Portal:Cats

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The Felidae familyincludes the Lion, the Tiger, the Domestic Cat, and other felines as its members. They are the most strictly carnivorous of the fifteen families in the order Carnivora. The first felids emerged during the Eocene, about 40 million years ago. The most familiar feline is the Domestic Cat or House Cat (Felis silvestris catus), which first became associated with humans about 10,000 years ago. Its wild relatives, the Wildcats, still live in Europe, Africa and western Asia, although habitat destructionhas restricted their range.

The Domestic Cat (or simply "cat", although the term can refer to all felids) is a small carnivorous mammal descended from the Desert Wildcat. The cat is a skilled predator and intelligent animal, known to hunt over 1,000 species for food, and capable of being trained (and learning by itself) to obey simple commands and manipulate simple mechanisms (see cat intelligence). It has lived in close association with humans for at least 9,500 years, figuring prominently in the mythology and legends of several cultures.

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The lion (Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four "big cats" in the genus Panthera. With exceptional large males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia with a critically endangered remnant population in northwest India, having disappeared from North Africa, the Middle East, and western Asia in historic times.

Lions live for approximately 10–14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live over 20 years. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator, although they will resort to scavenging if the opportunity arises.

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Credit: Surachit

General anatomy of a cat. ...Archive/Nominations Gallery

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Bicolor • Big • Black • Body language • Cheetah • Communication • Felix the Cat • Felid hybrid • Felidae • Feral colony • Food • Hairball • History (In ancient Egypt) • Intelligence • Jaguar • Kitten • Krazy Kat • Lion • Litter • Leopard • Panther/Puma/Cougar • Panthera • Panthera hybrid • Point • Polydactyl • Purr • Righting reflex • Saber-toothed • Scratching post • Show (Cat) • Tiger • Wild • Winged •

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The Manx is a breed of cat with a naturally occurring mutation of the spine. This mutation shortens the tail, resulting in a range of tail lengths from normal to tailless. The hind legs are longer than the front, giving the cat a rounded appearance. Manx cats move with a hop when running, resembling rabbits more than cats. The Manx is highly intelligent, playful, and in its behaviour, bizarre, but very reminiscent of dogs. Some Manx cats will fetch small thrown objects. It is considered a social feline, and the breed loves humans. ...Archive/Nomination

Did you know...

...that the practice of taking cats aboard ships (pictured) dates back to the Ancient Egyptians?
...that Oscar the Cat was featured in the New England Journal of Medicine for his purported ability to predict the impending death of the terminally ill?
...that Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia gave away his cat to one of the soldiers tasked with his execution?
...that the Witches of Belvoir supposedly believed a cat named Rutterkin helped them cast spells?
...that cats learn by trial and error, observation and imitation? Cats' learning abilities are aided by their good memory. Research has found cats to have memory about two hundred times better than dogs. Cats are even thought to have even better memory than monkeys and chimps.
...that, despite the name, Mrs. Chippy, the ship's cat on Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition was actually male? ...Archive/Nominations
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