Where do cats come from?
From ancient Egyptians to today’s internet users, people have
always loved their cats.
In the U.S. alone, cats reign over about 45.3 million households .
There are at least 45 domestic breeds, which differ widely in
features such as coat color, tail length, hair texture, and
temperament, according to the Cat Fancier’s Association .
The Maine Coon is the largest, with males reaching an average
of 3.5 feet long. The smallest breed is the Singapura, native to
Singapore, with adult females weighing as little as four pounds.
One of the most unusual-looking cats is the Sphynx, a mostly
hairless cat known for being robust and intelligent.
Like their big cat cousins, house cats are obligate carnivores,
meaning they have to eat meat to stay healthy. Though they’ve
been domesticated for thousands of years, these predators have
maintained a strong hunting instinct, relying on stealth to stalk
prey and attack with sharp claws and teeth. (Learn surprising
things you never knew about your cat .)
As mostly nocturnal animals, cats have excellent vision and
hearing, with ears that can turn like satellite dishes . Their
reputation for having nine lives stems in part from their ability to
navigate difficult environments, for example using their tail to
balance and mostly land their lean, muscular bodies on all
fours. Cushioning discs between vertebrae also give cat bodies
exceptional flexibility and speed.
Kitty origins
People began to domesticate cats in the Fertile Crescent about
10,000 years ago, according to DNA research. Modern-day cats
descended from a subspecies of African wildcat, Felis silvestris
lybica, which today is the most common and widespread
wildcat. (Read more about little-known small wildcats .)
Thousands of years ago, these wildcats were likely drawn to
human settlements and their plentiful mice and food scraps.
People realized these rodent catchers were helpful to have
around, and eventually the two species began living together.
Later, people began to bring felines aboard ships as they traveled
the world. (Read about house cat ancestors’ remains found in
Polish caves.)
Another, independent foray into cat domestication occurred in
China about 5,000 years ago with another wildcat species
the leopard cat. Since domestic cats today aren’t related to
leopard cats, the harmony doesn’t seem to have lasted.
Reproduction
Females reach sexual maturity at just four months old and go
into heat several times a year. Gestation lasts about 64 days, with
an average litter size of four kittens. Young are usually weaned at
two months old and grow rapidly, reaching adult size by the time
they’re 10 months to a year old.
