Description

The domestic cat[1][2] (Felis catus[2] or Felis silvestriscatus[4]) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, and carnivorousmammal. It is often called the housecat when kept as an indoorpet,[6] or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish itfrom other felids and felines. Cats are valued by humans forcompanionship and their ability to hunt vermin and household pests.Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong,flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teethadapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular andpredatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or toohigh in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice andother small game. They can see in near darkness. Like most othermammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smellthan humans. Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a socialspecies, and cat communication includes the use of a variety ofvocalizations (meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling andgrunting) as well as cat pheromones and types of cat-specific bodylanguage.[7] Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlledbreeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, ahobby known as cat fancy. Failure to control the breeding of petcats by spaying and neutering, and the abandonment of formerhousehold pets, has resulted in large numbers of feral catsworldwide, with a population of up to 60 million of these animalsin the United States alone, requiring population control.[8] Sincecats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonlybelieved to have been domesticated there,[9] but there may havebeen instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic.[10] Agenetic study in 2007 revealed that domestic cats are descendedfrom African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BCE, in theMiddle East.[9][11] According to Scientific American, cats are themost popular pet in the world, and are now found almost every placewhere people live.[12]