Animals Planet

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall. This adorable video shows two cat parents holding hands after the birth of their babies, and it's just too sweet!

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall. This adorable video shows two cat parents holding hands after the birth of their babies, and it's just too sweet!

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall. These kittens are experiencing joy for the first time. They have just arrived at their rescue sanctuary and their bellies are full. These kittens are having a wonderful time playing with their new toys at the Black Dog Farm and Rescue. They are in the best possible place they could be, but this might have been a narrow escape for these tiny creatures. To see them so carefree, chasing their tails and their ball is enough to warm the heart. Black Dog Farm and Rescue is an amazing facility that operates in Texas. The owners, Jennifer and Jim have been rescuing animals for several years and their sanctuary is home to dogs, cats, cows, hens and a guinea pig. They have hearts of gold and they cannot turn away an animal in need. As Jennifer and Jim were parking and preparing to go into a store for food, they saw a truck in the parking lot behind the store. A man stood by a kennel with a sign that advertised "free kittens". Although there were no signs of abuse or neglect, and the kittens seemed to have been well cared for, Jennifer knew this situation was a recipe for disaster. Jennifer knows from experience that not all "free" animals end up in good homes. In fact, some animals end up being sold to illegal dog fighting rings, or for food for other pets. Jennifer explains how she accepted all four kittens without even laying eyes on them, and that they found their way to Black Dog Farm. She also recorded their first moments at the farm as they play and explore their toys happily. Jennifer has seen the tragedy that can befall kittens or any other pets that are given away without proper background information on their prospective owners. Black Dog Farm and Rescue accepts some of the neediest and most desperate animals. Many are permanently adopted, and some move on. But every single animal that comes into their care will be provided a carefully selected forever home, or they simply never leave. The farm is a wonderful place with acres for the animals to run and play. They are provided with vet care and excellent nutrition. Socialization and mental stimulation are important here as well, and the animals thrive and respond well to the kindness and love that they find here. Please look them up on Facebook and follow the heart warming stories or see what you can do to help them accomplish the magic that they make happen for these deserving souls.

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

Cat baby. This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]

In 1758, the Swedish botanist and zoologistCarl Linnaeuspublished in hisSystema Naturae, the two-word naming of species (binomial nomenclature).Canisis theLatinword meaning "dog",[15]and under thisgenus, he listed the domestic dog, thewolf, and thegolden jackal. He classified the domestic dog asCanis familiarisand, on the next page, classified the grey wolf asCanis lupus.[2]Linnaeus considered the dog to be a separate species from the wolf because of its upturning tail (cauda recurvata), which is not found in any othercanid.[16] In 1999, a study ofmitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) indicated that the domestic dog may have originated from the grey wolf, with thedingoandNew Guinea singing dogbreeds having developed at a time when human communities were more isolated from each other.[17]In the third edition ofMammal Species of the Worldpublished in 2005, themammalogistW. Christopher Wozencraftlisted under the wolfCanis lupusits wild subspecies and proposed two additional subspecies, which formed the domestic dog clade:familiaris, as named by Linnaeus in 1758 and,dingonamed by Meyer in 1793. Wozencraft includedhallstromi(the New Guinea singing dog) as another name (junior synonym) for the dingo. Wozencraft referred to the mtDNA study as one of the guides informing his decision.[3]Mammalogists have noted the inclusion offamiliarisanddingotogether under the "domestic dog" clade[18]with some debating it.[19] In 2019, a workshop hosted by theIUCN/Species Survival Commission's Canid Specialist Group considered the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog to beferalCanis familiarisand therefore did not assess them for theIUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[4] Evolution Main article:Evolution of the wolf  Location of a dog'scarnassials; the inside of the 4th upperpremolaraligns with the outside of the 1st lowermolar, working like scissor blades TheCretaceous–Paleogene extinction eventoccurred 65 million years ago and brought an end to the dinosaurs and the appearance of the first carnivorans.[20]The namecarnivoranis given to a member of the orderCarnivora. Carnivorans possess a common arrangement of teeth calledcarnassials, in which the first lowermolarand the last upperpremolarpossess blade-like enamelcrownsthat act similar to a pair of shears for cutting meat. This dental arrangement has been modified by adaptation over the past 60 million years for diets composed of meat, for crushing vegetation, or for the loss of the carnassial function altogether as in seals, sea lions, and walruses. Today, not all carnivorans arecarnivores, such as the insect-eatingAardwolf.[5] The carnivoran ancestors of the dog-likecaniformsand the cat-likefeliformsbegan their separate evolutionary paths just after the end of the dinosaurs. The first members of the dog familyCanidaeappeared 40 million years ago,[21]of which only its subfamily theCaninaesurvives today in the form of the wolf-like and fox-like canines. Within the Caninae, the first members of genusCanisappeared six million years ago,[15]the ancestors of modern domestic dogs, wolves,coyotes, and golden jackals. Domestication Main article:Domestication of the dog The earliest remains generally accepted to be those of a domesticated dog were discovered inBonn-Oberkassel, Germany. Contextual, isotopic, genetic, and morphological evidence shows that this dog was not a local wolf.[22]The dog was dated to 14,223 years ago and was found buried along with a man and a woman, all three having been sprayed with redhematitepowder and buried under large, thick basalt blocks. The dog had died ofcanine distemper.[23]Earlier remains dating back to 30,000 years ago have been described asPaleolithic dogs, but their status as dogs or wolves remains debated[24]because considerablemorphologicaldiversity existed among wolves during theLate Pleistocene.[1] This timing indicates that the dog was the first species to be domesticated[9][8]in the time ofhunter–gatherers,[7]which predates agriculture.[1]DNA sequencesshow that all ancient and modern dogs share a common ancestry and descended from an ancient, extinct wolf population which was distinct from themodern wolflineage.[6][7]Most dogs form a sister group to the remains of a LatePleistocene wolffound in theKessleroch cavenearThayngenin the canton ofSchaffhausen,Switzerland, which dates to 14,500 years ago. Themost recent common ancestorof both is estimated to be from 32,100 years ago.[25]This indicates that an extinct Late Pleistocene wolf may have been the ancestor of the dog,[8][1][26]with the modern wolf being the dog's nearest living relative.[8] The dog is a classic example of a domestic animal that likely travelled acommensalpathway into domestication.[24][27]The questions of when and where dogs were first domesticated have taxed geneticists and archaeologists for decades.[9]Genetic studies suggest a domestication process commencing over 25,000 years ago, in one or several wolf populations in either Europe, the high Arctic, or eastern Asia.[10]In 2021, aliterature reviewof the current evidenceinfersthat the dog was domesticated inSiberia23,000 years ago byancient North Siberians, then later dispersed eastward into the Americas and westward across Eurasia.[22] Breeds Main article:Dog breed Further information:Dog type  Dog breeds show a range ofphenotypic variation Dogs are the most variable mammal on earth with around 450 globally recognizeddog breeds.[10]In theVictorian era, directed humanselectiondeveloped the moderndog breeds, which resulted in a vast range of phenotypes.[8]Most breeds were derived from small numbers of founders within the last 200 years,[8][10]and since then dogs have undergone rapidphenotypicchange and were formed into today's modern breeds due toartificial selectionimposed by humans. The skull, body, and limb proportions vary significantly between breeds, with dogs displaying more phenotypic diversity than can be found within the entire order of carnivores. These breeds possess distinct traits related to morphology, which include body size, skull shape, tail phenotype, fur type and colour.[8]Their behavioural traits include guarding, herding, and hunting,[8]retrieving, and scent detection. Their personality traits include hypersocial behavior, boldness, and aggression,[10]which demonstrates the functional and behavioral diversity of dogs.[8]As a result, present day dogs are the most abundant carnivore species and are dispersed around the world.[10]The most striking example of this dispersal is that of the numerous modern breeds of European lineage during theVictorian era.[7] Biology Anatomy Main article:Dog anatomy Skeleton  A lateral view of a dog skeleton All healthy dogs, regardless of their size and type, have an identicalskeletalstructure with the exception of the number of bones in the tail, although there is significant skeletal variation between dogs of different types.[28][29]The dog's skeleton is well adapted for running; thevertebraeon the neck and back have extensions for powerful back muscles to connect to, the long ribs provide plenty of room for the heart and lungs, and the shoulders are unattached to the skeleton allowing great flexibility.[28][29] Compared to the dog's wolf-like ancestors, selective breeding since domestication has seen the dog's skeleton greatly enhanced in size for larger types asmastiffsand miniaturised for smaller types such asterriers;dwarfismhas been selectively utilised for some types where short legs are advantageous such asdachshundsandcorgis.