Cat

For alternative meanings see cat (disambiguation).

The cat has been living in close association with humans for at least 3,500 years, when the Ancient Egyptians routinely used cats to keep mice and other rodents away from their grain. Currently, the cat is one of the world's most popular household pets.

A group of cats is called a clowder. A male cat is called a tom; a female cat is called a queen. A young cat is called a kitten (which is also an alternate name for young rats, rabbits, hedgehogs, beavers, and squirrels). A cat whose ancestry is officially registered is called a purebred cat, a pedigreed cat, or a show cat. The owners and breeders of show cats compete to see whose animal bears the closest resemblance to the "ideal" definition of the breed (see selective breeding). Less than one percent of the total feline population are purebred cats. The others have mixed ancestry, and are referred to as domestic longhairs and domestic shorthairs. In the UK and Australia, non-purebred cats are referred in slang as moggies. In the U.S., a non-purebred cat is sometimes referred to in slang as an alley cat, even if it is not a stray.

Characteristics

Physical

Cats typically weigh between 2.5 and 7 kg (5.5–16 lb) and rarely exceed 10 kg (22 pounds). However, some have been known to reach up to 23 kg (50 lb), due to being overfed. This is very unhealthy for the cat, and should be avoided through exercise (playing) and diet, especially with indoor cats. One of the smallest cat species is the black-footed cat, which weighs just over 1 kg (2.2 lb).

In captivity, cats typically live 15 to 20 years, though the oldest-known cat lived to age 36. Domestic cats tend to live longer if they are not permitted to go outdoors (reducing the risk of injury from fights or accidents) and if they are spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering a cat also decreases the risk of testicular and ovarian cancer, and female cats spayed before their first heat or litter benefit from reduced risk of mammary cancer.^[2] Feral cats living in modern urban environments often live only two years, or less.

Most cats have straight ears pointing upward. Unlike dogs, flap-eared breeds are very rare. (Scottish Folds are one such exceptional genetic mutation.) When angry or frightened, a cat will lay its ears back, to accompany the growling or hissing sounds it makes. There are 32 muscles in each ear and the cat can move each ear independently.

Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. Daily durations of sleep are various, usually 12–16 hours, with 13–14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours in a 24-hour period. The term "cat nap" refers to the cat's ability to fall asleep for a brief period of time; someone who nods off for a few minutes is said to be "taking a cat nap".

The normal body temperature of a cat is between 39 and 40 °C (101 and 102.2 °F).^[3] Comparatively, humans have a normal temperature of approximately 37 °C (97 to 100 °F).

A popular belief is that cats always land on their feet, which is typically the case but not always true. During a fall a cat can reflexively twist its body in order to right itself, due to its acute sense of balance and flexible body. Much of the flex is attributed to the cat's spine which contains nearly 60 vertebrae (compared to the human's 34) that fit loosely together; this also accounts for how the cat is able to arch its back so high.

Cats are one of only three quadrupeds, that walk by moving their front and hind legs first on one side and then the other (camels and giraffes are the other two). Cats are the only domestic animals that walk directly on their "toes" (called digitigrade), the soles of their feet rarely touch the ground.

File:Cat eye.jpeg

A close-up of a cat's eye.

Vision

While cats have excellent vision in daylight, their night vision is also exceptional. In very bright light, the slit-like iris closes very narrowly over the eye, reducing the amount of light on the sensitive retina, but greatly limiting the cat's field of view. An organ called the tapetum lucidum is responsible for their strong low-light vision, as well as for the varied colors of cats' eyes in flash photographs. As with most predators their eyes are both forward-facing, affording depth perception at the expense of field of view. Cats are weakly trichromatic; up close, colored objects are distinct, but at a distance, the colors blend together.

Cats also have a third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, which is a thin cover which closes from the side and appears when the cat's eyelid opens. This membrane partially closes if the cat is sick, although a very sleepy and happy cat can also show this membrane. If a cat chronically shows the third eyelid, it should be taken to a veterinarian.

