From the National Geographic…Domestic cats, no matter their breed, are all members of one species. Felis catus has had a very long relationship with humans. Ancient Egyptians may have first domesticated cats as early as 4,000 years ago. Plentiful rodents probably drew wild felines to human communities. The cats' skill in killing them may have first earned the affectionate attention of humans. Early Egyptians worshipped a cat goddess and even mummified their beloved pets for their journey to the next world—accompanied by mummified mice! Cultures around the world later adopted cats as their own companions.Like their wild relatives, domestic cats are natural hunters able to stalk prey and pounce with sharp claws and teeth. They are particularly effective at night, when their light-reflecting eyes allow them to see better than much of their prey. Cats also enjoy acute hearing. All cats are nimble and agile, and their long tails aid their outstanding balance.Cats communicate by marking trees, fence posts, or furniture with their claws or their waste. These scent posts are meant to inform others of a cat's home range. House cats employ a vocal repertoire that extends from a purr to a screech.Domestic cats remain largely carnivorous, and have evolved a simple gut appropriate for raw meat. They also retain the rough tongue that can help them clean every last morsel from an animal bone (and groom themselves). Their diets vary with the whims of humans, however, and can be supplemented by the cat's own hunting successes.
From Cats Trivia French researchers claim that the domestic cat has a vocal range of as many as sixty notes, from a gentle purr to growls of varying intensity to the howl that sometimes annoys the neighbors.
Cats are the only four-footed animal, with the exception of camels and giraffes, that walk by moving their front and hind legs first on one side and then the other. Only four cats really roar: lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars.
A cat’s teeth, from newborn kitten to the largest lion, are the most awesome weapons in the mammal kingdom. They are very sharp, and finely serrated like a knife. The curved, pointed canines are set in the cat’s jaw so that the molars fit together with their sides intact, like a pair of scissors, rather than tooth to tooth, as is the case with humans and most other mammals.
With powerful leg muscles, especially in their hind legs, the domestic cat has been known to reach running speeds of up to twenty-five miles an hour. A frightened cat can run up to 30 mph -- while the fastest human can only run up to 27.89 mph.
Both female and male cats reach puberty at approximately six months of age. Males will act more territorial, disappear for days and “spray” their scent. Females will lower themselves close to the ground and meow as if in pain when they go into heat.
Domestic cats spend about 70% of their day sleeping and 15% of the day grooming. Non-pedigree cats generally live longer than pedigree cats. Cats were domesticated about 3,000 B.C. in Egypt.
Cats were brought to the Americas by colonists to protect their granaries and as pets. As settlers moved inland, cats accompanied them.
"Polydactyl" means "many toes." Perhaps the most famous polydactyl cats were those raised by Ernest Hemingway, who had over 60 of these big-pawed charmers at his home in Key West, descendants of a 6-toed cat given him by a sea-faring captain.
It is a common belief that cats are color blind. However, studies have shown that cats can distinguish between red and green; red and blue; red and gray; green and blue; green and gray; blue and gray; yellow and blue, and yellow and gray.
The top two rows of a cat's whiskers can move independently of the lower two rows. This allows maximum perception of the cat's immediate surroundings.
The lightness of a feline's tread can be attributed to the fact that they walk on their toes--the soles of their feet rarely touch the ground. The pillow-like balls of their paws allow them to prowl noiselessly in the wild.
Feline PhilosophyTo err as human means you’re fumin’
To err as cat means, I meant that
There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast
Thousands of years age cats were worshipped as Gods…They have never forgotten it.
QuotesCats are rather delicate creatures and are subject to a good many ailments, but I never saw one that suffered from insomnia. Krutch
Of all God's creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat. - Mark Twain
Actually, cats do this to protect you from gnomes who come and steal your breath while you sleep. - John Dobbin
The sun rose slowly, like a fiery furball coughed up uneasily onto a sky-blue carpet by a giant unseen cat. - Michael McGarel
"Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel. True, and they have many other fine qualities as well." - Missy Dizick
"One must love a cat on its own terms."- Paul Gray
"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later." - Mary Bly
I have noticed that what cats most appreciate in a human being is not the ability to produce food which they take for granted--but his or her entertainment value. - Geoffrey Household