[29]Most dogs naturally have 26 vertebrae in their tails, but some withnaturally short tailshave as few as three.[28] The dog's skull has identical components regardless of breed type, but there is significant divergence in terms of skull shape between types.[29][30]The three basic skull shapes are the elongated dolichocephalic type as seen insighthounds, the intermediate mesocephalic or mesaticephalic type, and the very short and broad brachycephalic type exemplified by mastiff type skulls.[29][30] Senses Further information:Dog anatomy §Senses A dog's senses include vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and sensitivity to Earth's magnetic field. Another study has suggested that dogs can see Earth's magnetic field.[31] Coat Main article:Dog coat  Dogs display wide variation in coat type, density, length, color, and composition Thecoatsof domestic dogs are of two varieties: "double" being familiar with dogs (as well as wolves) originating from colder climates, made up of a coarseguard hairand a softdown hair, or "single", with the topcoat only. Breeds may have an occasional "blaze", stripe, or "star" of white fur on their chest or underside.[32]Premature graying can occur in dogs from as early as one year of age; this is associated withimpulsive behaviors,anxiety behaviors, fear of noise, and fear of unfamiliar people or animals.[33] Tail There are many different shapes fordog tails: straight, straight up, sickle, curled, or corkscrew. As with many canids, one of the primary functions of a dog's tail is to communicate their emotional state, which can be crucial in getting along with others. In some hunting dogs the tail is traditionallydockedto avoid injuries. Health Main article:Dog health Some breeds of dogs are prone to specific genetic ailments such aselbowandhip dysplasia,blindness,deafness,pulmonic stenosis,cleft palate, andtrick knees. Two severe medical conditions significantly affecting dogs arepyometra, affectingunspayedfemales of all breeds and ages, andGastric dilatation volvulus(bloat), which affects larger breeds or deep-chested dogs. Both of these are acute conditions and can kill rapidly. Dogs are also susceptible to parasites such asfleas,ticks,mites,hookworms,tapeworms,roundworms, andheartworms, which is aroundwormspecies that lives in the hearts of dogs. Several human foods and household ingestibles are toxic to dogs, includingchocolate solids, causingtheobromine poisoning,onionsandgarlic, causingthiosulphate,sulfoxideordisulfidepoisoning,grapesandraisins,macadamia nuts, andxylitol.[34]The nicotine in tobacco can also be dangerous to dogs. Signs of ingestion can include copious vomiting (e.g., from eating cigar butts) ordiarrhea. Some other symptoms are abdominal pain, loss of coordination, collapse, or death.[35][pageneeded] Dogs are also vulnerable to some of the same health conditions as humans, includingdiabetes,dentalandheart disease,epilepsy,cancer,hypothyroidism, andarthritis. Lifespan Further information:Aging in dogs The typical lifespan of dogs varies widely among breeds, but for most, the median longevity (the age at which half the dogs in a population have died and half are still alive) ranges from 10 to 13 years.[36][37]The median longevity ofmixed-breed dogs, taken as an average of all sizes, is one or more years longer than that of purebred dogs when all breeds are averaged.[36][37][38]For dogs in England, increased body weight has been found to be negatively correlated with longevity (i.e., the heavier the dog, the shorter its lifespan), andmixed-breed dogslive on average 1.2 years longer thanpurebred dogs.[39] Reproduction Main article:Canine reproduction  A female dog nursing newborn puppies. In domestic dogs,sexual maturityhappens around six months to one year for both males and females, although this can be delayed until up to two years of age for some large breeds, and is the time at which female dogs will have their firstestrous cycle. They will experience subsequent estrous cycles semiannually, during which the body prepares forpregnancy. At the peak of the cycle, females will become estrous, mentally and physically receptive tocopulation. Because theovasurvive and can be fertilized for a week after ovulation, more than one male can sire the same litter.[12] Fertilization typically occurs two to five days after ovulation; 14–16 days after ovulation, the embryo attaches to the uterus and after seven to eight more days, a heartbeat is detectable.[40][41] Dogs bear their litters roughly 58 to 68 days afterfertilization,[12][42]with an average of 63 days, although the length of gestation can vary. An average litter consists of about sixpuppies.[43] Neutering Neuteringrefers to the sterilization of animals, usually byremoving the male's testiclesor the female'sovariesanduterus, to eliminate the ability to procreate and reducesex drive. Because ofdogs' overpopulationin some countries, many animal control agencies, such as theAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(ASPCA), advise that dogs not intended for further breeding should be neutered, so that they do not have undesired puppies that may later be euthanized.[44] According to theHumane Society of the United States, three to four million dogs and cats areeuthanizedeach year.[45]Many more are confined to cages in shelters because there are many more animals than there are homes. Spaying or castrating dogs helps keep overpopulation down.[46] Neutering reduces problems caused byhypersexuality, especially in male dogs.[47]Spayed female dogs are less likely to develop cancers affecting the mammary glands, ovaries, and other reproductive organs.[48][pageneeded]However, neutering increases the risk ofurinary incontinencein female dogs[49]andprostate cancerin males[50]andosteosarcoma,hemangiosarcoma,cruciate ligamentrupture, obesity, anddiabetes mellitusin either sex.[51] Inbreeding depression A common breeding practice for pet dogs is mating between close relatives (e.g., between half and full siblings).[52]Inbreeding depressionis considered to be due mainly to the expression of homozygous deleterious recessive mutations.[53]Outcrossing between unrelated individuals, including dogs of different breeds, results in the beneficial masking of deleterious recessive mutations in progeny.[54] In a study of seven dog breeds (theBernese Mountain Dog,Basset Hound,Cairn Terrier,Brittany,German Shepherd Dog,Leonberger, andWest Highland White Terrier), it was found that inbreeding decreases litter size and survival.[55]Another analysis of data on 42,855Dachshundlitters found that as theinbreeding coefficientincreased, litter size decreased and the percentage of stillborn puppies increased, thus indicating inbreeding depression.[56]In a study ofBoxerlitters, 22% of puppies died before reaching 7 weeks of age. Stillbirth was the most frequent cause of death, followed by infection. Mortality due to infection increased significantly with increases in inbreeding.[57] Behavior Main article:Dog behavior See also:Dog behavior §Behavior compared with other canids Dog behavior is the internally coordinated responses (actions or inactions) of the domestic dog (individuals or groups) to internal and external stimuli.[58]As the oldest domesticated species, dogs' minds inevitably have been shaped by millennia of contact with humans. As a result of this physical and social evolution, dogs have acquired the ability to understand and communicate with humans more than any other species and they are uniquely attuned to human behaviors.[13]Behavioral scientists have uncovered a surprising set of social-cognitive abilities in domestic dogs. These abilities are not possessed by the dog's closest canine relatives or other highly intelligent mammals, such asgreat apes, but rather parallel to children's social-cognitive skills.[59] Unlike other domestic species selected for production-related traits, dogs were initially selected for their behaviors.[60][61]In 2016, a study found that only 11 fixed genes showed variation between wolves and dogs. These gene variations were unlikely to have been the result of natural evolution and indicate selection on both morphology and behavior during dog domestication. These genes have been shown to affect thecatecholamine synthesispathway, with the majority of the genes affecting the fight-or-flight response[61][62](i.e., selection for tameness) and emotional processing.[61]Dogs generally show reduced fear and aggression compared with wolves.[61][63]Some of these genes have been associated with aggression in some dog breeds, indicating their importance in both the initial domestication and later in breed formation.[61]Traits of high sociability and lack of fear in dogs may include genetic modifications related toWilliams-Beuren syndromein humans, which causehypersociabilityat the expense of problem-solving ability.[64] Intelligence Main article:Dog intelligence Dog intelligence is the dog's ability to perceive information and retain it as knowledge for applying to solve problems. Studies of two dogs suggest that dogs can learn by inference and have advanced memory skills. A study withRico, aBorder Collie, showed that he knew the labels of over 200 different items. He inferred the names of novel things by exclusion learning and correctly retrieved those new items immediately and four weeks after the initial exposure. A study of another Border Collie, Chaser, documented his learning and memory capabilities. He had learned the names and could associate by verbal command over 1,000 words.[65]Dogs can read and react appropriately to human body language such as gesturing and pointing and human voice commands. One study of canine cognitive abilities found that dogs' capabilities are no more exceptional than those of other animals, such ashorses,chimpanzees, orcats.[66]One limited study of 18 household dogs found that they lacked spatial memory, and were more focussed on the "what" of a task rather than the "where".[67] Dogs demonstrate atheory of mindby engaging in deception.[68]An experimental study showed compelling evidence that Australiandingoscan outperform domestic dogs in non-social problem-solving, indicating that domestic dogs may have lost much of their original problem-solving abilities once they joined humans.[69]Another study revealed that after undergoing training to solve a simple manipulation task, dogs faced with an unsolvable version of the same problem look at the human, while socialized wolves do not.