Introduction
The domestic cat is small and mainly carnivorous animal, Felis silvestris catus, member of the family Felidae, popular as a household pet, and valuable for killing mice and rats. Like other members of the cat family, the domestic cat has retractile claws; keen hearing and smell; remarkable night vision; and a compact, muscular, and highly supple body. caracal kittens, Cats possess excellent memory and exhibit considerable aptitude for learning by observation and experience. The natural life span of a domestic cat is about 15 years. There are an estimated 600 million house cats in the world.
Different species of cats
Debate has surrounded the origin of the domestic cat. A common theory held that cats were first domesticated by ancient Egyptians perhaps as early as 2500 bc from the African or Near Eastern wildcat Felis silvestris libyca, also called the Caffre cat. Crusaders then transported the cat to Europe, where it interbred with the indigenous smaller wildcats Felis silvestris silvestris. caracal kittens, the idea that domestic cats in different parts of the world had originated from, or interbred with, populations of local wildcats and other small cat species was proposed by a number of experts. For example, the longhaired breeds of domestic cats were said to come from the Asian Pallas’s cat, Felis manul.
Members of this particular subspecies of wildcat were domesticated in the Middle East, likely around the time that farming villages first developed in the Fertile Crescent region between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. Wildcats probably began associating with human settlements to prey on the rodents and other pests attracted by stored grains and cereals. Some of the wildcats then gave up their more aggressive wild behaviors to adapt to life with people. Some interbreeding between domestic cats and local wildcats probably took place, however. caracal kittens, Over the centuries, cats have remained virtually the same in size, weighing about 3.6 kg (about 8 lb) when full-grown, and have preserved their instinct for solitary hunting.
Cat care
Cats are known for their ability to fend for themselves in the wild, but household pets, dependent on human beings for care and feeding, require considerable attention. Educational materials on the care of cats and responsible cat ownership are available through bookstores and local humane societies.
Cat disease
Domestic cats are susceptible to a variety of viral and bacterial diseases. Fortunately, many common feline diseases can be controlled by a regular system of inoculation. Cats may also suffer from external parasites such as fleas and mites, and from intestinal parasites (worms). Cats can contract rabies from infected prey or other infected animals, but such instances are rare. Upper respiratory infections are a common feline illness and can sometimes be fatal, caracal kittens especially in young kittens. Vaccines provide some protection against the following upper respiratory diseases: feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), feline calicivirus (FCV), and chlamydia (feline pneumonitis).