a Panda in Chinese is a Bear-Cat

Panda bears are extremely cute and the internet loves them dearly – almost as much as the internet like cats.
And here is the interesting fact – the word for “Panda” in Chinese is Big-Bear-cat. (Dà xióngmāo) 熊＝ bear & 貓 = cat.

So – wait, where does the word Panda come from? apparently the french are to blame.
“…When it was officially named in English, it became known as Panda, a word borrowed from French that is found to be connected to the Nepali word Ponya, which they used to describe their red panda. Before 1901, when it became Panda, the animal was simply known in English as Black and White Cat Footed-Animal…” Source: https://thenanjinger.com/magazine/the-supplement/whats-in-a-name-the-big-bear-cat/
P.S.
Did you notice the word “cat” in Chinese is is “mao”?
YES – it sounds like the cat’s Meow!