[70] Communication Main article:Dog communication  Dog sounds 0:15 A dog making noises and barking Problems playing this file? Seemedia help. Dog communication is how dogs convey information to other dogs, understand messages from humans and translate the information that dogs are transmitting.[71]: xii Communication behaviors of dogs include eye gaze, facial expression, vocalization, body posture (including movements of bodies and limbs), and gustatory communication (scents, pheromones, and taste). Humans communicate to dogs by using vocalization, hand signals, and body posture. Ecology Population The dog is probably the most widely abundant largecarnivoranliving in the human environment.[72][73]In 2013, the estimated global dog population was between 700 million[74]and 987 million.[75]About 20% of dogs live as pets in developed countries.[76]In the developing world, dogs are more commonly feral or communally owned, with pet dogs uncommon. Most of these dogs live their lives as scavengers and have never been owned by humans, with one study showing their most common response when approached by strangers is to run away (52%) or respond aggressively (11%).[77]Little is known about these dogs, or the dogs in developed countries that are feral, strays, or are in shelters because the great majority of modern research on dog cognition has focused on pet dogs living in human homes.[78] Competitors and predators Although dogs are the most abundant and widely distributed terrestrial carnivores, feral andfree-ranging dogs' potentialto compete with other large carnivores is limited by their strong association with humans.[72]For example, a review of the studies in dogs' competitive effects onsympatriccarnivores did not mention any research on competition between dogs and wolves.[79][80]Although wolves are known to kill dogs, they tend to live in pairs or in small packs in areas where they are highly persecuted, giving them a disadvantage facing large dog groups.[79][81] Wolves kill dogs wherever they are found together.[82]In some instances, wolves have displayed an uncharacteristic fearlessness of humans and buildings when attacking dogs to the extent that they have to be beaten off or killed.[83]Although the numbers of dogs killed each year are relatively low, it induces a fear of wolves entering villages and farmyards to take dogs and losses of dogs to wolves have led to demands for more liberal wolf hunting regulations.[79] Coyotesandbig catshave also been known to attack dogs. In particular,leopardsare known to have a preference for dogs and have been recorded to kill and consume them, no matter what their size.[84]Siberian tigersin theAmur Riverregion have killed dogs in the middle of villages. This indicates that the dogs were targeted. Amur tigers will not tolerate wolves as competitors within their territories, and the tigers could be considering dogs in the same way.[85]Striped hyenasare known to kill dogs in their range.[86] Diet See also:Dog food  AGolden Retrievergnawing on a pig's foot Dogs have been described asomnivores.[12][87][88]Compared to wolves, dogs from agricultural societies haveextra copies of amylaseand other genes involved in starch digestion that contribute to an increased ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet.[11]Similar to humans, some dog breeds produce amylase in theirsalivaand are classified as having a high starch diet.[89]However, more like cats and less like other omnivores, dogs can only producebile acidwithtaurineand they cannot producevitamin D, which they obtain from animal flesh. Also more like cats, dogs requirearginineto maintain its nitrogen balance. These nutritional requirements place dogs halfway between carnivores and omnivores.[90] Range As a domesticated or semi-domesticated animal, the dog is nearly universal among human societies. Notable exceptions once included: TheAboriginal Tasmanians, who were separated from Australia before the arrival ofdingoson that continent TheAndamanese peoples, who were isolated whenrising sea levelscovered the land bridge to Myanmar TheFuegians, who instead domesticated theFuegian dog, a different canid species Individual Pacific islands whose maritime settlers did not bring dogs, or where dogs died out after original settlement, notably theMariana Islands,[91]Palau[92]and most of theCaroline Islandswith exceptions such asFais IslandandNukuoro,[93]theMarshall Islands,[94]theGilbert Islands,[94]New Caledonia,[95]Vanuatu,[95][96]Tonga,[96]Marquesas,[96]Mangaiain theCook Islands,Rapa ItiinFrench Polynesia,Easter Island,[96]theChatham Islands[97]andPitcairn Island(settled by theBountymutineers, who killed off their dogs to escape discovery by passing ships).[98] Dogs were introduced toAntarcticaassled dogs, but were later outlawed by international agreement due to the possible risk of spreading infections.[99] Roles with humans Domestic dogs inherited complex behaviors, such asbite inhibition, from their wolf ancestors, which would have beenpack hunterswith a complex body language. These sophisticated forms of social cognition and communication may account for their trainability, playfulness and ability to fit into human households and social situations. These attributes have given dogs a relationship with humans that has enabled them to become one of the most successful animals today.[100] The dogs' value to early human hunter-gatherers led to them quickly becoming ubiquitous across world cultures. Dogs perform many roles for people, such ashunting,herding,pulling loads,protection,assisting policeand themilitary,companionshipandaiding disabled individuals. This influence on human society has given them the nickname "man's best friend" in the Western world. In some cultures, however, dogsare also a source of meat.[101][102] Pets  Siberian Huskiesarepack animalsthat still enjoy some human companionship It is estimated that three-quarters of the world's dog population lives in the developing world as feral, village, or community dogs, with pet dogs uncommon.[103][pageneeded] "The most widespread form of interspecies bonding occurs between humans and dogs"[104]and the keeping of dogs as companions, particularly by elites, has a long history.[14]Pet dog populations grew significantly afterWorld War IIas suburbanization increased.[14]In the 1950s and 1960s, dogs were kept outside more often than they tend to be today[105](the expression "in the doghouse" - recorded since 1932[106]- to describe exclusion from the group implies a distance between thedoghouseand the home) and were still primarily functional, acting as a guard, children's playmate, or walking companion. From the 1980s, there have been changes in the pet dog's role, such as the increased role of dogs in the emotional support of their human guardians.[107][pageneeded]People and their dogs have become increasingly integrated and implicated in each other's lives[108][pageneeded]to the point where pet dogs actively shape how a family and home are experienced.[109] There have been two significant trends occurring within the second half of the 20th century in pet dogs' changing status. The first has been"commodification", shaping it to conform to social expectations of personality and behavior.[109]The second has been the broadening of the family's concept and the home to include dogs-as-dogs within everyday routines and practices.[109] A vast range of commodity forms aims to transform a pet dog into an ideal companion.[110]The list of goods, services, and places available is enormous: from dog perfumes, couture, furniture and housing to dog groomers, therapists, trainers and caretakers, dog cafes, spas, parks and beaches and dog hotels, airlines and cemeteries.[110]Dog training books, classes, and television programs proliferated as the process of commodifying the pet dog continued.[111] The majority of contemporary dog owners describe their pet as part of the family, although some ambivalence about the relationship is evident in the popular reconceptualization of the dog-human family as a pack.[109]Some dog trainers, such as on the television programDog Whisperer, have promoted adominance modelof dog-human relationships. However, it has been disputed that "trying to achieve status" is characteristic of dog-human interactions.[112]The idea of the "alpha dog" trying to be dominant is based on a disproved theory about wolf packs.[113][114]Pet dogs play an active role in family life; for example, a study of conversations in dog-human families showed how family members use the dog as a resource, talking to the dog, or talking through the dog; to mediate their interactions with each other.[115] Increasingly, human family-members engage in activities centered on the dog's perceived needs and interests, or in which the dog is an integral partner, such asdog dancinganddog yoga.[110] According to statistics published by theAmerican Pet Products Manufacturers Associationin the National Pet Owner Survey in 2009–2010, an estimated 77.5million people in the United States have pet dogs.[116]The same source shows that nearly 40% of American households own at least one dog, of which 67% own just one dog, 25% two dogs and nearly 9% more than two dogs. There does not seem to be anygender preferenceamong dogs as pets, as the statistical data reveal an equal number of male and female pet dogs. Although several programs promotepet adoption, less than one-fifth of the owned dogs come fromshelters.[116] A study usingmagnetic resonance imaging(MRI) to compare humans and dogs showed that dogs have the same response to voices and use the same parts of the brain as humans do. This gives dogs the ability to recognize human emotional sounds, making them friendly social pets to humans.[117] Workers Dogs have lived and worked with humans in many roles. In addition to dogs' role as companion animals, dogs have been bred for herding livestock (collies,sheepdogs),[118][pageneeded][12]hunting (hounds, pointers)[119][pageneeded]and rodent control (terriers).[12]Other types ofworking dogsincludesearch and rescue dogs,[120]detection dogstrained to detectillicit drugs[121]orchemical weapons;[122]guard dogs; dogs who assist fishermen with the use of nets; and dogs that pull loads.[12]In 1957, the dogLaikabecame the first animal to be launched intoEarth orbit, aboard theSoviets'Sputnik 2; she died during the flight.[123][124] Various kinds ofservice dogsandassistance dogs, includingguide dogs,hearing dogs,mobility assistance dogsandpsychiatric service dogs, assist individuals with disabilities.[125][126]Some dogs owned by people with epilepsy have been shown to alert their handler when the handler shows signs of an impending seizure, sometimes well in advance of onset, allowing the guardian to seek safety, medication, or medical care.[127] Athletes and models See also:Conformation show People often enter their dogs in competitions, such as breed-conformation shows orsports, including racing, sledding and agility competitions. In conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, a judge familiar with the specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for conformity with their established breed type as described in the breed standard. As the breed standard only deals with the dog's externally observable qualities (such as appearance, movement and temperament), separately tested qualities (such as ability or health) are not part of the judging in conformation shows. Food Main article:Dog meat Dog meat is consumed in someEast Asiancountries, includingKorea,[128][pageneeded]China,[101]Vietnam[102]and thePhilippines,[129]which dates back to antiquity.[130]Based on limited data, it is estimated that 13–16million dogs are killed and consumed in Asia every year.[131]In China, debates have ensued over banning the consumption of dog meat.[132]Following the Sui and Tang dynasties of the first millennium, however, people living on northern China's plains began to eschew eating dogs, which is likely due to Buddhism and Islam's spread, two religions that forbade the consumption of certain animals, including the dog. As members of the upper classes shunned dog meat, it gradually became a social taboo to eat it, even though the general population continued to consume it for centuries afterward.[133]Dog meat is also consumed in some parts of Switzerland.[134]Other cultures, such asPolynesiaandpre-Columbian Mexico, also consumed dog meat in their history. Dog fat is also reportedly believed to be beneficial for the lungs in some parts of Poland[135][136]and Central Asia.[137][138]Proponents of eating dog meat have argued that placing a distinction between livestock and dogs is Western hypocrisy and that there is no difference in eating different animals' meat.[139][140][141][142] In Korea, the primary dog breed raised for meat, theNureongi, differs from those breeds raised for pets that Koreans may keep in their homes.[143] The most popular Korean dog dish is calledbosintang, a spicy stew meant to balance the body's heat during the summer months. Followers of the custom claim this is done to ensure good health by balancing one'sgi, or the body's vital energy. A 19th-century version of bosintang explains that the dish is prepared by boiling dog meat withscallionsand chili powder. Variations of the dish contain chicken and bamboo shoots. While the dishes are still prevalent in Korea with a segment of the population, dog is not as widely consumed as beef, pork and chicken.[143] Health risks Further information:Dog bite,Canine vector-borne disease, andDog bite prevention In 2018, theWHOreported that 59,000 people died globally fromrabies, with 59.6% in Asia and 36.4% in Africa. Rabies is a disease for which dogs are the most important vector.[144]Significant dog bites affect tens of millions of people globally each year. Children in mid-to-late childhood are the largest percentage bitten by dogs, with a greater risk of injury to the head and neck. They are more likely to need medical treatment and have the highest death rate.[145]Sharp claws with powerful muscles behind them can lacerate flesh in a scratch that can lead to serious infections.[146] In theU.S.,catsand dogs are a factor in more than 86,000 falls each year.[147]It has been estimated that around 2% of dog-related injuries treated in U.K. hospitals are domestic accidents. The same study found that while dog involvement in road traffic accidents was difficult to quantify, dog-associated road accidents involving injury more commonly involved two-wheeled vehicles.[148] Toxocara canis(dogroundworm) eggs in dog feces can causetoxocariasis. In the United States, about 10,000 cases ofToxocarainfection are reported in humans each year, and almost 14% of the U.S. population is infected.[149]Untreated toxocariasis can cause retinal damage and decreased vision.[150]Dog feces can also containhookwormsthat causecutaneous larva migransin humans.[151][152] Health benefits  Walking a dog Dogs suffer from the same common disorders as humans; these include cancer, diabetes, heart disease and neurologic disorders. Their pathology is similar to humans, as is their response to treatment and their outcomes. Researchers are identifying the genes associated with dog diseases similar to human disorders, but lack mouse models to find cures for both dogs and humans. The genes involved in canine obsessive-compulsive disorders led to the detection of four genes in humans' related pathways.[10] The scientific evidence is mixed as to whether a dog's companionship can enhance human physical health and psychological well-being.[153]Studies suggesting that there are benefits to physical health and psychological well-being[154]have been criticized for being poorly controlled.[155]It found that "the health of elderly people is related to their health habits and social supports but not to their ownership of, or attachment to, a companion animal." Earlier studies have shown that people who keep pet dogs or cats exhibit better mental and physical health than those who do not, making fewer visits to the doctor and being less likely to be on medication than non-guardians.[156] A 2005 paper states "recent research has failed to support earlier findings that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, a reduced use of general practitioner services, or any psychological or physical benefits on health for community dwelling older people. Research has, however, pointed to significantly less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets."[153]In one study, new guardians reported a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month following pet acquisition. This effect was sustained in those with dogs through to the end of the study.[157] People with pet dogs took considerably more physical exercise than those with cats and those without pets. The results provide evidence that keeping pets may have positive effects on human health and behavior and that for guardians of dogs, these effects are relatively long-term.[157]Pet guardianship has also been associated with increased coronary artery disease survival. Human guardians are significantly less likely to die within one year of an acute myocardial infarction than those who did not own dogs.[158]The association between dog ownership and adult physical activity levels has been reviewed by several authors.[159][160] The health benefits of dogs can result from contact with dogs in general, not solely from having dogs as pets. For example, when in a pet dog's presence, people show reductions in cardiovascular, behavioral and psychological indicators of anxiety.[161]Other health benefits are gained from exposure to immune-stimulating microorganisms, which can protect against allergies and autoimmune diseases according to thehygiene hypothesis. The benefits of contact with a dog also include social support, as dogs cannot only provide companionship and social support themselves but also act as facilitators of social interactions between humans.[162]One study indicated that wheelchair users experience more positive social interactions with strangers when accompanied by a dog than when they are not.[163]In 2015, a study found that pet owners were significantly more likely to get to know people in their neighborhood than non-pet owners.[164] Using dogs and other animals as a part of therapy dates back to the late 18th century, when animals were introduced into mental institutions to help socialize patients with mental disorders.[165]Animal-assisted intervention research has shown that animal-assisted therapy with a dog can increase social behaviors, such as smiling and laughing, among people with Alzheimer's disease.[166]One study demonstrated that children with ADHD and conduct disorders who participated in an education program with dogs and other animals showed increased attendance, increased knowledge and skill objectives and decreased antisocial and violent behavior compared with those not in an animal-assisted program.[167] Cultural importance Main articles:Cultural depictions of dogsandDogs in religion Further information:List of fictional dogs  Cerberus, with the gluttons inDante'sThird Circle of Hell.William Blake. Dogs were depicted to symbolizeguidance,protection,loyalty,fidelity,faithfulness,alertness, andlove.[168]In ancientMesopotamia, from theOld Babylonian perioduntil theNeo-Babylonian, dogs were the symbol ofNinisina, the goddess of healing and medicine,[169]and her worshippers frequently dedicated small models of seated dogs to her.[169]In theNeo-Assyrianand Neo-Babylonian periods, dogs were used as emblems of magical protection.[169]InChina,KoreaandJapan, dogs are viewed as kind protectors.[170] In mythology, dogs often serve as pets or as watchdogs.[170]Stories of dogs guarding the gates of the underworld recur throughout Indo-European mythologies[171][172]and may originate fromProto-Indo-European religion.[171][172]InGreek mythology,Cerberusis a three-headed,dragon-tailed watchdog who guards the gates ofHades.[170]Dogs are also associated with the Greek goddessHecate.[173]InNorse mythology, a bloody, four-eyed dog calledGarmrguardsHelheim.[170]InPersian mythology, two four-eyed dogs guard theChinvat Bridge.[170]InWelsh mythology,Annwnis guarded byCŵn Annwn.[170]InHindu mythology,Yama, the god of death, owns two watchdogs who have four eyes. They are said to watch over the gates ofNaraka.[174]A black dog is also considered to be thevahana(vehicle) ofBhairava(an incarnation of Shiva).[175] InChristianity, dogs represent faithfulness.[170]Within theRoman Catholicdenomination specifically, the iconography ofSaint Dominicincludes a dog, after the hallow's mother dreamt of a dog springing from her womb and becoming pregnant shortly after that.[176]As such, theDominican Order(Ecclesiastical Latin:Domini canis) means "dog of the Lord" or "hound of the Lord" (Ecclesiastical Latin:Domini canis).[176]In Christian folklore, achurch grimoften takes the form of a black dog to guard Christian churches and theirchurchyardsfromsacrilege.[177]Jewish lawdoes not prohibit keeping dogs and other pets.[178]Jewish law requires Jews to feed dogs (and other animals that they own) before themselves and make arrangements for feeding them before obtaining them.[178]The view on dogs inIslamis mixed, with some schools of thought viewing it as unclean,[170]althoughKhaled Abou El Fadlstates that this view is based on "pre-Islamic Arab mythology" and "a tradition to be falsely attributed to the Prophet."[179]Therefore, Sunni Malaki and Hanafi jurists permit the trade of and keeping of dogs as pets.[180]

This article is about the species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, seeFelidae. For other uses, seeCat (disambiguation). "Cats" redirects here. For other uses, seeCats (disambiguation). Thecat(Felis catus) is adomesticspeciesof smallcarnivorousmammal.[1][2]It is the only domesticated species in the familyFelidaeand is often referred to as thedomestic catto distinguish it from the wild members of the family.[4]A cat can either be ahouse cat, afarm cator aferal cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact.[5]Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to killrodents. About 60cat breedsare recognized by variouscat registries.[6] Cat Temporal range: 9,500 years ago – present Various types of cat Conservation status Domesticated Scientific classificationKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:CarnivoraSuborder:FeliformiaFamily:FelidaeSubfamily:FelinaeGenus:FelisSpecies: F.catus[1] Binomial nameFelis catus[1] Linnaeus,1758[2] Synonyms Catus domesticusErxleben, 1777[3] F. angorensisGmelin, 1788 F. vulgarisFischer, 1829 The cat is similar inanatomyto the other felid species: it has a strong flexible body, quickreflexes, sharp teeth andretractable clawsadapted to killing small prey. Itsnight visionand sense of smell are well developed.Cat communicationincludesvocalizationslikemeowing,purring, trilling, hissing,growlingand grunting as well ascat-specific body language. Apredatorthat is most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular), the cat is a solitary hunter but asocial species. It can hear sounds too faint or too high infrequencyfor human ears, such as those made bymiceand other small mammals.[7]Cats also secrete and perceivepheromones.[8] Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens.[9]Domestic cats are bred and shown at events as registeredpedigreed cats, a hobby known ascat fancy.Population controlof cats may be effected byspayingandneutering, but their proliferation and the abandonment of pets has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, contributing to the extinction of entire bird, mammal, and reptile species.[10] It was long thought that cat domestication began inancient Egypt, wherecats were veneratedfrom around 3100 BC,[11][12]but recent advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that their domestication occurred inWestern Asiaaround 7500 BC.[13] As of 2021,there were an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the world.[14][15]As of 2017,the domestic cat was the second most popular pet in the United States, with 95.6 million cats owned[16][17][18]and around 42 million households own at least one cat.[19]In the United Kingdom, 26% of adults have a cat with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats as of 2020.[20] Contents Etymology and naming The origin of the English wordcat,Old Englishcatt, is thought to be theLate Latinwordcattus, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century.[21]It was suggested that the word 'cattus' is derived from anEgyptianprecursor ofCopticϣⲁⲩšau, "tomcat", or its feminine form suffixed with-t.[22]The Late Latin word may be derived from anotherAfro-Asiatic[23]orNilo-Saharanlanguage. TheNubianwordkaddîska"wildcat" andNobiinkadīsare possible sources or cognates.[24]The Nubian word may be a loan fromArabicقَطّ‎qaṭṭ~قِطّqiṭṭ. It is "equally likely that the forms might derive from an ancient Germanic word, imported into Latin and thence to Greek and to Syriac and Arabic".[25]The word may be derived from Germanic and Northern European languages, and ultimately be borrowed fromUralic, cf.Northern Samigáđfi, "femalestoat", andHungarianhölgy, "lady, female stoat"; fromProto-Uralic*käďwä, "female (of a furred animal)".[26] The Englishpuss, extended aspussyandpussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced fromDutchpoesor fromLow Germanpuuskatte, related toSwedishkattepus, orNorwegianpus,pusekatt. Similar forms exist in LithuanianpuižėandIrishpuisínorpuiscín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simplyarisen from a soundused to attract a cat.[27][28] A male cat is called atomortomcat[29](or agib,[30]if neutered). Anunspayedfemale is called aqueen,[31](or amolly,[32]if spayed), especially in a cat-breeding context. A juvenile cat is referred to as akitten. InEarly Modern English, the wordkittenwas interchangeable with the now-obsolete wordcatling.[33]A group of cats can be referred to as aclowderor aglaring.[34] Taxonomy Thescientific nameFelis catuswas proposed byCarl Linnaeusin 1758 for a domestic cat.[1][2]Felis catus domesticuswas proposed byJohann Christian Polycarp Erxlebenin 1777.[3]Felis daemonproposed byKonstantin Alekseevich Satuninin 1904 was a black cat from theTranscaucasus, later identified as a domestic cat.[35][36] In 2003, theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclatureruled that the domestic cat is a distinct species, namelyFelis catus.[37][38]In 2007, it was considered asubspecies,F. silvestris catus, of theEuropean wildcat(F. silvestris) following results ofphylogeneticresearch.[39][40]In 2017, the IUCN Cat Classification Taskforce followed the recommendation of the ICZN in regarding the domestic cat as a distinct species,Felis catus.[41] Evolution Main article:Cat evolution  Skulls of a wildcat (top left), a housecat (top right), and a hybrid between the two. (bottom center) The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, afamilythat had acommon ancestorabout 10–15 million years ago.[42]ThegenusFelisdivergedfrom other Felidae around 6–7 million years ago.[43]Results ofphylogeneticresearch confirm that the wildFelisspecies evolved throughsympatricorparapatric speciation, whereas the domestic cat evolved throughartificial selection.[44]The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor arediploidand both possess 38chromosomes[45]and roughly 20,000 genes.[46]Theleopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) wastamedindependently in China around 5500 BC. This line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[47] Domestication See also:Evolution of the domesticated cat  A cat eating a fish under a chair, amuralin an Egyptian tomb dating to the 15th century BC The earliest known indication for thetamingof anAfrican wildcat(F. lybica) wasexcavatedclose by a humanNeolithicgrave inShillourokambos, southernCyprus, dating to about 7500–7200 BC. Since there is no evidence of native mammalianfaunaon Cyprus, the inhabitants of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from theMiddle Easternmainland.[48]Scientists therefore assume that African wildcats were attracted to early human settlements in theFertile Crescentby rodents, in particular thehouse mouse(Mus musculus), and were tamed by Neolithic farmers. Thismutualrelationship between early farmers and tamed cats lasted thousands of years. Asagricultural practicesspread, so did tame and domesticated cats.[13][6]Wildcats of Egypt contributed to the maternalgene poolof the domestic cat at a later time.[49] The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat inGreecedates to around 1200 BC. Greek,Phoenician,CarthaginianandEtruscantraders introduced domestic cats to southern Europe.[50]During theRoman Empirethey were introduced toCorsicaandSardiniabefore the beginning of the 1st millennium.[51]By the 5th century BC, they were familiar animals around settlements inMagna GraeciaandEtruria.[52]By the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Egyptian domestic cat lineage had arrived in aBaltic Seaport in northernGermany.[49] During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behavior, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may havepre-adaptedthem for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play and relatively high intelligence. CaptiveLeoparduscats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but were not domesticated.[53]House cats often mate with feral cats,[54]producing hybrids such as theKellas catinScotland.[55]Hybridisation between domestic and other Felinae speciesis also possible.[56] Development ofcat breedsstarted in the mid 19th century.[57]An analysis of the domestic catgenomerevealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specificmutationswere selected to develop cat breeds.[58]Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats.Genetic diversityof these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleteriousgenetic disorders.[59] Characteristics Main article:Cat anatomy Size  Diagram of the generalanatomyof a male domestic cat The domestic cat has a smallerskulland shorter bones than theEuropean wildcat.[60]It averages about 46cm (18in) in head-to-body length and 23–25cm (9–10in) in height, with about 30cm (12in) long tails. Males are larger than females.[61]Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5kg (9 and 11lb).[44] Skeleton Cats have sevencervical vertebrae(as do mostmammals); 13thoracic vertebrae(humans have 12); sevenlumbar vertebrae(humans have five); threesacral vertebrae(as do most mammals, but humans have five); and a variable number ofcaudal vertebraein the tail (humans have only three to five vestigial caudal vertebrae, fused into an internalcoccyx).[62]: 11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and thepelvis.[62]: 16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floatingclaviclebones which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their head.[63] Skull  Cat skull  A cat with its mouth open exposing its teeth The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very largeeye socketsand a powerful specialized jaw.