Cat

Cats, also called domestic cats (Felis catus), are carnivorous (meat-eating) mammals, of the family Felidae. Cats have been domesticated (tame) for nearly 10,000 years. They are currently the most popular pets in the world. Their origin is probably the African Wildcat Felis silvestris lybica. Cats were probably first kept because they ate mice, and this is still their main 'job' in farms throughout the world. Later they were kept because they are friendly and good companions.

A young cat is called a kitten. Cats are sometimes called kitty or pussycat. An entire female cat is a queen, and an entire male cat is a tom. Domestic cats are found in shorthair and longhair breeds. Cats which are not specific breeds can be referred to as 'domestic shorthair' (DSH) or 'domestic longhair' (DLH). The word 'cat' is also used for other felines. Felines are usually classed as either big cats or small cats. The big cats are well known: lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, pumas, and cheetahs. There are small cats in most parts of the world, such as the lynx in northern Europe. The big cats and wild cats are not tame, and can be very dangerous.

In the past, people kept cats because the cats hunted and ate mice, rats, and insects. The oldest evidence of cats kept as pets is from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, around 7500 BC. Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as gods, and often mummified them so they could be with their owners "for all of eternity". (They also mummified mice so the cats would have something to eat in the afterlife.) Today, people often keep cats as pets, but there are also cats that live without being cared for by people. These kinds of cats are called "feral cats".Today, special food for cats is widely available in the developed countries. Proper feeding will make a cat live much longer compared to hunting or being fed table scraps. Not correctly feeding a cat can lead to problems (see below for health concerns).Cats cannot taste sweet foods (with sugar) because of a mutation (change) in their ancestors which removed the ability to taste sweet things.

Cats have anatomy similar to the other members of the genus Felis. The genus has extra lumbar (lower back) and thoracic (chest) vertebrae. This helps to explain the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floating clavicle bones. These allow cats to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their heads.