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Cats have many special abilities that humans do not. Here are some of them.
1: A very good sense of smell. Cats have organs in their mouths that let them taste what they smell. Cats sense of smell is so good, they use their noses to identify mates, enemies, people, and other cats' territories
2: Special Whiskers. Cats' Whiskers are rooted deeper than ordinary hairs and are super sensitive. So sensitive, they can detect movement without even touching the object! They can use these to check for signs of life in prey, and measure spaces to decide if they can fit through them.
3: Quick Feet. Some cat breeds can reach speeds of around 30 miles per hour over short distances! When they shimmy their legs, they are testing if they can make a jump, and how sturdy the takeoff area is.
4: Tails. These tails not only tell others what the mood of a cat is, but they also help the cat balance when perching, climbing, make sharp turns. & more.
5: Super-Hearing! Cats' ears can pick up sounds and movements five times farther than humans can, and pinpoint the location.
6: Far-Sighted Focus. If you have a cat, you will notice that they paw the water bowl before drinking, and may not see food right under their nose. They have a hard time focusing on closer, unmoving objects, and instead can see movements & objects further away much better.
7: Rough Tongue. Why does your cat's tongue feel so much like sandpaper? Their tongues are like that to help them groom themselves, which calms them & relieves anxiety.
8: Flexibility. Their spine lets them groom almost their entire body, it's so flexible. Frequent standing, arching, & stretching helps it keep it that way, and the narrow chest & lack of true collarbone help cats squeeze through tiny spaces.
9: Paws: The pad of the paw is thicker than any other skin. The paw pads serve as brakes & shock absorbers for the cats.

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When was the last time you truly admired your cat's abilities? Her nose, tongue and whiskers all do amazing things.

If you've been lucky enough to share your space with more than one cat, you know how individual each relationship is. But despite their differences in personality, cats possess many common - and incredible -attributes. So the next time your cat takes a flying leap onto a dresser or races around a corner in hot pursuit of your foot, before you shoo him away, take a moment to appreciate your cat's amazing abilities.

1. A highly attuned sense of smell. Cats have a structure in the roof of the mouth called the vomeronasal organ, which enables them essentially to taste what they smell. If your cat sometimes holds his mouth open, he may be exposing scents, such as pheromones, to this organ for processing, in a position called the Flehmen response. Cats also use their nose to identify enemies, mates, people and other cats' territories.

2. Psychic whiskers. A cat's whiskers are thicker than ordinary hairs, have deeper roots andprovide important sensory information. Whiskers are sosensitive that they don't have to touch an object for a cat to sense nearby movement - changes in airflow can be enough. To check for signs of life in prey, cats can rotate the long, rigid whiskers that protrude sideways from the muzzle down. These whiskers also help cats measure tight spaces to decide whether they can fit through. Whisker-like hairs behind the front legs help cats feel their prey, while whiskers above the eyes trigger a blinking reflex to protect the eyes when an object nears the cat.

3. Super-quick feet. Some cat breeds can reach speeds of about 30 miles per hour over short distances. The cat's back legs support much of his body when he jumps. You've probably laughed more than once when, just before your cat pounces, his rear legs shimmy and his rear end starts to wiggle. This is how your cat sizes up a jump and tests the firmness of takeoff.

4. Balancing tail. Besides helping humans and other cats judge your cat's mood, his tail helps him balance himself when climbing a tree or precariously perching on the back of your sofa. The tail also helps cats to maintain their balance when making a sharp turn in pursuit of an invading bug or a catnip mouse.

5. Extraordinary hearing. Little does the squeaky mouse tiptoeing through your house know that he is broadcasting his position with each step. Your cat's cone-shaped ears can pick up sounds and movements up to five times farther than humans can, which helps him pinpoint the exact location of the source.

6. Far-sighted focus. You may have noticed that your feline friend typically does not see a piece of kibble on the floor right under his nose or that he paws the water in the bowl before drinking. This is because cats have a hard time focusing their eyes on close, unmoving objects - they're much better at seeing movement and objects that are farther away. Cats often paw water before drinking to determine where the surface is, as well as the speed at which the water is flowing and if there is any danger under the surface (unlikely in a water bowl safely positioned inside your home, however).