Hearing

Humans and cats have a similar range of hearing on the low end of the scale, but cats can hear much higher-pitched sounds, even better than dogs. When listening for something, a cat's ears will swivel in that direction; a cat's ears can independently point backwards as well as forwards and sideways to pinpoint the source of the sound. Cats can judge within three inches the location of a sound being made one yard away.

Olfactory

A domestic cat's sense of smell is about 14 times stronger than a human's. Cats have twice as many smell-sensitive cells in their noses as people do, which means they can smell things we are not even aware of. Cats also have a scent organ in the roof of their mouths called the vomeronasal, or Jacobson's, organ. When a cat wrinkles its muzzle, lowers its chin, and lets its tongue hang a bit, it is opening the passage to the vomeronasal. This is called gaping. Gaping is the equivalent of the Flehmen response in other animals, such as dogs and horses.

Whiskers

Cats generally have about a dozen whiskers in four rows on each upper lip, a few on each cheek, tufts over the eyes and bristles on the chin. Whiskers may also be found on the cat's "elbows." The Sphynx (a nearly hairless breed) may have full length, short or no whiskers at all.

Whiskers (technically called vibrissae) can aid with navigation and sensation. Whiskers may detect very small shifts in air currents, enabling a cat to know they are near obstructions without actually seeing them. The upper two rows of whiskers can move independently from the lower two rows for even more precise measuring.

It is thought that a cat may choose to rely on the whiskers in dim light where fully dilating the pupils would reduce its ability to focus on close objects. The whiskers also spread out roughly as wide as the cat's body making it able to judge if it can fit through an opening.

Whiskers are also an indication of the cat's attitude. Whiskers point forward when the cat is inquisitive and friendly and laid flat on the face when the cat is being defensive or aggressive.

Despite its reputation as a solitary animal, the domestic cat is social enough to form colonies, but does not attack in groups as do lions. Although a minority, some breeds like bengal, ocicat and manx are very social. While each cat holds a distinct territory (sexually active males having the largest territories and neutered cats having the smallest) there are "neutral" areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflict or aggression. Outside of these neutral areas, territory holders usually vigorously chase away strangers, at first by staring, hissing, and growling, and if that doesn't work by short but noisy and violent attacks. Fighting cats make themselves look larger by raising their fur and arching their backs. Attacks usually comprise powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites, but serious damage is rarely done, and usually the loser runs away with little more than a few scratches to the face. Sexually active males may be engaged in many fights over their lives and often have decidedly weathered faces with obvious scars and cuts to the ears and nose. It is not just males that fight; females will also fight over territory or to defend their kittens and even neutered cats will defend their small territories vigorously.

Hygiene

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Cat trained to use toilet

Cats groom themselves by licking their fur. Their saliva is a powerful cleaning agent, but it can provoke allergic reactions in humans. Many cats also enjoy grooming humans or other cats. Some cats occasionally vomit up hair balls of fur that have collected in their stomachs as a result of their grooming. Longhair cats are more prone to this than shorthairs. This can be prevented with certain cat food containing nutrition that will ease the digestion. Cats expend nearly as much fluid grooming as they do urinating.

Indoor cats must be provided a litterbox containing sand or similar commercial material (litter). This arrangement serves the same purpose as a toilet for humans. It should be cleaned daily and changed often (depending on the type of litter—clumping litter stays cleaner longer). A litterbox is recommended for indoor-outdoor cats as well. Some cats may be toilet trained, eliminating the need for a litterbox. Cat toilet-training^[4]FAQs

When cats pass solid waste it releases liquid from their anal glands which scents their feces in order to mark their presence. Anal irritation, possibly shown by the cat rubbing its bottom on the floor and frequent licking of the area, can be a sign that the cat's glands are not being emptied when waste passes. Although this condition can be treated through the addition of a small amount of bran to each meal, it may require veterinary attention. Shorthair cats are more prone to this problem. During moments of excitement or other strong emotions, the gland may suddenly discharge, releasing a foul-smelling brown liquid.

