What family does the domestic cat belong to?
Cat (Felis catus), also called house cat or domestic cat, is a member of the family Felidae in the order Carnivora. It is also the smallest member...
What is the lineage of cats?
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...
How big is a full-grown cat?
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 pound...
Why do cat eyes glow in the dark?
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'...
Why do cats purr?
Domestic cats and other species of the genus Felis purr. Purring is a continuous, rattling hum and often is interpreted as an expression of pleasur...
What is a cat card?
Cat ® Card is the fast, easy way to pay for parts, service, rentals and more, wherever the job takes you. With today’s Cat Card, now you can earn Cat Card Rewards, get access to exclusive special offers and personalized support. See cat.com/catcardrewards for details and terms and conditions.
What is a caterpillar?
Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
What is a caterpillar account?
Your Caterpillar account is the single account you use to log in to select services and applications we offer. Shop for parts and machines online, manage your fleet, go mobile, and more.
Does Caterpillar offer online training?
Proper servicing of your equipment is very important, and Caterpillar offers the online training courses that can better inform and educate you about taking care of your equipment.
Can Cat.com retrieve my Caterpillar profile?
Hi ! Cat.com was able to retrieve your Caterpillar profile, but requires a few more pieces of information that you don’t have stored. Please review and provide any missing information.
Is Cat Reman the same as new?
Cat Reman parts offer the same quality as new Cat parts, at a fraction of the cost.
What is a cat?
For other uses, see Cat (disambiguation) and Cats (disambiguation). The cat ( Felis catus) is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family.
What is an unspayed female cat called?
An unspayed female is called a queen, especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as a kitten. In Early Modern English, the word kitten was interchangeable with the now-obsolete word catling. A group of cats can be referred to as a clowder or a glaring.
How did domestic cats evolve?
Results of phylogenetic research confirm that the wild Felis species evolved through sympatric or parapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved through artificial selection. The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor are diploid and both possess 38 chromosomes and roughly 20,000 genes. The leopard cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis) was tamed independently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.
Why do cats purr after nursing?
Purring may have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats and nursing kittens. Post-nursing cats often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed, or eating. The mechanism by which cats purr is elusive; the cat has no unique anatomical feature that is clearly responsible for the sound.
Why do cats have teeth?
The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very large eye sockets and a powerful specialized jaw. Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two long canine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey's vertebrae and severing its spinal cord, causing irreversible paralysis and death. Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae. The premolar and first molar together compose the carnassial pair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' small molars cannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication. Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.
How many vertebrae do cats have?
Cats have seven cervical vertebrae (as do most mammals ); 13 thoracic vertebrae (humans have 12); seven lumbar vertebrae (humans have five); three sacral vertebrae (as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number of caudal vertebrae in the tail (humans have only vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internal coccyx ). The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and the pelvis. Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floating clavicle bones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.
How many cats are there in the world?
there are an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world. As of 2017. [update] , the domestic cat was the second-most popular pet in the United States, with 95 million cats owned. In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.
What is a cat called?
Cats, also called domestic cats ( Felis catus ), are small, carnivorous mammals, of the family Felidae.
Where did cats come from?
The oldest evidence of cats kept as pets is from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, around 7500 BC. Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as gods, and often mummified them so they could be with their owners "for all of eternity".
Why do cats get overweight?
House cats can become overweight through lack of exercise and over-feeding. When they get spayed or neutered ("fixed"), they tend to exercise less. Spaying is done for queens, and neutering is done for toms. It is important to fix cats, and here are some reasons. First of all, if a female cat has kittens, they will need homes. Finding homes for kittens is often quite difficult. If a tom is not fixed, it develops a disgusting smell. Breeders who have entire toms keep them in a special hut outside the house, for that reason. Fixing also helps to avoid over-population. Over-population means that there are too many cats, and some will be put to sleep (put down) in animal pounds (animal shelters).
How long does it take for a cat to have a litter?
The gestation period for cats is about two months, with an average length of 66 days. The size of a litter is usually three to five kittens. Kittens are weaned at between six and seven weeks, and cats normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months (females) and to 5–7 months (males). Females can have two to three litters per year, so might produce up to 150 kittens in their breeding life of about ten years.
How do cats walk?
Unlike most mammals, when cats walk, they use a "pacing" gait (walking style); that is, they move the two legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. This trait is shared with camels and giraffes. As a walk speeds up into a trot, a cat's gait will change to be a " diagonal " gait, similar to that of most other mammals: the diagonally opposite hind and forelegs will move at the same time. Most cats have five claws on their front paws, and four on their rear paws. On the inside of the front paws there is something which looks like a sixth "finger". This special feature on the inside of the wrists is the carpal pad. The carpal pad is also found on other cats and on dogs.