7. Tough tongue. If you're a cat owner, you're probably familiar with the rather uncomfortable sensation of your cat's tongue dragging across your skin as he licks you. But do you know why his tongue feels so much like coarse sandpaper? Papillae, or small, backward-pointing projections on the surface of the cat's tongue, actually contain keratin, the tough substance that is also found in human fingernails. These abrasive projections, which allow a cat's tongue to act like a comb, are an essential tool in untangling fur during grooming. Licking his coat also helps relieve anxiety, fear and nervousness, which explains why your cat vigorously grooms himself following a spat with another cat or a missed landing after a jump.

8. Feline flexibility. The cat's tongue would not be as useful for grooming without his spine's amazing flexibility, which allows a cat to groom nearly his entire body. Frequent standing, arching and stretching help keep the cat's 30 spinal vertebrae (not including the vertebrae in the tail) pliable and resilient. The tiny shoulder blades permit a wide range of movement, and the narrow chest and lack of a true collarbone allow your cat to squeeze through tight spaces.

9. Powerful paws. The outer layer of skin on the paw pads is considerably thicker than the skin elsewhere on the body. The large pad on the back of the front paw often serves as a brake after leaping forward. That pad and the other rounded pads on the paws below the toe bones cushion movement and are prime shock absorbers when landing.
More on Vetstreet.com:

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When was the last time you truly admired your cat's abilities? Her nose, tongue and whiskers all do amazing things. If you've been lucky enough to share your space with more than one cat, you know how individual each relationship is. But despite their differences in personality, cats possess many common - and incredible -attributes.

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Under Eight weeks old, your kitten should still be with her mother & siblings. They need the body heat of the others to survive, still are developing vision & leg coordination, and still feed off of their mother.
By 8-11 weeks old, your kitten should be eating a healthy diet of kitten food, high in protein. Your kitten will also become much more playful & bubbly. ]
2-4 Months of age: Your kitten should grow rapidly during this point, therefore needing 3-4 meals in a day.
4-6 Months of age: If avoiding certain things, get your kitten spayed/neutered before this age.

With a kitten, make preventative care a priority, getting them vaccinated with medical attention from a professional Vetrinatrinarian

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When it comes to raising kittens, the philosophy is pretty similar to that of bringing up children. If you provide proper care and training when they're young, it increases the odds they'll grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted adults. So if you recently adopted a kitten, start incorporating this advice as soon as possible.
1) Don't Treat Your Kitten Like an Adult Cat
Just as a human infant has vastly different needs than a teenager, a kitten will have care requirements distinct from those of a fully matured cat. In addition, you should consider a kitten's various stages of development when caring for her:

Under eight weeks of age. At this early age, a kitten should still be with her mother and litter mates. Because kittens this young are unable to regulate their own temperatures, they rely on one-another's body heat to survive. In addition, they are still developing vision and leg coordination. If you adopt or foster an orphan kitten in this age group, special care will need to be taken, including bottle-feeding the kitten for every two hours up to four weeks of age and possibly helping your kitten pee and poop. It's best to consult with a veterinarian for specific instructions and advice.

Eight to eleven weeks of age. Kittens are usually weaned by eight weeks and should be eating kitten diet, which needs to be energy dense, rich in protein and highly digestible. Whether choosing dry kibble or wet food, be sure it is formulated for kittens. Other big changes will start occurring during this period as well. As your kitten begins developing complex motor skills she will become a force of nature - running, jumping, playing and exploring. This is a delightful period of kittenhood, but also one that can be dangerous to your kitten if she isn't appropriately supervised. Start setting boundaries for your kitten and keep her in a safe, enclosed room while you can supervise her.

Two to four months of age. This is a phase of rapid growth for kittens in which they'll have almost three times more energy than an adult cat. They'll need three to four individual meals a day during this time. According to Vetstreet.com, these meals should be minimum 30 percent high-quality protein.

Four to six months of age. Kittens in this age group are reaching adolescence and, thus, sexual maturity. Talk to a veterinarian about having your kitten spayed or neutered before your kitten reaches this stage to avoid unpleasant habits like territorial spraying and accidental litters. (Learn more about spaying and neutering here.)

2) Reward Good Behavior and Socialize, Socialize, Socialize
The socialization and training your cat receives during kittenhood will affect how well she will likely interact with people and other animals when she's older. "I remember the first time I fostered kittens and how worried I was about scaring them," says Jane Harrell. "What I didn't know was that that was a critical socialization period for them and not exposing them to things made them more nervous as adults. Now when I foster kittens I do everything I can to get them exposed to as much as possible - loud noises, walking on leashes, strangers, you name it! It all helps them become better-adjusted, healthy adult cats." Just makre sure your kittens have a positive experience out of any socialization exposure you provide them.

As a new kitten's parent, it will be up to you to guide her and show her that the world is a wonderful place. Consider trying some of these training and socialization methods:

Kittens will generally use litter boxes by instinct, however you can help teach her to use it by placing her in the box after meals and play sessions. Make sure the litter box is always available to your kitten and cleaned frequently

Pet her frequently

Get her used to weekly combing and grooming. (Learn more about cat grooming)

Introduce her to toys

Allow her to experience different walking surfaces (carpet, linoleum, etc.)

Take her outside on a lead or in her carrier (It can be very dangerous to allow a kitten outside without one.) However, before providing any outdoor exposure be sure your veterinarian has administered the proper vaccines and enough time has passed for your kitten to build immunity.

Give her objects to explore, such as boxes and paper bags

Play loud music and make noise

Have friends over and ask them to play with her and give her treats

Provide appropriate scratching alternatives (such as scratching posts) and reward her with toys, praise or treats when she uses them

Do not allow her to bite or scratch during play. If she does, redirect her attention to a toy.

Expose her to other cats and kittens (as soon as they're up to date on vaccinations, of course!). There are even kitten socialization classes; do an internet search to see if any are available in your area.

Take your kitten on car rides, giving her treats the whole time, and get her used to her carrier. (Check out these tips for getting your cat to like his carrier.)

Reward friendly behavior with treats or praise.

Do not reprimand bad behavior, instead, ignore her when she displays inappropriate behavior.

Challenge your kitten to think by teaching her tricks. (Learn how to teach a cat tricks.)

Always be patient

3) Make Preventive Care a Priority
To help ensure your kitty has a lifetime of good health, start early in providing her with preventive care:

Schedule an appointment early. No matter what, schedule your kitten's first vet appointment within a week of getting her. Early and frequent vet visits will help socialize your kitten with the vet and help the vet establish a baseline for your kitten's health.

Ask about intestinal parasites, fleas and heartworm. Have a veterinarian check your kitten for worms and intestinal parasites, and have her de-wormed, if necessary. And while heartworms aren't as much of a problem for cats as they are for dogs, some kittens may be susceptible, so also ask your vet if he or she recommends a heartworm preventative. The biggest parasitic threat to your kitten, however, is fleas. You can start administering topical flea preventatives when your kitten is around 8 to 12 weeks of age - although some brands are formulated for kittens as young as 4 weeks old.

Ask which vaccinations your kitten needs and how often: Preventive care for kittens may include vaccines for feline leukemia, rabies and distemper. These shots are usually first administered when a kitten is around 8 weeks of age, with boosters given every few weeks until she reaches 16 weeks of age. After that, your veterinarian can set her up on an adult vaccination schedule. He or she may also recommend additional vaccinations.