Indoor cats will also benefit from being provided with a scratching post so they are less likely to ruin furniture with their claws. Nails can be trimmed, but care should be taken to avoid cutting a vein in the quick of the claw. Declawing removes more than just the claw, it is major surgery whereby the tip of each digit (from the first knuckle out) is removed (called an onychectomy). Like any surgery, the use of anesthesia has an inherent low risk of death. Besides the general consensus among cat owners and veterinarians that it is not a humane option, it deprives the cat from its main defense ability though outdoor cats usually learn to donkey kick in defense..

Reproductive

The male cat's penis has spines which point backwards. Upon removal of the penis, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina. The female needs this stimulation for ovulation to begin. Because of this, females are rarely impregnated by the first male they mate with. Furthermore, cats are superfecund that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, meaning different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.

Cats are polyestrous, which means they may have many heat periods over the course of a year. A heat period lasts about 4 to 7 days if the female is bred; if she is not, the heat period lasts longer and recurs at regular intervals.

The gestation period for cats is approximately 63 days. The size of a litter averages three to five kittens. Kittens are weaned at between six and seven weeks, and cats normally reach sexual maturity at six months (females) to seven months (males).

Hunting and diet

Relative to size, domestic cats are very effective predators. They ambush and dispatch vertebrate prey using tactics similar to those of leopards and tigers by pouncing; they then deliver a lethal neck bite with their long canine teeth that severs the victim's spinal cord or asphyxiate it by crushing the windpipe.

The domestic cat can hunt and eat about one thousand species—many big cats will eat fewer than 100. Although, theoretically, big cats can kill most of these species as well, they often do not due to the relatively low nutritional content that smaller animals provide. An exception is the leopard, which commonly hunts rabbits and many other smaller animals. On the other hand, it can be argued that cats have an abundance of smaller species available.

Because of their small size, cats pose almost no danger to humans—the only hazard is the possibility of infection (or, rarely, rabies) from a cat bite or scratch.

Cats can be destructive to ecosystems in which they are not native and whose species did not have time to adapt to their introduction. In some cases, cats have contributed to or caused extinctions—for example, see the case of the Stephens Island Wren.

Cats are said to be "the perfect carnivores," having highly specialized teeth and a digestive tract suitable to the digestion of meat. The premolar and first molar together comprise the carnassial pair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently functions to shear meat like a pair of scissors. While this is present in canines, it is highly developed in felines. The cat's tongue has sharp spines, or papillae, designed to retain and rip flesh from a carcass. These papillae are small backward-facing hooks which contain keratin and also assist in their grooming. Unlike most carnivores, cats eat almost no vegetable matter. Whereas bears and dogs commonly supplement their diet of meat with fruits, berries, roots, and honey when they can get them, cats feed exclusively on meat, usually freshly killed. Cats, including the great cats, have a genetic anomaly that prevents them from tasting sweetness ^[5], which is probably a causative factor in their meat-only habits.

In captivity, cats cannot be adapted to a vegetarian diet because they cannot synthesize all the amino acids they need from plant material. Specifically this applies to Taurine, the absence of which causes the cat's retina to slowly degenerate, causing eye problems and (eventually) irreversible blindness. This condition is called central retinal degeneration (CRD). Cow's milk is a poor source of taurine and adult cats are generally lactose intolerant. Lactose-free milk is perfectly safe but still not a substitute for meat. This contrasts with domesticated dogs, which commonly are fed a mixture of meat and vegetable products and have been adapted in some cases to a completely vegetarian diet. Despite this, however, the majority of brand-name cat foods are primarily grain based, often containing large amounts of corn or rice and supplemented with meats and essential vitamins, and usually saturated with "digest", a euphemistic term for real or synthetic cat vomit, to attract the cat, as cats are prone to re-eating previously swallowed and vomited foods.

Cats are also known to munch on grass, leaves and shrubs. They do not eat a lot in one sitting, but prefer to have it as a snack. Grass helps the cat's digestive system and can prevent furballs. ^[6]

Cats often have a reputation as fussy eaters. This is mostly due to the situation whereby the vomeronasal, or Jacobson's, organ becomes sensitized to a specific food, at which point the cat will reject any food that doesn't fit the pattern it is expecting.

