It acts as a counterweight, but it is the cat’s sense of equilibrium and its flexible spine that allow it to self-right when falling. Not only is the cat’s hearing acute, but its outer ears are equipped with more than a dozen muscles that allow the ears to swivel 180 degrees. But male cats with their one X chromosome can be either orange or black but not both.
Why do cats purr?
Writers Théophile Gautier and Charles Baudelaire paid the cat homage, and in the 20th century Rudyard Kipling, Colette, and T.S. The cat is also a familiar figure in nursery rhymes, stories, and popular entertainment. (According to legend, maneki-neko was not a black cat; she was a calico.) Maneki-neko (“beckoning cat”) figurines, usually portrayed with one raised paw, are especially common in Japan. For example, in many Western countries, a black cat is considered bad luck, though the same cat in Japan is considered an omen of good fortune. Surprisingly, the cat is mentioned only once in the Bible, in the Letter of Jeremiah.
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In Greece evidence from art and literature indicates that the cat was present there from the 5th century bce, and tiles featuring cats appeared in China from 500 bce. All of this attests to the great social and cultural importance afforded cats in ancient Egypt. Egyptian royalty adorned their cats in gold, while the lower classes made and wore jewelry depicting cats. Since Cyprus is an island and cats are not native, it is clear that cats were transported there by boat, and the burial suggests that cats were already considered companions. A grave containing the remains of a human and a cat dating to about 9,500 years ago was discovered in southern Cyprus.
Consequently, cats have retained their independent nature and can thrive as predators in the wild today. For an account of the relationship of the cat family to other carnivores, see carnivore. For information on larger cats, see their individual entries (such as lion, tiger, and leopard). However, purring also occurs in cats that are injured and in pain. The average weight of a household cat varies from 2.7 to 4.5 kg (6 to 10 pounds), although among non-pedigreed cats weights up to 12.7 kg (28 pounds) are not uncommon. Both lineages continued to breed with the African wildcat during their respective dispersals.
Ears
Because the vertebrae of the spinal column are held together by muscles rather than by ligaments, the cat can move with great agility. However, size and weight can vary considerably, depending upon the sex and breed. The average weight of a healthy cat varies from 6 to 12 pounds (2.7 to 5.44 kg). Mutation has generated the colorful palette of coat colors seen today. Breed “standards” are written guidelines describing the attributes that make an ideal example of the breed.
Even though the cat is a relatively small animal, it can frighten enemies by arching its back and bristling. Tiny erector muscles, attached to hair follicles, enable the cat to bristle. The tail is part of the spine and generally contains an additional 20-some caudal vertebrae. Cats have no flat-crowned crushing spinmills casino promo code teeth and therefore cannot chew their food; instead, they cut it up.
Only when a male cat has a rare mutation that gives him two XX chromosomes and one Y chromosome can he be tortoiseshell. The tabby pattern may not be expressed because of modifying genes. These standards are usually drafted by breeders involved in establishing or promoting the breed and are approved by cat associations. For example, such breeds as the Siberian and Norwegian Forest Cat developed long dense coats to protect themselves from the harsh winters in Russia and Norway. As cats spread around the world, pockets of cats adjusted to their unique environments and passed on their adaptations to their offspring. A cat breed is a group of related felines that share a conformation, meaning a similar physical appearance, or a common geographic region of origin.
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A breeding female (queen) can come into heat as many as five times a year. The pupils of the eyes expand or contract according to the intensity of light. The taste receptors are located on the front, sides, and back of the tongue. They can detect frequencies both above and below the range humans can detect. Down hairs are the most numerous; they are very fine and mat the easiest. In addition, bristling creates air pockets that protect the cat against cold.
Predators and dominant cats locate by scent, which is why domestic cats may avoid dirty litter boxes. Despite popular belief, the eyes of domestic cats do not actually glow in the dark. The senses of taste and smell are closely related in cats and, because of this, the aroma of food is vital to a cat’s enjoyment. The cat’s hearing is tuned to higher frequencies because the sounds of its usual prey are generally higher pitched. This is why, when trimming the nails of domestic cats, pet owners should cut the sharp white tip of the nail but not the pink quick, since cutting the latter can be painful for a cat. Orange coloration in cats (known as genetic red) is called “sex-linked,” because the gene is located on the X chromosome.
- For example, in many Western countries, a black cat is considered bad luck, though the same cat in Japan is considered an omen of good fortune.
- These standards are usually drafted by breeders involved in establishing or promoting the breed and are approved by cat associations.
- The tail is part of the spine and generally contains an additional 20-some caudal vertebrae.
- Most of the cat’s weight is centered on the front paws while walking.
- Both lineages continued to breed with the African wildcat during their respective dispersals.
- When a cat’s eyes shine, light is bouncing off a layer of cells behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum.
- Typically, cats walk or run by moving the front and back legs on each side together.
This is why feral cats abound and why experts do not consider the cat to be a fully domesticated animal. Cat, (Felis catus), domesticated member (felid) of the family Felidae. The retina of the cat’s eye is made extra sensitive to light by a layer of guanine, which causes the eye to shine at night in a strong light.
- Orange coloration in cats (known as genetic red) is called “sex-linked,” because the gene is located on the X chromosome.
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- Domestic cats have 19 pairs of chromosomes and, like humans, one pair of sex chromosomes determining their sex (two X chromosomes for females, one X and one Y chromosome for males).
- Humans needed their grain protected from rodents, and cats needed a ready food source.
- Their sense of smell is crucial to sensing prey and evaluating food.
- It acts as a counterweight, but it is the cat’s sense of equilibrium and its flexible spine that allow it to self-right when falling.
- One lineage appeared in Asia Minor as early as 6,400 years ago, dispersing northward and westward into Europe.
Each gene inhabits a particular site (locus) on a chromosome, and, because cats have two of each chromosome, they also have two copies of each gene. When a cat’s eyes shine, light is bouncing off a layer of cells behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum. Their ears are mobile and can move independently of one other, allowing cats to pinpoint sounds with accuracy.
Black cats in particular have been tied to witches, and at times they were burned alive along with their supposed witch cohorts. The Cat-Book Poems, a document dating from the Ayutthayan period (1351–1767) in Ayudhya, Siam (now in Thailand), contains illustrations and descriptions of various cats. The Norse goddess Freyja was said to have a golden chariot pulled by two white longhaired cats, and the Egyptians revered a cat-headed goddess named Bastet. The earliest record of cats in Britain dates to about 936 ce, when Hywel Dda, prince of south-central Wales, enacted laws for their protection. In India cats were mentioned in Sanskrit writings about 100 bce, while the Arabs and the Japanese were not introduced to the cat until about 600 ce.
Burying urine and feces in loose soil is normal behavior for cats. As long as they are not competing for limited food resources, they can form close-knit groups that are usually composed of the mother cat and her kittens and related females. No one knows how cats accomplish this feat, but theories abound, including that cats use Earth’s magnetic fields to negotiate their way back to familiar territory. However, the cat has relatively few taste receptors—only 473 compared with humans’ 9,000.
Except for the canines and molars, the cat’s teeth are more or less nonfunctional; most of the cheek teeth do not even meet when the mouth is closed. The construction of the shoulder joints permits the cat to turn its foreleg in almost any direction, allowing for quick turns when chasing prey. Most of the cat’s weight is centered on the front paws while walking. Typically, cats walk or run by moving the front and back legs on each side together.