[64]: 35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two longcanine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey'svertebraeand severing itsspinal cord, causing irreversibleparalysisand death.[65]Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth relative to the size of their jaw, which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[65]Thepremolarand firstmolartogether compose thecarnassialpair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' smallmolarscannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication.[64]: 37 Although cats tend to have better teeth than most humans, with decay generally less likely because of a thicker protective layer of enamel, a less damaging saliva, less retention of food particles between teeth, and a diet mostly devoid of sugar, they are nonetheless subject to occasional tooth loss and infection.[66] Claws  Shed claw sheaths Cats have protractible and retractable claws.[67]In their normal, relaxed position, the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows for the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hindfeet.[68]Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing,kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Cats shed the outside layer of their claw sheaths when scratching rough surfaces.[69] Most cats have five claws on their front paws and four on their rear paws. Thedewclawisproximalto the other claws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws on the inside of the wrists has no function in normal walking but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some cat breeds are prone to having extra digits ("polydactyly").[70]Polydactylous cats occur along North America's northeast coast and in Great Britain.[71] Ambulation The cat isdigitigrade. It walks on the toes, with the bones of the feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[72]Unlike most mammals, it uses a "pacing"gaitand moves both legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. It registers directly by placing each hind paw close to the track of the corresponding fore paw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for hind paws when navigating rough terrain. As it speeds up from walking to trotting, its gait changes to a "diagonal" gait: The diagonally opposite hind and fore legs move simultaneously.[73] Balance 13:37 Comparison of cat righting reflexes ingravityand zero gravity Most breeds of cat are noted fond of sitting in high places, orperching. A higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch. Another possible explanation is that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling from heights of up to 3 meters (9.8ft) can right itself and land on its paws.[74] During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as thecat righting reflex.[75]A cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, if it has enough time to do so, which is the case in falls of 90cm (2ft 11in) or more.[76]How cats are able to right themselves when falling has been investigated as the "falling cat problem". Senses Main article:Cat senses Vision  Reflection of camera flash from thetapetum lucidum Cats have excellentnight visionand can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[64]: 43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having atapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through theretinaback into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[77]Large pupils are an adaptation to dim light. The domestic cat hasslit pupils, which allow it to focus bright light withoutchromatic aberration.[78]At low light, a cat's pupils expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[79]The domestic cat has rather poorcolor visionand only two types ofcone cells, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; its ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.[80]A response to middle wavelengths from a system other than therod cellsmight be due to a third type of cone. This appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing truetrichromaticvision.[81] Hearing The domestic cat's hearing is most acute in the range of 500Hz to 32kHz.[82]It can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies ranging from 55Hz to 79,000Hz. It can hear a range of 10.5octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves.[83][84]Its hearing sensitivity is enhanced by its large movable outer ears, thepinnae, which amplify sounds and help detect the location of a noise. It can detectultrasound, which enables it to detect ultrasonic calls made byrodentprey.[85][86]Recent research has shown that cats have socio-spatial cognitive abilities to create mental maps of owners' locations based on hearing owners' voices.[87] Smell Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developedolfactory bulband a large surface ofolfactory mucosa, about5.8 square centimetres (29⁄32square inch) in area, which is about twice that of humans.[88]Cats and many other animals have aJacobson's organin their mouths that is used in the behavioral process offlehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot. Cats are sensitive topheromonessuch as3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[89]which they use to communicate throughurine sprayingand marking withscent glands.[90]Many cats also respond strongly to plants that containnepetalactone, especiallycatnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[91]About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone.[92]This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herbvalerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[93] Taste Cats have relatively fewtaste budscompared to humans (470 or so versus more than 9,000 on the human tongue).[94]Domestic and wild cats share ataste receptor gene mutationthat keeps their sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to tastesweetness.[95]Their taste buds instead respond toacids,amino acidslike protein, and bitter tastes.[96]Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 38°C (100°F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).[94] Whiskers  The whiskers of a cat are highly sensitive to touch To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movablewhiskers (vibrissae)over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protectiveblink reflexesto protect the eyes from damage.[64]: 47  Behavior See also:Cat behavior  Cat lying onrice straw Outdoor cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[97]Domestic cats spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their homes but can range many hundreds of meters from this central point. They establishterritoriesthat vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7to 28 hectares (17–69 acres).[98]The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means house cats may be moreactive in the morning and evening, as a response to greater human activity at these times.[99] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 12 and 16 hours, with 13 and 14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods ofrapid eye movement sleepoften accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming.[100] Sociability The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals toferal cat coloniesthat gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[101][102]Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.[103]Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked byurine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and bydefecation.[90]Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, andgrowlingand, if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite this colonial organization, cats do not have a social survival strategy or apack mentality, and always hunt alone.[104] Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals.Ethologically, a cat's human keeper functions as if a mother surrogate.[105]Adult cats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioralneoteny. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.[106]Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.[107] Redirected aggressionis a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, dog, human or other being.[108][109] Domestic cats'scent rubbingbehavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding.[110] Communication Main article:Cat communication  Vocalizing domestic cat Domestic cats use manyvocalizationsfor communication, includingpurring,trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7]Theirbody language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. A raised tail indicates a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group'ssocial hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate ones.[111]Feral cats are generally silent.[112]: 208 Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed bysocial grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[102] Purringmay have developed as an evolutionary advantage as a signaling mechanism of reassurance between mother cats andnursingkittens, who are thought to use it as a care-soliciting signal.[113]Post-nursing cats also often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed,[114][115]or eating. Even though purring as popularly interpreted as indicative of pleasure, it has been recorded in a wide variety of circumstances, most of which involve physical contact between the cat and another, presumably trusted individual.[113]Some cats have been observed to purr continuously when chronically ill or in apparent pain.[116] The exact mechanism by which cats purr has long been elusive, but it has been proposed that purring is generated via a series of sudden build-ups and releases of pressure as theglottisis opened and closed, which causes thevocal foldsto separate forcefully. The laryngeal muscles in control of the glottis are thought to be driven by aneural oscillatorwhich generates a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 milliseconds (giving a frequency of 33 to 25 Hz).[113][117][118] Grooming  The hookedpapillaeon a cat's tongue act like ahairbrushto help clean and detangle fur Cats are known for spending considerable amounts of time licking their coats to keep them clean.