Domestic cats, especially young ones, are known for their love of string play. Many cannot resist a dangling piece of string, or a piece of rope drawn randomly and enticingly across the floor. This notorious love of string is often depicted in cartoons and photographs which show kittens or cats playing with balls of yarn. This propensity is probably related to cats' hunting instinct. However, string is more often being replaced with a red dot laser pointer because if a cat ingests string, it can get caught in their stomach or intestines causing illness, or in extreme cases, death.

Environment

The wild cat, ancestor of the domestic cat, is believed to have evolved in a desert climate, as evident in the behavior common to both the domestic and wild forms. Their feces are usually dry, and cats prefer to bury them in sandy places. They are able to remain motionless for long periods of time, especially when observing prey and preparing to pounce. In North Africa there are still small wildcats that are probably closely related to the ancestors of today's domesticated breeds.

Cats enjoy heat and solar exposure, often sleeping in a warm area during the heat of the day. Cats like to be a lot warmer than humans do. People start to feel uncomfortable when their skins' temperature gets higher than about 44.5 °C (112 °F), but cats don't start to shows signs of discomfort until their skins reaches about 52 °C (126 °F).

Being closely related to desert animals, cats can withstand the heat and cold of a temperate climate, but not for long periods of time. They have little resistance against fog, rain and snow—although certain breeds such as the Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coon have developed more protection than others—and struggle to maintain their 39 °C (102 °F) body temperature when wet. Most cats dislike immersion in water, but one exception is the Turkish Van cat.

Vocalization

File:Mougie-1024.JPG

A cat calling out

The unique sound a small cat makes is written onomatopoeically as "meow" in American English, "miaow" in British English, "miaou" in French, and various ways in other languages. The cat's pronunciation of this call varies significantly depending on meaning. Usually cats call out to indicate pain, or request human attention (to be fed or played with, for example) or, sometimes, as a form of "hello." Some cats are very vocal, and others rarely call out. Cats are capable of about 100 different vocalizations, compared to about 10 for dogs.

A kitten's call first starts out as a high pitched squeak-like sound when very young, then deepens over time. Some cats, however, do not exercise their voices a lot, so their call may remain similar to that of a kitten through adulthood.

Cats can also produce a purring noise that typically indicates that the cat is happy (the audible form of a smile, perhaps), although in some cases cats have been known to purr when distressed, which is possibly a form of self-reassurance. Perhaps the best way to interpret a purr is "I am inoffensive"; this fits with the wide variety of situations in which the sound occurs. Cats purr among other cats—for example, when a mother meets her kittens. Since the purr is not a vocal sound but is directly produced in the lungs, it is possible for a cat to call out and purr simultaneously, though this is typically only in particularly vocal cats. In addition to purring, happy cats may blink slowly or partially close their eyes, though obviously a cat blinks at other times as well.

Most cats growl or hiss when angered or in danger. Some may engage in nipping behavior or batting with their paws, either with claws extended or retracted. With cats who are improperly socialized and do not know their own strength, this can result in inadvertent damage to human skin.

Cats are also known to make chirping noises when observing prey, or as a means of expressing interest in an object to nearby humans. When directed at out-of-reach prey, it is unknown whether this is a threatening sound, an expression of frustration, or an attempt to replicate a birdcall (or replicate the call of a bird's prey, for example a cicada).

Domestication

Like some other domesticated animals, cats live in a mutualistic arrangement with humans. Cats, however, have done so for a much shorter time than almost all domesticated animals, and the degree of domestication of cats is somewhat disputed. Since the benefit of removing rats and mice from humans' food stores outweighed the cost of allowing a formerly wild animal to enjoy the relative safety of a human settlement, the relationship between cat and human flourished.

Unlike other more domesticated species, housecats' ancestors did not hunt socially (in packs) or enjoy the safety of a herd. This evolutionary history may be the reason cats do not "understand" the desires of humans in the same way that dogs do: before associating with humans, cats had fewer social relationships to benefit from. This may also contribute to a sense common among pet owners that cats are both more aloof and more self-sufficient than other pets. However, cats can be very affectionate towards their humans, especially if they imprint on them at a very young age and are treated with consistent affection.

