The cat is a genus of highly sophisticated, intelligent and paradoxical carnivorous mammals (Felidae or Felis). The genus includes the most highly specialized of the carnivores. The mechanism by which the claws are retracted (in some species) is highly sophisticated, and the claws are extremely sharp and powerful weapons. The teeth number thirty, and are used to tear meat which is then swallowed without mastication. The tongue is rough and functions as a rasp.
Cats have been domesticated since the earliest of times, and were considered sacred to the goddess Bast by the ancient Egyptians. Generally people either like cats and dislike dogs, or dislike cats and like dogs, reflecting the two very different, opposing natures of the two animals. Where as dogs are loyal, trainable and generally giving, cats are highly independent. Coming and going as they see fit, and often giving the impression that the owner of a pet cat is actually the pet himself! It is this independence that makes cats so attractive as a pet to many people.
Cats are renowned for their intelligence, and sensitivity, but are also completely daft at times, behaving not unlike a small child playing with pieces of string or chasing their tail. At times affectionate, and at others aloof and arrogant, but always mysterious and amusing as was reflected in the very perceptive American 'Fat Freddy's Cat' comic books which were published during the 1970s and 1980s. Almost all species of cat purr, though not tigers, and the sound of purring has been found to trigger the healing process in the cats bones, and also strengthen human bones. It is thought that cats purr for a number of reasons, most obviously as an expression of contentment, and also as a method of self-healing, which may account for their remarkable resilience to injury, being able to fall great distances and survive.
Cats, particularly tigers and Siamese, do talk to each other, and to any human prepared to listen, communicating in numerous growls and meows, though as yet their language is not understood.
Felidae is the cat family of mammals of the order Carnivora (the carnivores) in which the predaceous instincts reach their highest development. They are among the quadrupeds what the Falconidae are among the birds. The teeth and claws are the principal instruments of the destructive energy in these animals. The incisor teeth are equal; the third tooth behind the large canine in either jaw is narrow and sharp, and these, the carnassial or sectorial teeth, work against each other like scissors in cutting flesh; the claws are sheathed and retractile. They all approach their prey stealthily, seize it with a spring, and devour it fresh. The species are numerous in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, but none are found native in Australia. Research Felidae
Geoffrey's Cat (Leopardus or Oncifelas geoffroyi) is a South American wild cat (Felidae) named after the natutalist Geoffrey St Hilaire, and resembling a Eurpoean or American domestic cat in appearance and habits. The Geoffrey's Cat is generally pale brown or tan in colour and covered with small, uniformly sized and shaped black spots. The Geoffrey's Cat is found in a range of habitats, always with good ground cover, such as scrub, woodlands, open bush in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay, where they typically eat small mammals, birds, lizards, rodents and fish.
The Geoffrey's Cat is widely hunted for its fur, but is also domesticated and kept as a pet by native peoples of South America. They generally live to an age of about fourteen years, but can live for up to twenty years. The Geoffrey's Cat, like many other cats, is typically a nocturnal hunter, loves trees and swimming. Research Geoffrey's Cat
The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest and most powerful of the American members of the cat family, Felidae. The Jaguar is found as far north as Mexico and throughout South America, but it is especially abundant in the dense forests of Central America and Brazil. A mature jaguar is more than two metres long and stands 60 centimetres high at the shoulder. Its coat is a rich yellow, spotted with large black rosettes, each consisting of a circle of spots surrounding a central spot. The head and body are massive, and the legs are relatively short and thick. An adept climber and an excellent swimmer, the animal feeds on a wide range of arboreal, terrestrial, and aquatic animals. Although feared, it rarely attacks humans; in the pre-Columbian civilizations of Peru and Central America, it was worshiped as a god. Today the Jaguar is extensively hunted because of ranchers' claims that it attacks cattle, although studies indicate that such attacks are infrequent. In the tropical part of their range, Jaguars
appear to mate in any season, but elsewhere they mate during the latter part of the year. After a gestation period of about 100 days, the female bears two to four cubs, which reach maturity at about the age of two. The Jaguar has a life span of about 20 years. Research Jaguar
The serval (Leptailurus serval or Felis serval) is a long-legged wildcat, of the family Felidae native to grasslands and brush country of sub-Saharan Africa. Buff-coloured with black spots in rows down its back and legs, the serval has a slender body up to one metre long and about 50 centimetres high at the shoulder and a small head with long, triangular ears; it weighs about 16 kg. The serval feeds mostly on small mammals, lizards, and birds, although it is powerful enough to kill young antelope. It hunts rodent dens with its long front legs and hides in long grass, using its acute hearing to detect approaching prey which it then pounces on. When captured young, servals can be tamed but they are difficult to raise. Research Serval
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Cat