[119]The cat's tongue has backward-facing spines about 500μmlong, which are calledpapillae. These containkeratinwhich makes them rigid[120]so the papillae act like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitatehairballsof fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about2–3cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4in) long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through thegut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[119] Fighting  A domestic cat's arched back, raised fur and an open-mouthed hiss are signs of aggression Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[121]Among feral cats, the most common reason forcat fightingis competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male.[122]Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[121]Female cats also fight over territory or to defend their kittens. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked tosex hormones.[123] When cats become aggressive, they try to make themselves appear larger and more threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, turning sideways and hissing or spitting.[124]Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[125] Serious damage is rare, as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. Fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting are limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission offeline immunodeficiency virus.[126]Sexually active males are usually involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to their ears and nose.[127] Hunting and feeding See also:Cat nutrition  A domestic cat with its prey, adeermouse Cat "playing" with a mouse is interrupted by dog in Estonia, Kõrvemaa (July 2022) The shape and structure of cats' cheeks is insufficient to allow them to take in liquids using suction. Therefore, when drinking they lap with the tongue to draw liquid upward into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it like a corkscrew, drawing water upward.[128][129] Feral cats and free-fed house cats consume several small meals in a day. The frequency and size of meals varies between individuals. They select food based on its temperature, smell and texture; they dislike chilled foods and respond most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat. Cats reject novel flavors (a response termedneophobia) and learn quickly toavoid foods that have tasted unpleasantin the past.[104][130]It is also a common misconception that cats like milk/cream, as they tend to avoid sweet food and milk. Most adult cats arelactose intolerant; the sugar in milk is not easily digested and may cause soft stools ordiarrhea.[131]Some also develop odd eating habits and like to eat or chew on things like wool, plastic, cables, paper, string, aluminum foil, or even coal. This condition,pica, can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[132] Cats hunt small prey, primarily birds and rodents,[133]and are often used as a form of pest control.[134][135]Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, orwaiting in ambushuntil an animal comes close enough to be captured.[136]The strategy used depends on the prey species in the area, with cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[137]: 153 Domestic cats are a majorpredator of wildlifein the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; in one English village, for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality was linked to the domestic cat.[139]In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis) in Britain, 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[140]In parts of North America, the presence of larger carnivores such ascoyoteswhich prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such asopossumsandraccoonson bird numbers and variety.[141] Perhaps the best-known element of cats' hunting behavior, which is commonly misunderstood and often appalls cat owners because it looks like torture, is that cats often appear to "play" with prey by releasing it after capture. Thiscat and mousebehavior is due to an instinctive imperative to ensure that the prey is weak enough to be killed without endangering the cat.[142] Another poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human guardians. One explanation is that cats adopt humans into their social group and share excess kill with others in the group according to thedominance hierarchy, in which humans are reacted to as if they are at, or near, the top.[143]Another explanation is that they attempt to teach their guardians to hunt or to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[144]This hypothesis is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having negligible involvement in raising kittens.[137]: 153  Play Main article:Cat play and toys Play fight between kittens aged 14 weeks Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[145]Cats also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[146] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[147]Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest. They becomehabituatedto a toy they have played with before.[148]String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten, it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into theintestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[149]Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with alaser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[150] Reproduction  When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive tomatingknown aslordosis behavior. See also:Kitten Female cats, called queens, arepolyestrouswith severalestruscycles during a year, lasting usually 21 days. They are usually ready to mate between early February and August.[151] Several males, called tomcats, are attracted to a female in heat. They fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female rejects the male, but eventually, the female allows the male to mate. The female utters a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her because a male cat'spenishas a band of about 120–150 backward-pointingpenile spines, which are about1mm (1⁄32in) long; upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines may provide the female with increased sexual stimulation, which acts toinduce ovulation.[152] After mating, the female cleans hervulvathoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female attacks him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[153]Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[154]Furthermore, cats aresuperfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[153] Themorulaforms 124 hours after conception. At 148 hours, earlyblastocystsform. At 10–12 days, implantation occurs.[155]Thegestationof queens lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average of 65 days.[151][156]  Radiography of a pregnant cat. The skeletons of two fetuses are visible on the left and right of the uterus.  A newborn kitten Data on the reproductive capacity of more than 2,300 free-ranging queens were collected during a study between May 1998 and October 2000. They had one to six kittens perlitter, with an average of three kittens. They produced a mean of 1.4 litters per year, but a maximum of three litters in a year. Of 169 kittens, 127 died before they were six months old due to a trauma caused in most cases by dog attacks and road accidents.[9]The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned between six and seven weeks of age. Queens normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. This varies depending on breed.[153]Kittens reachpubertyat the age of 9–10 months.[151] Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks of age, when they are ready to leave their mother.[157]They can be surgicallysterilized(spayed orcastrated) as early as seven weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[158]This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression,territory marking(spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed beforepuberty, at about three to six months.[159]In the United States, about 80% of household cats are neutered.[160] Lifespan and health Main articles:Cat healthandAging in cats The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent decades. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years,[161]: 33 [162]rising to 9.4 years in 1995[161]: 33 and about 15 years in 2021. Some cats have been reported as surviving into their 30s,[163]with the oldest known cat,Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[164] Neutering increases life expectancy: one study found castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males, while spayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females.[161]: 35 Having a catneuteredconfers health benefits, because castrated males cannot developtesticular cancer, spayed females cannot developuterineorovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk ofmammary cancer.[165] Disease Main article:Feline diseases About 250 heritablegenetic disordershave been identified in cats, many similar to humaninborn errors of metabolism.[166]The high level of similarity among themetabolismof mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed usinggenetic teststhat were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats asanimal modelsin the study of the human diseases.[167][168]Diseases affecting domestic cats include acute infections,parasitic infestations, injuries, and chronic diseases such askidney disease,thyroid disease, andarthritis.Vaccinationsare available for many infectious diseases, as are treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas.[169] Ecology Habitats  Atabby catin snowy weather The domestic cat is acosmopolitan speciesand occurs across much of the world.[59]It is adaptable and now present on all continents exceptAntarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands, even on the isolatedKerguelen Islands.[170][171]Due to its ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat, it is among the world's mostinvasive species.[172]It lives on small islands with no human inhabitants.[173]Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas, and wetlands.[174] The unwantedness that leads to the domestic cat being treated as an invasive species is twofold. On one hand, as it is little altered from the wildcat, it can readily interbreed with the wildcat. Thishybridizationposes a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of some wildcat populations, particularly inScotlandandHungary, possibly also theIberian Peninsula, and where protected natural areas are in close proximity to human-dominated landscapes, such asKruger National ParkinSouth Africa.