The Natural History of Domestic Cats

Females can have two to three litters per year, so might have up to 150 kittens in their breeding life of about ten years. The size of a litter is usually three to five kittens. If a male attempts to breed with her at this point, the female will attack him. After mating, the female will wash her vulva thoroughly. When the penis is withdrawn, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina, which is a trigger for ovulation.

Cat Facts

For an account of the relationship of the cat family to other carnivores, see carnivore. For information on larger cats, see their individual entries (such as lion, tiger, and leopard). However, purring also occurs in cats that are injured and in pain.

More meanings of cat

Living with humans is a symbiotic social adaptation that has developed over thousands of years. They may even present their kills, dead or maimed, to their humans, perhaps expecting them to praise or reward them, or possibly even to complete the kill and eat the mouse. Some owners like to train their cat to perform "tricks" commonly exhibited by dogs such as jumping, though this is rare.

• The domestic cat and its closest wild ancestor are diploid and both possess 38 chromosomes and roughly 20,000 genes.
• It is possible that interbreeding with local wild cats might have also played a part in this.
• In different locations, distinct breeds of cats arose because of different environments and because of selection by humans.
• Large objects, including cats, don’t show quantum effects.
• A cat’s fur may be black, white, brown, gray, yellow, red, or orange.

The domestic cat is a member of the Felidae, a family that has a common ancestor from about 10 to 15 million years ago. Female cats should be spayed and male cats neutered by five months of age. cat Outdoor cats do not live as long as indoor cats. Read on for useful tips for new cat parents, and for those looking to brush up on their pet care skills.

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The Maine Coon is the largest, with males reaching an average of 3.5 feet long. ©2026 This website is owned and operated by Cliverse Media DAO LTD. Explore the latest statistics and compare feline populations around the world. Roam, explore, and live the curious life of a kitty. For example, the mutation that causes the ears to fold in the Scottish Fold breed can also cause a bone and cartilage abnormality called osteochondrodysplasia.