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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
cat, domestic cat, pussy cat, kitty cat, kitty,
feline |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Carnivora |
| FAMILY: |
Felidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Felis
catus |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Believed
to be decended from the wildcat of Africa and southwestern
Asia (F. silvestris libyca). Domestication
occurred in Egypt roughly 4,000 years ago. There
are approximately 30 different breeds of domestic
cats. |
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| SIZE: |
Average
head/body length = 460 mm (18 in.)
|
| Tail
length = 300 mm (12 in.) |
| MALE |
Average head/body length = 522 mm (21 in.) for
feral cats
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| Tail
length = 269 mm (11 in.) |
| FEMALE |
Average
head/body length = 478 mm (19 in.) for feral cats
|
| Tail
length = 252 mm (9.9 in.) |
|
| WEIGHT: |
|
| MALE |
Average
= 4.5 kg (9.9 lb.) for feral cats |
| FEMALE |
Average
= 3.3 kg (7.3 lb.) for feral cats |
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| DIET: |
Feral
diet: small mammals (rabbits, mice), birds and carrion |
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| GESTATION: |
Average
65 days |
| ESTRAL
PERIOD |
Polyestrous;
can produce 2 litters per year |
| NURSING
DURATION |
8
weeks |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
|
| MALE |
9-12
months |
| FEMALE |
7-12
months |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
15 years for domestically reared cats |
|
2-3 years for feral cats |
|
| RANGE: |
Global
with the acception of Antarctica and a few islands
in Pacific southwest |
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| HABITAT: |
Highly
adaptable. Feral cats shelter in burrows of other
animals, under thick vegetation or under rocks and
other debris. Urban feral cats shelter in abandon
buildings and other structures. |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
| REGIONAL |
Estimated
U.S. population of feral cats - 60 million |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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|
| 1. |
It
is believed that domestication of Felis catus
by ancient civilizations began because of its prowess
as a hunter of rodents. They were put to use ridding
grain stores of rodent populations. |
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|
| 2. |
In
the ancient Egyptian city of Bubastis, the cat was
an object of worship by the followers of Bastet,
the goddess of pleasure. This cult flourished at
least into Roman times. |
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|
| 3. |
Within a large population of feral cats on Macquarie
Island, south of Australia, 90% are orange or tabby
in color. The other 10% are black and tortoise-shell
colored. |
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| 4. |
Cats
can produce a purr during inhalation, exhalation,
and when vocalizing. |
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|
| 5. |
In
some societies, cats have been associated with evil
and some superstitions still exist in modern times. |
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| 6. |
Free
ranging cats are believed to be responsible for
the decimation of native wildlife species, especially
among the songbirds. |
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Domestic
cats are capable of living in feral and semi-feral
states and have established substantial populations
in areas where they are not native. Predation
on native species has resulted in the decimation
of a number of species, especially affecting the
songbirds.
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| |
|
|
| Nowak,
R. M. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth
edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press,
1999. |
|
|
Burnie, D. and Wilson, D.E. Smithsonian Institution
- Animal. New York: DK Publishing Inc., 2001. |
|
|
MacDonald, D. The Encyclopedia of Mammals.
Andromeda Oxford Ltd., 2001.
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| http://animal.discovery.com/guides/cats/body/maturity.html |
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| http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Felis_catus.html |
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