The cat, also known as the housecat or domestic cat (Latin name: Felis catus) is a carnivorous mammal that is a much smaller relative of the so called “big cats” such as tigers and lions. They are a very intelligent creature and a highly skilled predator.
Cats walk on four legs and generally have a long tail. Their coats can differ greatly in colour and in length depending on the breed. They have highly tuned senses and are known to have particularly good night vision due to the way their eyes reflect light inside the iris.
Cats are one of the most popular animals to keep as pets because of their intelligence and their incredibly social behaviour. Despite being quite independent creatures they almost invariably enjoy the company of humans.
Female cats can have two or three litters every year and each litter may contain between three and five kittens. They reach sexual maturity between five and ten months old, so a single female could have as many as 150 kittens during her life. This is a point worth keeping in mind when you keep cats as pets.
There are many variations of coat patterns amongst common domesticated cats, but some of the most common include:
Tabby cat
Tabby cats have striped markings with a number of different styles and patterns. Their fur is usually a light brown with darker brown blotches or striped markings.
Tortoiseshell cat
Also known as a Calico cat, this coat pattern will commonly consist of a white chest and belly with a random pattern of black and red fur, sometimes with white spots.
Colorpoint cat
A colorpoint cat is one that has a dark colour on its face, ears, tail and feet with a lighter version of the same colour across their body. This is most commonly associated with the Siamese cat.
Historically cats were thought to be a species that originated in Ancient Egypt, mainly because of the cult appeal of cats in that country. However, more recent studies suggest that domestic cats are much more similar to very old species of wild cats that lived in Africa. Many of their physical characteristics, such as the ability to maintain a very high body temperature would be consistent with this theory.