Cat Animal What
In the U.S. alone, cats reign over about 45.3 million households. There are at least 45 domestic breeds, which differ widely in features such as coat color, tail length, hair texture, and temperament, according to the Cat Fancier’s Association.
The Maine Coon is the largest, with males reaching an average of 3.5 feet long. The smallest breed is the Singapura, native to Singapore, with adult females weighing as little as four pounds. One of the most unusual-looking cats is the Sphynx, a mostly hairless cat known for being robust and intelligent.
Like their big cat cousins, house cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have to eat meat to stay healthy. Though they’ve been domesticated for thousands of years, these predators have maintained a strong hunting instinct, relying on stealth to stalk prey and attack with sharp claws and teeth. (Learn surprising things you never knew about your cat.)
Large Cat Breeds That Make Great Pets
As mostly nocturnal animals, cats have excellent vision and hearing, with ears that can turn like satellite dishes. Their reputation for having nine lives stems in part from their ability to navigate difficult environments, for example using their tail to balance and mostly land their lean, muscular bodies on all fours. Cushioning discs between vertebrae also give cat bodies exceptional flexibility and speed.
People began to domesticate cats in the Fertile Crescent about 10, 000 years ago, according to DNA research. Modern-day cats descended from a subspecies of African wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica, which today is the most common and widespread wildcat. (Read more about little-known small wildcats.)
Thousands of years ago, these wildcats were likely drawn to human settlements and their plentiful mice and food scraps. People realized these rodent catchers were helpful to have around, and eventually the two species began living together. Later, people began to bring felines aboard ships as they traveled the world. (Read about house cat ancestors’ remains found in Polish caves.)
Reasons Your Domestic Cat Is Wilder Than You Think
Another, independent foray into cat domestication occurred in China about 5, 000 years ago with another wildcat species the leopard cat. Since domestic cats today aren’t related to leopard cats, the harmony doesn’t seem to have lasted.
Females reach sexual maturity at just four months old and go into heat several times a year. Gestation lasts about 64 days, with an average litter size of four kittens. Young are usually weaned at two months old and grow rapidly, reaching adult size by the time they’re 10 months to a year old.
One litter of kittens can have multiple fathers, a phenomenon more likely in city cats due to crowding and lower aggression among males.
Cats Of The World: A Gallery Of Amazing Feline Images
Cats are masters at communicating with other cats and their human caregivers. For instance, a quickly swishing tail signals aggression, while a tucked tail means they’re nervous.
When relaxed, a cat will move its ears forward and point its tail up in the air or perpendicular to the ground. (Related: “What is your cat trying to tell you? Vets weigh in.”)
When cats rub their faces on the furniture, other cats, or a person, it may be a behavior called bunting. Cats have scent glands in their face, and bunting allows them to mark their territory, bond with other cats, or show affection.
The Creature Feature: 10 Fun Facts About The Pallas' Cat
Speaking of, if you want to make your cat feel comfortable, look them in the eye and blink your eyes very slowly. They recognize this as a sign of friendliness, and you may notice them returning the slow blink—a sign of contentedness.
Like humans, cats display a preference for a particular paw, with males more often favoring their left paw and females their right.
Do you know what your cat is saying when it meows at you? Researchers in Sweden are trying to give us a better idea by identifying melodic patterns in cat vocalizations.Home Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
How To Properly Pet A Cat, According To Experts
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), also called house cat or domestic cat, is a member of the family Felidae in the order Carnivora. It is also the smallest member of that family, which includes lions, tigers, and pumas.
Reasons Why Cats Make The Best Pets
Studies suggest that there have been two lineages of cats. One lineage appeared in Asia Minor as early as 6, 400 years ago, dispersing northward and westward into Europe. The other lineage appeared in Egypt between 6, 400 and 1, 000 years ago before spreading throughout the Mediterranean. Both lineages continued to breed with the African wildcat during their respective dispersals.
The average weight of a household cat varies from 2.7 to 4.5 kg (6 to 10 pounds), although among non-pedigreed cats weights up to 12.7 kg (28 pounds) are not uncommon. Average lengths are 71.1 cm (28 inches) for males and 50.8 cm (20 inches) for females.
The retina of the cat's eye is made extra sensitive to light by a layer of guanine, which causes the eye to shine at night in a strong light. Cats' eyes are large with pupils that expand or contract to mere slits according to the density of light.
Cats Prey On More Than 2,000 Different Species
Purr. Purring is a continuous, rattling hum and often is interpreted as an expression of pleasure or contentment. However, purring also occurs in cats that are injured and in pain.
), domesticated member (felid) of the family Felidae. The family is generally divided between cats from the subfamily Pantherinae, which roar (including lions, tigers, and leopards), and cats from the subfamily Felinae, which purr instead (including cougars, bobcats, and domestic cats). According to the latest research, purring likely stems from a special pad within the folds of a cat’s vocal cords, which adds an additional layer of fatty tissue that enables the folds to vibrate (purr) at low frequencies. Domestic cats are characterized by retractable claws, powerful bodies, acute senses, long tails, and specialized teeth adapted for hunting prey.
The following article deals with general characteristics of the domestic cat. For information on larger cats, see their individual entries (such as lion, tiger, and leopard). For information on housing the domestic cat,
Cats First Finagled Their Way Into Human Hearts And Homes Thousands Of Years Ago
Cats that resemble today’s felids first appeared in the early Pliocene Epoch (5.3 to 3.6 million years ago), and they have continued into present times with remarkably few changes. The original design of fang and claw, flexible backbone, muscular strength, and agility allowed felids to survive and adapt to the changes brought by each new era. Adaptations have occurred with changes in prey, but the basic body type has stayed the same.
It is noteworthy that the ancestors of the other common household pet, the dog, were social animals that lived together in packs in which there was subordination to a leader, and, over time, the dog has readily transferred its allegiance from pack leader to human master. The cat, however, has not yielded as readily to subjugation. Moreover, the bodies, abilities, and temperaments of dogs have changed radically in the more than 30, 000 years since they were domesticated, while domestic cats are almost identical to their wild counterparts. Cats show little of the infantilization of facial features seen in dogs and have retained much of their independent nature. In fact, the felid generally thought to be the closest ancestor of the domestic cat is a small wildcat native to the Middle East and Africa (
) that is genetically virtually identical to domestics and readily interbreeds with them, so much so that, in some areas, the wildcat is in danger of ceasing to exist as a pure species. Consequently, cats have retained their independent nature and can thrive as predators in the wild today. This is why feral cats abound and why experts do not consider the cat to be a fully domesticated animal.
The Curious Character Of Cats
The earliest known association between cats and humans likely dates to the origins of agriculture in the Middle East, about 15, 000–10, 000 years ago. Although the animal was certainly a source of meat and pelts, a partnership of sorts eventually developed between humans and cats, one based on mutual need. When humans gave up living as hunter-gatherers and began relying on agriculture, cats were attracted to the rodents feeding on crops and stored grain. Humans needed their grain protected from rodents, and cats needed a ready food source.
Over time, cats became more than a form of pest control. A grave containing the remains of a human and a cat dating to about 9, 500 years ago was discovered in southern Cyprus. Since Cyprus is an island and cats are not native, it is clear that cats were transported there by boat, and the burial suggests that cats were already considered companions. As domestic cats spread around the world along trade routes, the species became well adapted to life with humans.
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