These building blocks will give your kitten the best possible start in life, but don't forget that she'll still need plenty of attention and care when she gets older.
Additional Sources for Reference https://www.petfinder.com/cats/bringing-a-cat-home/kitten-development/ http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/newborn-kitten-care http://pets.webmd.com/cats/weaning-kitten http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/your-guide-to-socializing-a-kitten http://www.petplace.com/cats/kitten-care-recommendations/page1.aspx http://www.petplace.com/cats/how-mother-cats-take-care-of-kittens/page1.aspx http://www.petplace.com/cats/what-not-to-do-with-your-new-kitten/page1.aspx http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=449 http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=86 http://blog.petmeds.com/ask-the-vet/age-guidelines-for-adopting-puppies-and-kittens/#.UVEvVL-IdU0

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Kitten Care: Must-Know Tips for Raising Kittens - Petfinder

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When it comes to raising kittens, the philosophy is pretty similar to that of bringing up children. If you provide proper care and training when they're young, it increases the odds they'll grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted adults. So if you recently adopted a kitten, start incorporating this advice as soon as possible.

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Caring for a cat is much easier than caring for a dog, but there is still work you must do. Minimally, you need to do these things:
1:Feed your cat wet food daily, & dry food semi-daily, or whenever nessicary.
2: Clean out your cat's litter box daily/semi-daily.
3: Keep (a) full water bowl/bowls in your house for your cat.
4: Give your cat plenty of attention, love & snuggles! If your cat is not one of those types, make sure it is still happy, at the very least.
5: Watch out for it! If your cat is an indoor cat, make sure she/he does NOT get out. They will not be used to outdoors and may run away permanently!
If your cat is an outdoor cat, do not declaw it! It needs its claws to survive outdoors. Overall, do not declaw your cat unless you feel it is absolutly nessicary on an indoor cat.
6: Take them to the vet! For shots, medication, and check-ups. If your cat is ever sick, ask your Vetrinarian what to do!
7:  I am sure your cat would love a nice warm bed/blanket/pillow all for their own too!

I know this looks & sounds like a lot, but is really not, ecspecially compared to what you have to do for a dog!

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There are around 40-70 different breeds of housecats. Some websites/companies recognize more than others, so it is hard to pinpoint an exact number. There are also some experimental breeds that go unrecognized, so you could say there are anywhere from 40-100 breeds of cats! But because all cats are bred similarly, there is plenty of debate over a new breed, is it really a new breed or a newer version of an old one.

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Just about everyone can spit out a couple of dog breeds, such as Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, or Pit Bulls. In contrast, very few people know about different cat breeds, let alone are they able to identify a cat breed by looking at one.

Although it is much less common to talk about cat breeds, cat breeds do exist, though they are fewer in number. Much like dogs, cat breeds can predict cat personality and common illnesses, though how you raise your cat matters more than anything else.

If you are interested in learning more about cat breeds, keep on reading. In this article, we look at the number of domesticated house cat breeds, wild breeds, and more. Let us hook our claws into this topic to find out more.

Domesticated House Cat Breeds

Although there are close to around 200 domesticated dog breeds, there are only about 40 to 71 cat breeds, depending on which cat association you look at. These cat associations define breed characteristics and host cat competitions, much like dog breed associations do.

The two most trusted cat associations are the Cat Fanciers' Association and the International Cat Association. The Cat Fanciers Association only recognizes 42 cat breeds, whereas the International Cat Association recognizes 71. There are also some more experimental breeds that are unrecognized, so it would be safe to say that there are between 42 and 100 cat breeds in the world.

Some of the most popular cat breeds include:

Although the breeds listed above are some of the most popular around the world, there are certainly more breeds, as we already learned. Some of these cats, such as the Maine Coon, are domesticated yet still resemble their wild ancestors. Other cat breeds, on the other hand, simply look like soft snuggly stuffed animals.

What Breed Is My Cat?

Although it is impossible to determine your cat's breed without inspecting it, it is our best bet that you have domestic long hair or short hair. In the United States, 95% of domestic house cats classify as domestic long hair or short hair breeds.

It is important to note that domestic long hair and short hair cats are distinct breeds from the American Shorthair. Interestingly, the most common cat breed is actually not recognized in terms of pedigree, but it just describes the domesticated cats we are most familiar with.

Can More Breeds Be Added?