Why can't cats taste sweets?
Cats cannot taste sweet foods (with sugar) because of a mutation (change) in their ancestors which removed the ability to taste sweet things.
How many breeds of cats are there?
There are about 60 breeds of cat. Domestic cats are found in shorthair, longhair, and hairless breeds. Cats which are not specific breeds can be referred to as 'domestic shorthair' (DSH) or 'domestic longhair' (DLH).
How will my foster cat (s) be chosen?
When matching you up with a foster cat (s), we take into consideration your level of pet experience, your schedule, your desired level of involvement, and of course your current family/pet situation.
How will my foster cat (s) meet prospective adopters?
We work with each individual foster parent or family to make arrangements to introduce your foster cat (s) to potential adopters.
Is JerseyCats a foster home?
Because we do not have a shelter or facility of our own, JerseyCats is entirely foster home based. This makes foster homes crucial to our existence and success. We cannot purchase good foster homes, so this is one of the most important contributions to our efforts. Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as an animal lover. ...
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Overview
The cat (Felis catus) is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family. A cat can either be a house cat, a farm cat or a feral cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact. Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and t…
Etymology and naming
The origin of the English word cat, Old English catt, is thought to be the Late Latin word cattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century. It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from an Egyptian precursor of Coptic ϣⲁⲩ šau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with -t. The Late Latin word may be derived from another Afro-Asiatic or Nilo-Saharan language. The Nubian word kaddîska "wildcat" and Nobiin kadīs are possible sources or cognates. The Nubian word ma…
Taxonomy
The scientific name Felis catus was proposed by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 for a domestic cat. Felis catus domesticus was proposed by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777. Felis daemon proposed by Konstantin Alekseevich Satunin in 1904 was a black cat from the Transcaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.
In 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature ruled that the domestic cat i…
Evolution
The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, a family that had a common ancestor about 10–15 million years ago. The genus Felis diverged from other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago. Results of phylogenetic research confirm that the wild Felis species evolved through sympatric or parapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved through artificial selection. The domesticate…
Characteristics
The domestic cat has a smaller skull and shorter bones than the European wildcat. It averages about 46 cm (18 in) in head-to-body length and 23–25 cm (9–10 in) in height, with about 30 cm (12 in) long tails. Males are larger than females. Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5 kg (9 and 11 lb).
Cats have seven cervical vertebrae (as do most mammals); 13 thoracic vertebrae (humans …
Senses
Cats have excellent night vision and can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision. This is partly the result of cat eyes having a tapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through the retina back into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light. Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat has slit pupils, which allow it to focu…
Behavior
Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night. Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establish territories that vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7 to 28 hectares (17–69 acres). The timing of cats' activity is quit…
Lifespan and health
The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years, rising to 9.4 years in 1995 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s, with the oldest known cat, Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.
Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females. Having a cat neutered confers …
History
Cat Anatomy
- Cats have anatomy similar to the other members of the genus Felis. The genus has extra lumbar (lower back) and thoracic (chest) vertebrae. This helps to explain the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floating claviclebones. These allow cats to pass their body through any space into which they can fit thei…
Behaviour
- Cats are active carnivores, meaning that in the wild they hunt live prey. Their main prey is small mammals (like mice). They will also stalk, and sometimes kill and eat, birds. Cats eat a wide variety of prey, including insects such as flies and grasshoppers. Their main method of hunting is stalk and pounce. While dogs have great stamina and will chase prey over long distances, cats a…
Mating
- Cats only mate when the queen is "in heat". Heat periods occur about every two weeks and last 4 to 6 days. Mating in cats is a spectacular event. Several toms may be attracted to a [queen] in heat. The males will fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female will reject the male, but eventually the female will allow the male to mate. The female will utter a lou…
Grooming
- Cats are very clean animals. They groom themselves by licking their fur. The cat's tongue can act as a hairbrush and can clean and untangle a cat's fur. Still, owners may buy grooming products to help the cat take care of itself. After licking their fur, cats sometimes get hairballs. A hairball is a small amount of fur that is vomitedup by animals when it becomes too big. This is quite normal. …
Food
- Many house cats eat food which their owners give them. This food is manufactured, and designed to contain the right nutrientsfor cats. There are many different types of cat food. These come in many different flavors and costs are often very small. There is moist canned food and also dry cat food which comes in different sized cans or bags and formulas. There are kitten formulas, cat fo…
Other Websites
- The early history of civilization of the domestic cat with special regard to its diseasesOpen Access Theses and Dissertations