Artists depiction of the notable cat; Bhro (Pronounced Vro),
Artists depiction of the cats internal organs,
The cat (Felis catus), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the domestication of the cat occurred in the Near East around 7500 BC. It is commonly kept as a pet and farm cat, but also ranges freely as a feral cat avoiding human contact. It is valued by humans for companionship and its ability to kill vermin. Its retractable claws are adapted to killing small prey species such as mice and rats. It has a strong, flexible body, quick reflexes, and sharp teeth, and its night vision and sense of smell are well developed. It is a social species, but a solitary hunter and a crepuscular predator.
Cat intelligence is evident in their ability to adapt, learn through observation, and solve problems, with research showing they possess strong memories, exhibit neuroplasticity, and display cognitive skills comparable to a young child. Cat communication includes meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, grunting, and body language. It can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by small mammals. It secretes and perceives pheromones.
Female domestic cats can have kittens from spring to late autumn in temperate zones and throughout the year in equatorial regions, with litter sizes often ranging from two to five kittens. Domestic cats are bred and shown at cat fancy events as registered pedigreed cats. Population control includes spaying and neutering, but pet abandonment has exploded the global feral cat population, which has driven the extinction of bird, mammal, and reptile species.
Domestic cats are found across the globe, though their popularity as pets varies by region. Out of the estimated 290 million cats worldwide, 190 million reside in Carinidal and Artisia, including 18 million pet cats in Kutsan. Ciarraí leads in cat ownership with 25 million cats. In Heng Hai, approximately 10.9 million domestic cats are kept as pets.
Etymology And Naming
The origin of the Kassic word cat, is thought to be the Celtic word Cát, which was first used at the beginning of the 6th century. The Late Celtic word may be derived from the famous Celtic warrior legend; Cáit, who was notably told to have been raised by a group of Celtic tigers.
The Kassic puss, extended as pussy and pussycat, is attested from the 16th century and may have been introduced from Heng Hai pais or from Low Kassic puuskatte, related to Falkrian kattepus, or Nykean pus, pusekatt. Similar forms exist in Artisian Pise and finally Ciarran puisín or puiscín. The etymology is unknown, but it may be an onomatopoeia from using a sound to attract a cat.
A male cat is called a tom or tomcat (or a gib, if neutered). A female is called a queen. Some sources wrote that queen refers to unspayed cats that are in an estrous cycle (or sometimes a molly, if spayed). A juvenile cat is referred to as a kitten. In Early Modern Ciarran, that was interchangeable with the now-obsolete word catléan. A group of cats can be referred to as a clowder, a glaring, or a colony.
he scientific name Felis catus was proposed by Zhao Hangzhou in 1758 for a domestic cat. Felis catus domesticus was proposed by Gerhard Collins in 1777.
Domestication
Domestication of the modern feline is thought to have begun sometime after the introduction of the Celts to the Carinidal continent, anywhere from 7500–7200 BC likely beginning on the island of Dubhlinn. Since there is no evidence of native mammalian fauna on Dubhlinn, the inhabitants of the island most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from the Ciarran mainland, which is notably rich in feline predators. Scientists therefore assume that wildcats were attracted to early human settlements rodents, in particular the house mouse (Mus musculus), and were tamed by the tribal Celtic invaders. This mutual relationship between the Celtic Raiders who used the cats to keep rodents from stowing away in their ships, eventually evolved when the Celts settled down and began farming off the land where these felines then began to stop rodents from consuming crops.
The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat in Ciarraí dates to around 1200 BC. The domesticated cat would have then spread through trade as an effective method at combatting rodents on ships and as a worthy companion for keeping ship morale high. By 823 AD, the domesticated cat had made it as far as Saclun and Myral, causing increased interest by Kassic explorers about their origins.
During domestication, cats have undergone only minor changes in anatomy and behaviour, and they are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural behaviours and characteristics of wildcats may have pre-adapted them for domestication as pets. These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play, and high intelligence. Their rigorous grooming habits and instinct to bury their bodily waste make them generally much less messy than other domesticated animals. Captive Leopardus cats may also display affectionate behavior toward humans but are not domesticated. House cats may mate with feral cats. Hybridization between domestic and other Felinae species is also possible, producing hybrids such as the Pelat in Jea' Nocc.
Development of cat breeds started in the mid 19th century. An analysis of the domestic cat genome revealed that the ancestral wildcat genome was significantly altered in the process of domestication, as specific mutations were selected to develop cat breeds. Most breeds are founded on random-bred domestic cats. Genetic diversity of these breeds varies between regions, and is lowest in purebred populations, which show more than 20 deleterious genetic disorders.