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Articles relating to cats (Felis catus), a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal.It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family Cats are commonly kept as house pets but can also be farm cats or feral cats; the feral cat ranges freely and avoids human contact.
The largest is the jungle cat with a head and body length from 62 to 76 cm (24 to 30 in). [1] Genetic studies indicate that the Felinae genera Felis, Otocolobus and Prionailurus diverged from a Eurasian progenitor of the Felidae about 6.2 million years ago, and that Felis species split off 3.04 to 0.99 million years ago. [2] [3]
As of 2017, the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned [198] [199] and around 42 million households owning at least one cat. [200] In the United Kingdom , 26% of adults have a cat, with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.
Domestic cats have been diversified by humans into breeds and domestic and wild hybrids.Many such breeds recognized by various cat registries.Additionally, there are new and experimental breeds, landraces being established as standardized breeds, distinct domestic populations not being actively developed and lapsed (extinct) breeds.
Mother cat nursing her 1-month-old kittens. Cat behavior encompasses the actions and reactions displayed by a cat in response to various stimuli and events. Cat behavior includes body language, elimination habits, aggression, play, communication, hunting, grooming, urine marking, and face rubbing. It varies among individuals, colonies, and breeds.
The word "kitten" derives from the Middle English word kitoun, which in turn came from the Old French chitoun or cheton. [1] Juvenile big cats are called "cubs" rather than kittens; either term (but usually more commonly "kitten") may be used for the young of smaller wild felids, such as ocelots, caracals, and lynxes.
Two main species of big cat once inhabited the United States. One is the jaguar (Panthera onca), which is related to many species of big cat found on other continents.Though there are single jaguars now living within Arizona, [2] the species has largely been extirpated from the United States (in the states of Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana) since the early 20th century; although it ...
Current taxonomy tends to treat F. silvestris, F. lybica, F. catus, [4] and F. bieti as different species. A 2007 study of feline mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites of approximately 1,000 cats from many different regions (including Africa, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the Middle East) showed 5 genetic lineages of the wildcat population. [5]