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Animals

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Domestic Cat

Felis catus

Barnyard lounges sleepily.

Photograph by Laurie
McClellan

Domestic Cat Profile

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.

Fast Facts

Type: Mammal

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 28 in (71 cm)

Weight: 5 to 20 lbs (2.3 to 9
kg)

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m)
man:

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