annapurna Conservation Area. In
Shey-Phoksundo National Park, Pallas's cat
scat was detected at in 2016, the globally highest record to date. In January 2012, it was recorded for the first time in
Bhutan, namely in rolling hills dominated by
glacial outwash and
alpine steppe vegetation in
Wangchuck Centennial National Park. In autumn 2012, it was also photographed at an elevation of in
Jigme Dorji National Park. In 2019, scat samples of two individuals were found in
Sagarmatha National Park, providing the first genetic evidence of the cat's presence in the eastern Himalayas. ==Behaviour and ecology==