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Cats

What is a Cat - The Project Pets

Cats are amazing creatures. They’re loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They also happen to be one of the most popular pets in the world.

But did you know that cats are actually quite different from dogs? In fact, there are several differences between these two animals.

Cats – What are they?

Cats were originally domesticated by Egyptians thousands of years ago. Their name comes from the Egyptian word šau, meaning “tomcat”.

A wild cat is a type of feline native to Africa. There are many different types of these cats. They are also called jungle cats because they live in jungles. Wild cats are very dangerous because they attack people who get too close.

Pussycats are cute little cats that love to play. They purr when you pet them. They also make funny noises to get attention. A lot of people think that they’re really mean because they bite and scratch other things. But actually, they’re very nice!

Tomcats are males and queens are females. Kittens are young cats. Cats can be grouped together into a clowder or a glare.

About Domesticated Cat

An adult cat eating a fish under the chair. A mural in an Egyptian tomb dated to the 15th century B.C. The earliest known indication for taming the African wildcat (Felis lybica) was found near a human settlement in Shillourokambe, Cyprus, dating to about 7000-7000 BC. Since there is not any evidence of native mammal fauna in Cyprus, people who lived in this Neolithic village most probably brought the cat and other animals to the island from the middle eastern countries. Farmers then tamed these wild animals. This mutual relationship between farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. As agriculture spread, so did tame cats.

Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the domestic cat gene pool at a later time. Ancient Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Romans, and others brought wildcats into Europe. Cats were first domesticated in Greece, then spread throughout the Mediterranean world.

Domestic cats are very friendly animals. They are small and easy to care for. They are very intelligent and love to play. They are often kept as pets by people who enjoy playing with them. Wildcat cats are smaller than domestic cats. They are more aggressive and territorial. They do not usually get along well with other animals or people.

House cats are very friendly animals. Their ancestors were originally wildcats, but they became domesticated. They are now bred to be friendly and affectionate.

Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats. Genetic diversity varies between regions and shows up as low levels of genetic disorders. Purebreds show more than 20 genetic disorders.

Size

Domestic cats have a smaller skull and shorter bone structure than European wildcats. Their average size is about 46 centimeters (18 inches). Male cats are larger than female cats.

Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 9 and 11 pounds.

care for cats - The Project Pets

Emotional

Cats are very intelligent creatures who are capable of learning from experience. They are also very sensitive to threats. When threatened, cats flee and hide.

Cats are fast learners. Their emotions and behavior can change very rapidly. Routine and predictability in a cat’s life reduce stress and improve the cat’s quality of living. Changes to the cat’s normal behavior (such as sleeping more or avoiding contact) can occur because of emotional change or may indicate illness as early as weeks of age.

Community Cats

Community cats are outdoor felines that don’t want to be adopted. They are usually unadoptable because they’re wild animals.

Stray

Stray cats are cats who were once house pets but now live outdoors. They may be friendly towards people if they are fed regularly. However, they are often aggressive towards other animals.

A stray cat is a wild animal that doesn’t trust other people. She may be socialized enough for people to touch her, and she may even let them play with her. However, she’ll become less socialized or more feral if she spends too long without contact with humans. Re-introducing a stray cat into an indoor environment may take some time before she feels safe around people.

Skeleton

Cats have seven cervical vertebrae as do most mammals. They have seven lumbar vertebras as do most mammals. Caudal vertebras are vestigial in cats. Their tails are short. Their shoulders are attached to their spine by floating clavicles. Their forelimbs are attached by free-floating bones. Their hind limbs are attached to their spine. Their bodies are flexible.

Claws

Cats’ claws are used to attack prey silently. Their claws sharp are usually sheathed but can be retracted when needed. Claws on the front paws are sharper than those on the back paws.

Cats have six toes on each paw. Their claws are retractable. They use them for many purposes including self-defense, climbing, and for traction. They also have a dewclaw on their wrist.

Vision

Reflection of camera flash from tapetum lucidum increases the sensitivity of cats’ eyes to dim light.

Cats have large pupils because they need to see well in dim light. Their eyes are adapted to detect movement in dark areas. They have slits for eye sockets instead of round pupils, allowing them to see better in dim light. They also have two kinds of cones, which help them see colors more accurately.

Hearing

Cats’ hearing is more sensitive than human or dog’s hearing. Their ears are pointed forward, unlike other mammals. They can hear high-frequency sounds better than low-frequency ones. They can hear very low-frequency sounds better than higher ones.

Cats have great hearing. Their ears move around to pick up sound. They use their ears to locate noises. They also have the ability to map out the owner’s location based on hearing the owner’s voice.

Smell

Cats have a keen sense of smell. Their olfactory bulbs are larger than human brains. They have a Jacobson’s Organ in their mouth that helps them to smell. They mark their territory with their urine. They are very sensitive to pheromones. They love catnip.