Human attitudes toward cats vary widely. Some humans keep cats for companionship as pets. Some people (called cat lovers) go to great lengths to pamper their cats, sometimes treating them almost as if they were children.

In rural areas, farms often have dozens of semi-feral cats. Hunting in the barns and the fields, they kill and eat rodents that would otherwise eat large parts of the grain crop. Many pet cats successfully hunt and kill rodents, rabbits, birds, lizards, frogs, fish, and large insects by instinct, but might not eat their prey. They may even present such victims, dead or maimed, to a beloved owner, perhaps expecting praise or a reward.

Others, particularly in urban areas, find cats annoying and intrusive. Persistent nighttime calling, defecation or "scenting" on private property, and allergies to cat dander are among the most common reasons people cite for disliking cats.

Scientific classification

The domestic cat was named Felis catus by Carolus Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae of 1758. Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber named the wild cat Felis silvestris in 1775. The domestic cat is now considered to be a subspecies of the wild cat: by the strict rule of priority of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature the name for the species thus ought to be F. catus since Linnaeus published first. However, in practice almost all biologists use F. silvestris for the wild species, using F. catus only for the domesticated form.

In opinion 2027 (published in Volume 60, Part 1 of the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, 31 March 2003 ^[7]) the Internation Commission on Zoological Nomenclature "conserved the usage of 17 specific names based on wild species, which are predated by or contemporary with those based on domestic forms", thus confirming F. silvestris for the wild cat and F. silvestris catus for its domesticated subspecies. (F. catus is still valid if the domestic form is considered a separate species.)

Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben named the domestic cat Felis domesticus in his Anfangsgründe der Naturlehre and Systema regni animalis of 1777. This name, and its variants Felis catus domesticus and Felis silvestris domesticus are often seen, but are not valid, as Linnaeus's name came first.

Varieties of domestic cat

Breeds

The list of cat breeds is quite large. Each breed has distinct features and heritage. Due to common crossbreeding in populated areas, many cats are simply identified as belonging to the homogeneous breeds of domestic longhair and domestic shorthair, depending on their type of fur.

Variety

Cats come in a variety of colors and patterns. These are physical properties and should not be confused with a breed of cat.

This Greek cat has light fur and green eyes.

Household cats are divided into:

These are grouped into a smaller number of types according to basic physical appearance:

Bicolor cat: Also known as 'Tuxedo cat' or 'Jellicle cat' (tuxedos are mostly black with white paws/legs, bellies, chests, and possible markings on face).
Cat coat genetics: can produce a variety of coat patterns; some of the most common are:
Calico: White with distinct black or red (or blue and cream in the dilute variant) spots. The Japanese refer to this pattern as mi-ke. Calico cats are typically female.
Maltese cat: The former name for a blue (grey) cat.
Oriental cat: (not a specific breed, but any cat with an elongated slender build, almond-shaped eyes, large ears and very short sleek fur).
Tabby cat: Striped, with a variety of patterns. The classic pattern is the most common and consists of butterflies and bull's-eyes. The mackerel tabby is a series of vertical stripes down the cat's side (resembling the fish). This pattern broken into spots is referred to as spotted tabby.
Tortoiseshell: Featuring three colors mottled throughout the coat, this cat is also known as a Calimanco cat or Clouded Tiger cat, and by the nickname "tortie". A true tortoiseshell must consist of three kinds of color: a reddish color, either dark or light; white; and one other color, typically a brown, black or blue, as described by American breeder Barbara French, writing for the Cat Fanciers community (http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/tricolors.shtml). Tortoiseshell cats are almost always female; while a Tortoiseshell mother is likely to pass her genetic makeup to a female kitten, male tortoiseshells are extremely rare. Those male tortoiseshells that are created are almost always sterile. This external link ^[8] features an extensive genetic explanation for tricolor cats, and detailing the possible combinations of coloring.

