We explain what a cat is, its domestication, life cycle and behavior. In addition, its characteristics and breed classification.
What is the cat?
The cat is a carnivorous feline and quadruped mammalwhich has coexisted with humans for about 9,500 years, occupying a prominent place in the early culture of ancient societies.
There are dozens of cat breedswith pronounced morphological and character differences, but as a whole the species presents typical behavioural traits of a predator, with pronounced intelligence and agility. This is where the saying that the cat always lands on its feet comes from.
The domestic cat It is related to the big African cats.its closest relative is believed to be the wild cats of the Middle East. The first recorded case of cat domestication is presumed to have occurred on the island of Cyprus in ancient times.
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Domestication of the cat
Phylogenetic studies published in 2007 in scientific publications affirm that the various breeds of cats, fruit of hybridization and centuries of artificial selectioncontain traces of the genetics of five first wild cats that were domesticated almost 10,000 years ago in the Middle East.
It is often thought that The ancient Egyptians would be the first to include cats in their domestic lifeas well as in their religious representations, in which it enjoyed an important place. But they could well have been the ancient Assyrians or some predecessor culture.
Scientific deductions suggest that the domestication process would have begun in ancient timesmotivated by the easy hunting of rodents that parasitized human settlements.
Cat life cycle
Cats are born in litters of 1 to 10 kittens, after a gestation period of about two monthsand the newborn pups will accompany the mother for a period of at least 30 days.
Sexual maturity is reached after 4 to 5 months in the female and 6 to 7 in the male.. Estrus lasts 4 to 7 days, several times a year, during which the female meows much more frequently and the males compete for the right to copulate. Finally, the winner must then confront the female, who will resist the union until she is finally subdued.
Fertilization rarely takes place on the first attempt. Once copulation is over, the female begins a period of grooming during which she is particularly hostile.
Cat life expectancy
The life expectancy of the average cat is about 12 to 14 years oldbut females can even live a couple of years longer. Spaying and captivity can prolong the period, although stray cats in urban environments usually do not live past two years of age.
The cat’s old age is abrupt, unlike the human one, and usually lasts an entire year, until death occurs. During this stage the animal will show little energy and will sleep most of the time.
Cat behavior and sociability
The cats They are born hunters and are little given to the constitution of communitiesThey have a strong territorial instinct and are highly independent, the latter making them popular as pets. A marked contrast to their wild counterparts, whose tendency towards social grouping is much more pronounced.
Their communication is established mainly through meows and body language, although males are given to urination as a form of territorial marking, which indicates a communication system based on odors, similar to that of canines. They are also highly sensitive to stress, and can develop erratic and aggressive behavior.
cat fur
The cat’s coat can be as varied as its breed, but broadly speaking, two types of breed are distinguished: short-haired and long-haired, both considered mestizo. The percentage of purebred cats in the world does not exceed 10% of total individuals.
Regarding the coloring, the fur can vary between monochrome, color combinations and various shades tabby cats (called Roman cats). However, the incidence of three or four colours in the same cat usually favours females, while males tend to be monochromatic or bichromatic.
The artificial selection imposed as a result of domestication has favored the proliferation of certain tones, shapes and coat colors over others. However, studies reveal that the greatest color variation occurred in the species during the initial moments of its domestication, before the emergence of the numerous existing breeds.
cat metabolism
The cats They are animals that require high energy expenditurewhich is why they tend to sleep a lot throughout the day. Their nocturnal nature activates them at sunset, so they can be more energetic and demanding from that time onwards.
Short-haired breeds, broadly speaking, tend to be much thinner and more restless, while Long-haired ones tend to be serious and lethargic.. In general, they tend to have a fast cardiac cycle, maintaining a body temperature between 38 and 39 centigrade, slightly higher than that of humans.
As a legacy of their clearly carnivorous past, cats are unable to synthesize some of the essential fatty acids. This is also why their livers are particularly sensitive to fat and are less effective than those of humans or dogs at detoxifying the bloodstream. As a result, foods such as chocolate, with excessively high levels of theobromine, could be lethal to a cat.
Scientific classification of cats
The scientific name of the animal commonly called cat is Felis silvestris catuswhich makes it a domestic subspecies of wild cats. However, In the scientific literature the use of Felis silvestris for free-living cats and Felis catus for those who live among us.
Related to large feline predatorscats inherited their excellent sense of vision and hearing, as well as a slender and agile body equipped with fangs and retractable claws.
There is no specific nomenclature in Spanish for cat groups as there is for dogs (pack), nor for cats in their kitten stage. Used “cologne” and “puppy”respectively, by default.
Most common cat diseases
Since the cat grooms itself by constantly licking, which makes it extremely practical in terms of hygiene, tends to ingest its own hair and accumulate it inside the stomachfrom where it is then regurgitated and expelled. If these hairballs cannot be eliminated in this way, they can accumulate and obstruct the intestine, requiring surgical intervention.
On the other hand, Overweight is common in domestic cats that have low activity daily and/or overfeeding. Although the breed and size of the animal must be taken into account, a healthy cat should not exceed 4.5 kilograms in weight. Obesity in cats, as in humans, leads to diabetes mellitus, hepatic lipidosis and vascular risks.
Other common diseases are toxoplasmosis, transmissible to men and particularly dangerous for the health of pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted by contact with the feces of the infected cat, and this in turn from other cats or by feeding on infected rodents. The best prevention method is to get him used to feeding exclusively on controlled foods, and to have the relevant tools to eliminate his feces.
Finally, the transmission of the virus in cats is known. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (VIF), the feline variant of AIDS; the Feline Leukemia Virus (VLF); Rabies and numerous internal and external parasites, such as the mite that causes scabies.
The cat’s place in culture
Since entering the circle of human civilization, the cat It has turned out to be an enigmatic animal, attractive and disturbing at the same time.. For the ancient Egyptians, they represented animals highly linked to the sacred: it is not in vain that their goddess Bastet, in charge of the protection of the home and daily harmony and happiness, was represented with a feline head.
The eastern traditions They are considered guardians of wisdomas in the Tibetan tradition, or as funeral companions in the transition to the world of the dead.
He was also linked at one time (something that survives to this day), with a symbolic model of aggressive femininitytaciturn, present in the feline part of the sphinxes, for example.
The Judeo-Christian tradition, on the other hand, which prevailed in The West during the Middle Ages always looked at cats with a bad eye.perhaps rejecting its Asian origin or its close link with pagan religious representations.
He was considered ally of witchcraft and the occult, pet of alchemists and dark priests, and used to burn them alive or throw them from the roofs of buildings. Hence, also, its association with bad omens (in the case of black cats) or the attribution of its seven or nine lives, which still persists.
Cat breed classification
Although it is estimated that there are more than 50 different breeds of cats, the best known can be classified into four categories, according to their build and appearance:
- Short hair, not very long and heavy body. For example the Persian or the Himalayan.
- Semi-long hair. Quite numerous. Like the Turkish Angora or the Maine Coon.
- Short hair. The most common of all, it includes 18 different breeds, such as the European, the Russian Blue or the Sphynx.
- Oriental type. Slender and muscular, like the Siamese.