The bulk of almost all registered breeds stay the same, but new breeds technically can be accepted. For example, the Cat Fanciers' Association accepted the Lyokoi and Khao Manee to their registration in 2018.

Still, cats are not added to the registry lightly. Because all cats are bred from a similar line, there is a lot of debate about whether new breeds are actually new breeds or simply a continuation of the older line. This also explains why different registries list different numbers of official cat breeds.

Why Are There Fewer Cat Breeds Than Dog Breeds?

There are fewer cat breeds than dog breeds purely because humans have not taken the time to domesticate them for individual purposes. As you probably know, many dogs were bred specifically for purposes like hunting or herding. For example, Australian Shepherds were bred for herding. This causes there to be quite a few dog breeds to choose from.

Cats, on the other hand, have not been bred for individual purposes like dogs. As a result, they are much more genetically similar to wild cats than dogs are to wolves. It also means that there are way fewer breeds in general.

Wild Cat Breeds

Even though the cats you have in your house are domesticated, it can be interesting to learn about wild cat breeds. Wild cats are domesticated cats' long-lost relatives. They have very similar genetics, but their genomes are altered in a way that makes them more suitable to live with humans. This includes more docile natures and memory-making abilities.

As odd as it may sound, there is actually a similar amount of wild cat breeds as there is domesticated breeds. According to multiple wild cat associations, there are about 36 types of wild cats found around the world. This includes the African Golden Cat, the Cheetah, the Jaguar, and more.

Just like with domesticated house cats, there is some debate about the exact number of wild cats in the wild. For example, some registries list 40 species, whereas most only list 36. It is interesting that there is much more consistency regarding the number of wild cat breeds than there is domesticated house cat breeds.

Population Distribution of Wild Cats

Wild cats can be found all over the world, though most people associate wild cats with Africa. This is because some of the most notorious wild cats are from Africa, such as Lions. Even though Africa is associated most commonly with wild cats, you can find them all across the globe.

You can find wild cats on nearly every continent, including Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia, and Africa. You can even find them in Antarctica and the Arctic. With that being said, many islands, Australia, and the Poles only have wild cats because they were brought by humans. In fact, many people wonder if the Americas only have cats due to settlers long ago.

Because of settlers, though, you can find cats everywhere around the globe today. Africa, for example, has some of the oldest cats in the world and they are home to both large and small cat varieties. Similarly, Asia has a very long cat history, and they are home to the largest cats, the Siberian Tiger.

Wild cats are native to Europe too, but Europe is only home to modern small cat varieties, such as the Scottish Wild cat or Eurasian Lynx. Shockingly, larger cat breeds used to roam Europe as well.

North America and South America, however, have both small and large cat varieties, though their large cats are not as big as those found in Asia or Africa. Still, the largest living cat in the world can be found in Florida. It is a Liger named Hercules.

Australia is a very interesting country to look at in terms of cat population. Cats were not native to the continent, but they were brought over by settlers. As a result, many native species are actually endangered because of the explosion of feral cats.

Relation to The Common House Cat

After discussing all this, you might want to know your house cat's relation to wild cats. As you probably are aware, there are two different classifications of wild cats, big cats and small cats. Initially, all cats evolved from big cats, such as Tigers, Panthers, and Lions.

Some big cats began to evolve into smaller sizes. These cats belong to the Felidae family. Eventually, this family began to separate into a different genus. This is where the domesticated cat comes in. Its genus appeared around 3.4 million years ago. This family includes wild cats, jungle cats, and domesticated cats.

With this in mind, the common house cat has evolved from smaller varieties of wild cats, such as the Scottish Wild Cat. Even though most domesticated house cats are most like the smaller breed, there are still a lot of similarities between house cats and big cats.

In fact, house cats and Tigers tend to share 95.6% of DNA. This is an incredibly shocking fact that most people are excited, and a bit scared, to learn!

History of Feline Domestication

The history of feline domestication goes back many years. In fact, it is believed that the first cats were domesticated around the year 7500 BCE in the Near East. Most scholars believe that the first cats were domesticated in ancient Egypt. Since then, domesticated cats have transformed into the most popular pet around the globe.

Sacred Origins

Although it is impossible to say exactly why cats were domesticated, many anthropologists and historians speculate that the ancient Egyptians domesticated cats since cats were venerated at this time. For example, many goddesses were even depicted in cat form.

Interestingly, Egypt is not the only country where cats were considered sacred. For example, certain ancient Greek gods and goddesses were connected to the Egyptian gods, causing them to be depicted in cat form as well.

As time went on, cats were still associated with sacred events. For example, many European Middle Age artists actually associated cats with Christianity's the Virgin Mary and the Holy Family. This suggests that cats were even connected with sacred mythology of the more modern world.

By the time of Christianity, cats were securely domesticated. This means that cats were a common pet by the time of the Middle Ages.

Sailing to The New World

Once you get into the modern era, which roughly aligns with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, cats were not so much associated with sacred rituals and origins in Europe anymore. Nevertheless, domesticated house cats could be found everywhere.

As Europeans started sailing to the New World, so too did cats. Since cats killed rodents and mice, they were often brought aboard ships to keep the rodent population at nay. Once the ships landed, these cats escaped and started populating the Americas too.

Domesticated Cats Today

Today, cats are easily one of the most popular pets around the globe. In fact, they are actually the number one pet of choice in the United states. Around 34% of US homes include a furry feline companion. This adds up to about 90 million domesticated cats in total.

Interestingly, the sacred or religious origins of cats have not gone away completely. Although most people do not associate cats with the souls of the undead or gods and goddesses anymore, there are still a lot of superstitions around cats.

Most households, however, simply have cats because they are great companions and easy to take care of. Although many people cite themselves as being dog people over cat people, most houses prefer cats since they do not require as much attention or effort as dogs.

Final Thoughts

Even though your furry feline friend is non-aggressive and loves you to death, it has roots connected to wild cats, such as Lions, Tigers, and Pumas... Oh my! This explains why cats are obligatory carnivores and like chasing mice.

Still, domesticated cats have evolved throughout the years to be much less aggressive and to develop more memories. This is exactly why you can keep a domesticated cat in your house but not a Tiger. Although the domesticated cats from ancient Egypt are very different from the domesticated cats today, you still have the ancient populations to thank for your furry friend.

At the same time, you might wish you could give the ancients a stern lecture. After all, it is likely their religious veneration of cats that has caused all domesticated house cats today to have that sassy and entitled attitude that they are both loved and hated for!

Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock

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How Many Cat Breeds Are There? (Updated in 2021) - Excited Cats

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Just about everyone can spit out a couple of dog breeds, such as Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, or Pit Bulls. In contrast, very few people know about different cat breeds, let alone are they able to identify a cat breed by looking at one.

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There are around 37 species of cats on this planet! There are many different sizes, shapes, & breeds. Housecats/domestic cats, Panthers, Pumas, Mountain Lions, Lynx, Lions, Cheetahs, Leopards, Tigers, Bobcats, Snow Leopards, Jaguars, and more! Each of these species also has its own breed types, such as tigers, who have Bengal Tigers, Sumatran Tigers, and more.

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feline, (family Felidae), any of 37 cat species that among others include the cheetah, puma, jaguar, leopard, lion, lynx, tiger, and domestic cat. Cats are native to almost every region on Earth, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. They are carnivorous mammal s that live in a wide variety of habitats, but they are typically woodland animals.

Most cats are patterned with spots, stripes, or rosettes, but some, such as the puma ( Puma concolor), jaguarundi ( Herpailurus yaguarondi), and lion ( Panthera leo), are uniform in colour. Black or nearly black coats occur in individuals of several species. Although lynx (genus Lynx) have a stubby tail, most cats have a long tail that makes up about a third of the animal's total length. The head is characterized by a short nose and round face, usually with short ears. The only cat with a well-developed mane is the male African lion. Cat feet have sharp claws that are retractile except in the cheetah. In most felids the male is larger than the female.

