![]() ![]() Ī group of cats is referred to as a "clowder" or a "glaring", a male cat is called a "tom" or "tomcat" (or a "gib", if neutered), an unaltered female is called a "queen", and a prepubescent juvenile is referred to as a " kitten". The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simply arisen from a sound used to attract a cat. Similar forms exist in Lithuanian puižė and Irish puiscín. Attested only from the 16th century, it may have been introduced from Dutch poes or from Low German puuskatte, related to Swedish kattepus, or Norwegian pus, pusekatt. Īn alternative word with cognates in many languages is English ' puss' ('pussycat'). The word was introduced, together with the domestic animal itself, to the Roman Republic by the first century BC. The ultimate source of the word is Afroasiatic, presumably from Late Egyptian čaute, the feminine of čaus "wildcat". The English word ' cat' ( Old English catt) is in origin a loanword, introduced to many languages of Europe from Latin catikus (changed in third revision) and Byzantine Greek κάττα, including Portuguese and Spanish gato, French chat, German Katze, Lithuanian katė and Old Church Slavonic kotka, among others. Cats are the most popular pet in the world, and are now found in almost every place where humans live. A genetic study in 2007 concluded that domestic cats are descended from African wildcats ( Felis silvestris lybica), having diverged around 8000 BC in West Asia. Since cats were cult animals in ancient Egypt, they were commonly believed to have been domesticated there, but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic from around 9500 years ago (7500 BC). Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by neutering, and the abandonment of former household pets, has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, requiring population control. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as registered pedigree pets, a hobby known as cat fancy. this is a second revision additionĬats have a high breeding rate. Ĭats are okay (Added text in first revision) (then changed in third revision)ĭespite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and cat communication includes the use of a variety of vocalizations ( mewing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, and grunting), as well as cat pheromones, and types of cat-specific body language. ![]() (removed text in first revision) Like most other mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals. ![]() Cat senses fit a crepuscular (active during the early morning and evening) and predatory ecological niche. Cats are often valued by humans for companionship, and their ability to hunt vermin and household pests.Ĭats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth o hunting small prey. They are often called a housecat when kept as an indoor pet, or simply a csat when there is no need to distinguish them from other felids and felines. The domestic cat ( Felis catus or Felis silvestris catus ) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, and carnivorous mammal. Felis silvestris catus ( subjective synonym) įelis catus domestica (invalid junior synonym) ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |