The evolutionary line leading to cats separated from dogs over 50 million years ago. The first cat appeared around 30 million years ago and probably spent about half its time in trees. Cats split into two main branches: the nimravids, large animals with huge canine teeth (see photo on right), and the felids, smaller, faster animals. Commonly referred to as saber-toothed cats, the nimravids became extinct. Hundreds of nimravids, dating from about 10,000 years ago, were found in the famous La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles. Meanwhile felids continued to thrive. They populated every continent except Australia, and are so well adapted to a variety of environments that they have remained almost unchanged for over 10 million years. Modern cougars have been around for about 3 million years.

Cat Traits

   Watch an ordinary house cat. You'll see traits shared by all cats - no matter how wild, where they live, or whether they are big or small, striped, spotted, or solid colored. Watch the cat stalk a lizard in the backyard, moving nearly silently with a steady gaze and mobile ears. Watch it crouch, hind legs tucked under, belly to the ground, tail twitching. Watch it freeze. Then watch it pounce with lightness, accuracy and speed.

   Watch it run along the ground, leap and climb a tree.

"In deceptive terrain, it's sometimes hard to tell whether you've just glimpsed a cougar at 200 feet or a house cat at 60 feet."    - Jerry Kobalenko, 1997

Watch it jump from a ledge many times its height and twist in mid-air if so inclined. Watch it always land on its feet. Watch it stretch, its back a perfect arch. Watch it groom itself with its tongue and front paws. Watch it rub against people and objects leaving its scent. Watch it drink milk or water without spilling a drop from its mouth. Listen to it fight if it's a male and another male invades its territory.

    All cats hunt live prey. They all have sharp teeth, retractable claws, and powerful leg muscles. They have a short muzzle that exerts a more powerful bite than the longer muzzle of the dog. They have excellent hearing and vision, and unlike dogs, mainly hunt by sight and sound rather than by smell. Still, cats' sense of smell is far superior to that of humans.

A biology professor places a box 43 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 10 cm deep (the size of a large sports shoe box) on a table in front of the class and asks, what's inside? (get answer)

     They all have skeletons that permit maximum flexibility. The spine of a cat is extremely flexible. The vertebrae are largely held together by muscles instead of ligaments, allowing the cat to twist, compress, lengthen, and turn in pursuit of prey. Cat flexibility is also enhanced by the fact that the front legs of the cat are attached directly to the shoulder blades, a feature that allows the cat to stalk with its belly to the ground. This also allows the cat to pivot its front legs and grasp prey with its claws. Much of their body weight consists of muscles, and most are baggy skinned, which allows a wide range of motion and helps protect their internal organs during fights.

    Most cats are solitary hunters and feed alone, with the exception of lions. Older kittens may accompany their mothers on hunts, and kittens of all ages will share their mother's kills. Adults usually choose each other's company only when mating.

Observe another common carnivore, the dog. How are dogs like cats and how are they different from cats? Which do you think is easier to train? Why?

   Cats' eyes appear to glow in the dark. A special membrane behind the retina, the tapetum lucidum, reflects light and increases the cat's night vision. Cats also have a structure known as Jacobsen's organ in the roof of their mouths that allows them to taste and smell a substance at the same time.

    Visible projections on their tongues scrape meat from bones. Spaces between these tiny projections hold liquid and keep it from spilling or dribbling out of the mouth. Tongues of large cats are so rough that a lick can draw blood. Most cats have 28 teeth. They use their four large canine teeth for biting and gripping prey. They use the four large sharp teeth at the back of their mouths called carnassials to scissor meat into pieces. When you see a cat tilting its head and chewing on one side of its mouth, it is using its carnassials.

    Cats have whiskers on their upper lips, cheeks, chin, over their eyes and on the inside of their forelegs. Whiskers are like tiny fingers transmitting information to the brain. They are especially important at night, helping cats to feel their way as they move. When cats attack prey, the whiskers move like a net in front of the mouth helping them to determine the prey's movement and position.

    The heart of a cat is relatively small in relation to its body size. Cats are sprinters not marathon runners.

Hunting is instinctive in all cats. See this domestic cat stalking a wild Canada goose. Though domestic cats "hunt," what to do with prey when caught appears a learned behavior. Domestic cats with mothers that are hunters ("mousers") are likely to have better hunting skills as their mothers spend time showing them how to hunt for food.

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