Deafness in white cats

Completely white cats (not to be mistaken with albinism) with blue eyes have a higher genetic probability of being born deaf than the average cat. It is most likely to occur if they are born with blue eyes, and in some cases, orange or green eye color. There are some examples of white cats with only one blue eye and the result is that they can be deaf on the side of the blue eye ^[9].

This happens due to the dominant W gene. This certain gene usually gives the cat a white coat, blue irises, and deafness. ^[10] It can happen in some cat breeds (that can carry the W gene), except Foreign white cats. Normally, Foreign white cats do not have a problem with deafness, but it can happen under very rare circumstances if the breed inherits the W gene. This also occurs with dogs if they have white coat and blue eyes, and in the case of dogs, it can be equally common for them to be born blind. ^[11] However, cats do not have a propensity for blindness if they have white coats and blue eyes. ^[12] Humans with common albinism, white skin and blue eyes generally suffer from visual problems, but in Tietz syndrome they suffer from deafness.

Around 5% of all cats are completely white, of which 10%–20% are deaf. Very few survive in the wild because of all the hazards that they cannot avoid as easily as others cats would in the same situation. ^[13]

Feral cats

File:Kitkat.JPG

Most feral cats roam freely around villages and the countryside

Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in large groups called feral colonies with communal nurseries, depending on resource availability. Many lost or abandoned pet cats join these colonies out of desperation. The average lifespan of these feral cats is much shorter than a domestic housecat, which can live an average of sixteen years or more. Urban areas are not native environments to the cat; most domestic cats evolved from cats in desert climates and were distributed throughout the world by humans, but some feral cat colonies are found in large cities, for example, around the Colosseum and Forum Romanum in Rome. Although cats are fairly adaptable, feral felines are unable to thrive in extreme cold and heat, and with a protein requirement of about 90%, few find adequate nutrition on their own in cities. In addition, they have little defense or understanding of such predators as dogs, coyotes, and even automobiles. However, there are thousands of volunteers and organizations that trap these unadoptable feral felines, spay or neuter them, immunize the cats against rabies and feline leukemia, and treat them with long-lasting flea products. Before release back into their feral colonies, the attending veterinarian nips the tip off one ear to mark the feral as spayed/neutered and inoculated, as these cats will more than likely find themselves trapped again. Volunteers continue to feed and give care to these cats throughout their lives, and not only is their lifespan greatly increased, but behavior and nuisance problems, due to competition for food, are also greatly reduced. In time, if an entire colony is successfully spayed and neutered, no additional kittens are born and the feral colony disappears. Many hope to see an end to urban feral cat colonies through these efforts.

Environmental effects

Some environmentalists claim that the domestication of cats is harmful to the environment or ecosystems, and that excessive cat populations result in the overhunting of many small animals and birds in both urban and rural areas, possibly disrupting the food chain and limiting local species' populations. This is clearly true in environments where cats did not exist and were imported, such as Australia and New Zealand.

Throughout the centuries, as humans took advantage of the domestic cat's hunting skills, few had regard for their habitat and care, and far fewer thought to practice good animal husbandry. This created many pockets of excessive populations and local imbalances. However, with intervention and management, most especially spay and neuter programs, the disruptions and chaos in both the feline's life cycle and its prey can easily be avoided, and the positive effects these small and vital predators have in the appropriate environments can be observed and appreciated.

History and mythology

The exact history of human interaction with cats is still somewhat vague. The earliest written records of the attempt to domesticate cats date to ancient Egypt circa 4000 BC, where cats were employed to keep mice and rats away from grain stores. However, a gravesite discovered in 1983 in Shillourokambos, Cyprus, dating to 7500 BC, contains the skeletons of a ceremonially buried human and a type of young cat. Since cats are not native to Cyprus, this suggests that cats were domesticated (or just tamed) at least this early. The cat found in the Cyprus grave was more similar to the ancestral wildcat species than to modern housecats. ^[14]^[15]. Statues from Anatolia created around 6000 BC have also been found depicting woman playing with domesticated cats, which implies that cats were domesticated there around the same time period.