Cats are noted for purring when content and for snarling, howling, or spitting when in conflict with another of their kind. The so-called "big cats" (genus Panthera), especially the lion, often roar, growl, or shriek. Usually, however, cats are silent. Many cats use "clawing trees," upon which they leave the marks of their claws as they stand and drag their front feet downward with the claws extended. Whether such behaviour is for the purpose of cleaning or sharpening the claws or simply to stretch is debatable, but the behaviour is innate; kittens raised in isolation soon begin to claw objects.

The larger cats are strong, fierce, and extremely dangerous when hungry. Because of their large size, they occasionally attack humans. Although tigers and leopards are most noted as man-eaters, lions and jaguars can also be dangerous. In North America the puma, also known as the cougar or mountain lion, tends to avoid contact with humans, but a few attacks occur annually, especially in areas where development encroaches on areas of high puma density, such as the western United States. Similarly, attacks on livestock often necessitate removal of problem animals.

The fur of some cats is sometimes in great demand, especially fur with contrasting colours and patterns such as spots or stripes. The demand is such that some rare cats are hunted and trapped illegally and are in danger of becoming extinct. In North America none of the cats used by the fur trade is endangered. Strict regulations allow a sustainable take of animals from healthy populations of Canada lynx ( Lynx canadensis), bobcat ( Lynx rufus), and puma.

Natural history

The lion, tiger ( Panthera tigris), and cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus) are mainly terrestrial, but they are agile climbers; the leopard ( Panthera pardus), jaguar ( P. onca), ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis), and other cats are very much at home in trees. The larger cats range over large areas, often roving alone or with a companion. Occasionally one may become a member of a family group. Only lions are gregarious, with prides consisting of as many as 30 individuals.

Almost all cats feed on small mammals and birds or on large herbivores such as deer and various types of antelope. The fishing cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus) feeds largely on fishes and clams or snails and thus fits into a slightly different niche than that of most cats. The flat-headed cat ( Prionailurus planiceps) is the only species known to feed to any extent on vegetation such as fruit and sweet potatoes. Food caching occurs in larger cats, and some may drag their kill into a tree or place it under a bush after the initial gorging. Cats live on a feast-or-famine routine, gorging themselves when a kill is made and then fasting for several days.

Most hunting is done using vision and hearing. Typically solitary while hunting, a cat steals up to its prey on padded feet. Long, sensitive whiskers on the face aid the cat during the stalking of the prey by brushing against obstacles and enabling the cat to avoid making excessive noise. When close to its prey, the cat overwhelms it in a short, quick rush or leap. Cats can move very fast in a short dash but are not built for sustained speed. The cheetah, which usually hunts during the day, is credited with being the speediest of mammals, capable of speeds of more than 100 km per hour (62 mph). Cats rely on superior speed and reflexes to overtake their dodging prey, which often has greater endurance. If overtaken, the prey is thrown down and dispatched with a deep bite, usually to the neck.

The gestation period of most smaller cats is approximately two months, and that of the larger cats is closer to four months. One to six kittens make up the usual litter. Female cats may have from four to eight nipples. The breeding season usually is in the late winter or early spring. Some cats (lions, tigers, and leopards) are capable of breeding at any time during the year, and many species are induced ovulators, ovulation being induced by hormones released during copulation. The size of the animal does not seem to determine the litter size, number of litters, or time of the breeding season. In the larger cats, however, the initial breeding age is older; the females may be three or four years of age and males as old as five or six. Smaller cats may breed when less than a year old. Most litters are born in places seldom disturbed, such as in a rocky cavern, under a fallen tree, or in a dense thicket. The serval ( Leptailurus serval) uses an old porcupine or aardvark burrow. In most species the male does not aid in the care and raising of the young, and in fact the female may have to guard against his attacks on the kittens.

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Feline, any of 37 cat species that among others include the cheetah, puma, jaguar, leopard, lion, lynx, tiger, and domestic cat. Cats are native to almost every region on Earth, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. They are carnivorous mammals that live in a wide variety of habitats.