[175][56]On the other hand, and perhaps more obviously, its introduction to places where no native felines are present contributes to the decline of native species.[176] Ferality Main article:Feral cat  Feralfarm cat Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[10]The numbers of feral cats is not known, but estimates of the United States feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[10]Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in largecolonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[177]Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around theColosseumandForum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[178] Public attitudes toward feral cats vary widely, from seeing them as free-ranging pets to regarding them as vermin.[179] Some feral cats can be successfully socialized and 're-tamed' for adoption; young cats, especially kittens[180]and cats that have had prior experience and contact with humans are the most receptive to these efforts. Impact on wildlife Main article:Cat predation on wildlife On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[181]In nearly all cases, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances, eradication of cats has caused a "mesopredator release" effect;[182]where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are a contributing factor to the decline of many species, a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction.The South Island piopio,Chatham rail,[140]and theNew Zealand merganser[183]are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightlessLyall's wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[184][185]One feral cat in New Zealand killed 102New Zealand lesser short-tailed batsin seven days.[186]In the US, feral and free-ranging domestic cats kill an estimated 6.3 – 22.3 billion mammals annually.[138] In Australia, the impact of cats on mammal populations is even greater than the impact of habitat loss.[187]More than one million reptiles are killed by feral cats each day, representing 258 species.[188]Cats have contributed to the extinction of theNavassa curly-tailed lizardandChioninia coctei.[176] Interaction with humans Main article:Human interaction with cats  A cat sleeping on a man's lap Cats are commonpetsthroughout the world, and their worldwide population as of 2007 exceeded 500million.[189]Cats have been used for millennia to control rodents, notablyaround grain storesandaboard ships, and both uses extend to the present day.[190][191] As well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the internationalfur trade[192]and leather industries for making coats, hats, blankets, and stuffed toys;[193]and shoes, gloves, and musical instruments respectively[194](about 24 cats are needed to make a cat-fur coat).[195]This use has been outlawed in the United States since 2000 and in the European Union (as well as the United Kingdom) since 2007.[196] Cat pelts have been used for superstitious purposes as part of the practice ofwitchcraft,[197]and are still made into blankets inSwitzerlandastraditional medicinethought to curerheumatism.[198] A few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organizations (such as that of theCanadian Federation of Humane Societies[199]) and over the Internet,[200][201]but such a task does not seem simple to achieve. General estimates for the global population of domestic cats range widely from anywhere between 200 million to 600 million.[202][203][204][205][206]Walter Chandohamade his career photographing cats after his 1949 images ofLoco, an especially charming stray taken in, were published around the world. He is reported to have photographed 90,000 cats during his career and maintained an archive of 225,000 images that he drew from for publications during his lifetime.[207] Shows Main article:Cat show Acat showis a judged event in which the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat-registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard.[208]It is often required that a cat must be healthy and vaccinated in order to participate in a cat show.[208]Bothpedigreedand non-purebredcompanion ("moggy") cats are admissible, although the rules differ depending on the organization. Competing cats are compared to the applicable breed standard, and assessed for temperament.[208] Infection Main article:Feline zoonosis Cats can be infected or infested withviruses,bacteria,fungus,protozoans,arthropodsor worms that can transmit diseases to humans.[209]In some cases, the cat exhibits nosymptomsof the disease.[210]The same disease can then become evident in a human. The likelihood that a person will become diseased depends on the age andimmunestatus of the person. Humans who have cats living in their home or in close association are more likely to become infected. Others might also acquire infections from catfecesandparasitesexiting the cat's body.[209][211]Some of the infections of most concern includesalmonella,cat-scratch diseaseandtoxoplasmosis.[210] History and mythology Main articles:Cultural depictions of catsandCats in ancient Egypt Inancient Egypt, cats wereworshipped, and the goddessBastetoften depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. The Greek historianHerodotusreported that killing a cat was forbidden, and when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows. Families took their dead cats to the sacred city ofBubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Herodotus expressed astonishment at the domestic cats in Egypt, because he had only ever seen wildcats.[212] Ancient Greeks and Romans keptweaselsas pets, which were seen as the ideal rodent-killers. The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins fromMagna Graeciadating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders ofRhegionandTarasrespectively, playing with their pet cats. The usual ancient Greek word for 'cat' wasailouros, meaning 'thing with the waving tail'. Cats are rarely mentioned inancient Greek literature.Aristotleremarked in hisHistory of Animalsthat "female cats are naturallylecherous." The Greeks latersyncretizedtheir own goddessArtemiswith the Egyptian goddess Bastet, adopting Bastet's associations with cats and ascribing them to Artemis. InOvid'sMetamorphoses, when the deities flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddessDianaturns into a cat.[213][214] Cats eventually displacedweaselsas the pest control of choice because they were more pleasant to have around the house and were more enthusiastic hunters of mice. During theMiddle Ages, many of Artemis's associations with cats were grafted onto theVirgin Mary. Cats are often shown in icons ofAnnunciationand of theHoly Familyand, according toItalian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth toJesus, a cat inBethlehemgave birth to a kitten.[215]Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during theAge of Discovery, asships' catswere carried onsailing shipsto control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[50] Several ancient religions believed cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that are all-knowing but mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, themaneki nekocat is a symbol of good fortune.[216]InNorse mythology,Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.[217]InJewish legend, the first cat was living in the house of the first manAdamas a pet that got rid ofmice. The cat was once partnering with the first dog before the latter broke an oath they had made which resulted in enmity between the descendants of these two animals. It is also written that neither cats norfoxesare represented in the water, while every other animal has an incarnation species in the water.[218]Although no species are sacred in Islam,cats are revered by Muslims. Some Western writers have statedMuhammadhad a favorite cat,Muezza.[219]He is reported to have loved cats so much, "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it".[220]The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a laterSufisaint,Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad.[221]One of the companions of Muhammad was known asAbu Hurayrah("father of the kitten"), in reference to his documented affection to cats.[222]  The ancient Egyptiansmummifieddead cats out of respect in the same way that they mummified people[4]  AncientRoman mosaicof a cat killing apartridgefrom theHouse of the FauninPompeii  A 19th-century drawing of a tabby cat Superstitions and rituals  Some cultures are superstitious about black cats, ascribing either good or bad luck to them Many cultures have negativesuperstitionsabout cats. An example would be the belief that encountering ablack cat("crossing one's path") leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches'familiarsused to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in MedievalYpres,Belgium, is commemorated in the innocuous present-dayKattenstoet(cat parade).[223]In mid-16th century France,cats would be burnt aliveas a form of entertainment. According toNorman Davies, the assembled people "shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finallycarbonized".[224] James Frazerwrote that "It was the custom to burn a basket, barrel, or sack full of live cats, which was hung from a tall mast in the midst of the bonfire; sometimes afoxwas burned. The people collected the embers and ashes of the fire and took them home, believing that they brought good luck. The French kings often witnessed these spectacles and even lit the bonfire with their own hands. In 1648Louis XIV, crowned with a wreath of roses and carrying a bunch of roses in his hand, kindled the fire, danced at it and partook of the banquet afterwards in the town hall. But this was the last occasion when a monarch presided at the midsummer bonfire in Paris. AtMetzmidsummer fires were lighted with great pomp on the esplanade, and a dozen cats, enclosed inwickercages, were burned alive in them, to the amusement of the people. Similarly, atGap, in thedepartmentof theHautes-Alpes, cats used to be roasted over the midsummer bonfire."[225] According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives,[226][227]while in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six.[228]The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[citation needed]Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctiverighting reflexto twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall.[229]