Ancient Egyptians regarded cats as embodiments of the goddess Bast, also known as Bastet (emphasizing the female -t suffix) or Thet. The penalty for killing a cat was death, and when a cat died it was sometimes mummified in the same way as a human. Recently, deep scans of several mummified felines indicated they had suffered broken necks before mummification. It is unclear why, but researchers theorize that some cats may have been sacrificed to honor Bast.

Vikings used cats as rat catchers and companions and are sometimes credited with the domestication of the Norwegian Forest Cat, or Skogkatt. In Viking mythology, Freya, the Viking goddess of love, fertility and war, was strongly associated with cats. Freya's chariot was driven by two large cats, Bygul and Trygul; and kittens were often given in her name to brides, linking together Freya's influence over both cats and romance.

In the Middle Ages, cats were often thought to be witches' familiars, and during festivities were sometimes burnt alive or thrown off tall buildings. Some historians theorize that widespread superstition-induced enmity towards cats accelerated the Black Death (generally held to have been an outbreak of Bubonic Plague). The speed with which the Black Death spread through 14th century Europe led many to believe that the Devil was responsible for the disease. This belief led the Pope to declare that cats, which were known to roam freely, were in league with the devil. Because of the declaration, a great many cats were killed in Europe. The sudden decrease in the cat population led to a massive increase in the number of rats, the number of plague-carrying fleas that fed upon them, and the number of human plague victims, which is what the declaration had aimed to reduce (but cats were also a carriers of fleas of the type responsible for spreading the black plague).

Today some people still believe that black cats are unlucky, or that it is unlucky if a black cat crosses one's path, while others believe that black cats are lucky.

Cats are also still to this day associated with witchcraft. Black cats in particular are associated with Halloween festivities (because of this, many cat rescue groups will not adopt out black cats during the month of October). Wiccans and other practitioners of Neopaganism believe that cats are good-natured animals that are attuned to the spirit world and can sense evil spirits.

In Asia, the cat is one of the animals in the 12-year cycle of the Vietnamese zodiac. It does not, however, appear in the Chinese zodiac. Legend holds that the rat, who invited the animals to the Jade Emperor's Palace to be chosen for the zodiac, forgot to invite the cat, so the cat declared the rat its natural enemy.

The cat is highly respected in Islam because of tales that the prophet Mohammed was a cat lover. One story tells of a cat that saved Mohammed from being bitten by a deadly snake. In another tale, when Mohammed was called to prayer he found his cat Muezza asleep on the sleeve of his robe; the prophet cut off the sleeve rather than disturb his cat.

In most Western cultures, cats are rarely eaten outside of extremely desperate times. However, cat meat is sometimes used to prepare regional dishes in some areas of China and Korea. Some outrage has been generated when cats have been confused with the Civet cat (also sometimes called a "bearcat"), an Asian animal related to the mongoose that slightly resembles the domestic cat and is occasionally used as a source of human food.

References

External links

Cat World general cat information and forums
PetCat is a site devoted to information and books about pet cats
Tabby Tracker is a site for lost and found cats
Kitty entry at Wiktionary
Meow entry at Wiktionary
Introducing a new cat or kitten to your resident cat
Glen Cove (NY) Animal Lovers League
Toilet-training cats first-person experiences and FAQs
Wikibooks:How to choose your pet and take care of it

Cat

Characteristics

Physical

Vision

Hearing

Olfactory

Whiskers

Hygiene

Reproductive

Hunting and diet

Environment

Vocalization

Domestication

Scientific classification

Varieties of domestic cat

Breeds

Variety

Deafness in white cats

Feral cats

Environmental effects

History and mythology

References

See also

Articles

Lists

Categories

External links

Characteristics

Physical

Vision

Hearing

Olfactory

Whiskers

Social

Hygiene

Reproductive

Hunting and diet

Environment

Vocalization

Domestication

Scientific classification

Varieties of domestic cat

Breeds

Variety

Deafness in white cats

Feral cats

Environmental effects

History and mythology

References

See also

Articles

Lists

Categories

External links