Cats are attracted to the scent of flowers. There are many different types of flowers that attract cats. Some flowers are poisonous to cats.

Taste

Cats have fewer taste buds than humans but still have some. They do not have the ability to taste sweet things. They can taste sour and bitter flavors.

Cats prefer warm dry cat food over semi-moist food.

Whiskers

Cats have many whiskers, but they are not used as navigational tools. Their whiskers do help them sense the size of gaps and the location of objects in dark places. They use these whiskers to trigger protective blink reflexes.

Cat Kittens from the Project Pets

Life Stages of Cats

Behavior toward humans

Cats are very independent creatures. They do not need to be fed by humans. They hunt for themselves. They sleep during the daytime and wake up at night. Their territory varies in size depending on the cat.

House cats are very active during the day and night. Their activity is flexible according to the time of day. They sleep less than other animals, but they do get up to eat. They also dream while they’re sleeping.

Sociability

Cats are solitary creatures who hunt alone. Their social structure is based on groups of females and males. Males hold large territories while females hold smaller ones. Territories are marked by urine spraying and marking objects at head height. Cats fight each other when strangers enter their territories.

Cats love people. They are very affectionate towards humans adding to the quality of life. They are also very playful and curious. They want to be near humans. They are very smart and learn quickly. They are independent and do what they want.

Cats are aggressive towards new kittens. This aggression may come from an inability to bond with them. Some cats rub themselves against people or other cats. This could be a form of social bonding.

Form of Communication

Domestic cats communicate using various sounds using their vocal chords. Their tails and ears are very important to them. Cats raise their tails when they’re happy or friendly, but flatten their ears when they’re angry or hostile.

Feral cats are generally quiet. Cats nose-to-nose touch each other and groom each other. When being petted, cats become relaxed and purr. Cats purr after nursing kittens.

Cats Hunting and feeding

Cats drink by lapping up running water. Their tongues are designed to suck up fresh water. They lick the water off their fur.

Feral cats eat small amounts of single food throughout the day. Free-fed house cats eat more often than feral cats. Their selection of cat foods depends on taste, texture, and temperature. They do not like cold dry food or new tastes.

Cats love milk and cream but do not like sweets. They prefer dry cat food. They hate wool, plastic, cables, and other materials. They are very active and enjoy chewing on things like wool, paper, strings, aluminum foil, etc.

They are stealthy predators who wait in ambush for prey. They hunt birds and rodents and tend to stay away from burrows.

Cats kill many different species of birds and mammals. They are responsible for the death of millions of birds and mammals every year. This includes the death of thousands of songbirds and hundreds of other types of birds. They also eat rabbits, mice, squirrels, and other small animals.

They hunt by stalking their prey. When they see something that looks tasty, they stalk towards it. When they get close enough, they pounce on it. Cats play with their prey before killing them. They release the prey when they’re sure it’s weakened enough to kill. This is how they catch their prey.

Cats are very independent creatures. They do not need any help from humans. They are also very intelligent. They know how to catch their prey by themselves. They are also very strong and have sharp claws.

Cats are carnivores who kill prey by biting. Their eyes are big because they need to see well in dim light. Their jaws are strong enough to tear flesh. Domestic cats use their teeth to kill prey. Their teeth are narrow compared to other felines.

Cats have premolar and molar pairs on both sides of their mouths. Their teeth are efficient cutting tools. They eat raw meat. They rarely get cavities. They’re prone to infections showing signs of disease eventually needing oral medication.

Play

Kittens are playful little animals. Their play fights mimic real hunting. Play fighting helps them develop skills needed for real combat. Playing with people is fun for kittens because it reduces any fear they associate with attacking others.

Cats like to play with toys that resemble prey. When they’re hungry, they’ll play with toys that move quickly. After playing with these toys, they get bored and stop playing.

Reproduction

A female cat is ready to mate when she is in heat. She is rejected by other males until she lets them mate with her. When she is done cleaning herself after sex, she goes back into heat again.

A cat is a feline mammal. Felines are carnivorous mammals. Cats are very social animals and can live in indoor homes.

A queen lays eggs every day, and she can lay up to 4,000 eggs per year. She can produce up to 8 million eggs over her lifetime. Queens give birth to kittens every 2 weeks. Kittens grow quickly, and they start eating solid cat foods around 6 months of age. Kittens are born blind, but they can see light by 9 months.

Lifespan and health

Cats’ lifespans have increased over time. Their average lifespan was 7 years in the early 80s, then rose to 9.4 years by 1995, and reached 15 years by 2021. Some cats have survived into their 30s, such as Creme Puff who died at an estimated age of 38.

Neutered cats live longer than intact males.