Cat
| Cat | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Sub-phylum | Vertebrata |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Felidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Felis |
| Species Information | |
| Species | F. silvestris |
| Subspecies | F. s. catus (Domesticated cat) |
| Population statistics | |
Cats are a group of carnivorous mammals with sharp teeth and retractable claws (except in the case of the cheetah) on their paws, originally distributed worldwide apart from Australasia, Madagascar and Antarctica. Several of the larger kinds of cat can be dangerous to humans.
The domestic cat, believed to derive from the African wildcat, has been used to control vermin or kept as a pet for thousands of years, and worshiped as a god by the ancient Egyptians, amongst others. Today the domestic cat remains extremely popular as a pet; there are an estimated 76 million pet cats in the United States.
Species of cat include the lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, puma, cougar, ocelot, lynx, caracal, serval and many smaller breeds.
Feral Cats
A feral cat is a direct descendant of a cat but is untamed and generally frightened of any human contact. A stray cat is a cat that is unowned, but generally accepts human touch, may take food directly from a human, etc. The terms are often interchangeable, especially in popular usage.