To date, all the cat species is divided into 41 teams. All their representatives are carnivorous animals and almost all wild. Cats are skilled hunters capable of killing prey larger than its size, which is rare in the wild.
And despite the fact that the animals in most cases are solitary hunters. In addition, most species are skilled climbers and swimmers, and animals of the cat family on the territory of almost the entire planet.
For continents absolutely all the cat species are native, and with regards to the usual human domestic and stray cats – they are common around the world. Grace of these animals fascinates almost everyone, regardless of the size member of the family, they are all similar.
Their natural environment is not considered only:
- Antarctica;
- Australia;
- Madagascar;
- Japan;
- New Zealand;
- other isolated Islands of Oceania.
Scientific terminology
To avoid confusion in the definitions of complex types and groups, it should immediately be dismantled. All the cat family belongs to the suborder maskoobraznym along with hyenas, viverrids and mangostine. Look up here the resemblance is not necessary, because the second suborder of the predators are canids.
The rising ladder built, we now consider the division into species. The cat family is divided into subfamilies of large and small cats, which are in turn divided into genus. Big cats includes only the birth of the Panthers and clouded leopards, but small representatives of all the more difficult.
Among them:
- Cougars;
- cheetahs;
- caracals;
- cats;
- servals;
- catopuma;
- lynx;
- tiger cats;
- marble cats;
- Golden cat;
- Asian cats.
Only after determining the animal to one of the subfamilies, scientists have divided them into types. There are a total of 41 species. All Pets referred to the view of the forest cats, and the breed is considered a subspecies.
Habitat
Today to find the cat it is impossible only in the polar regions of the planet and in treeless tundra. Most members of the family live in a unique environment and are found in a small area, as, for example, lions are distributed only in southern Africa and India, and sand cats in places where land is predominantly covered with Sands and rocks.
Universal animals common around the world regardless of the conditions, are domestic cats. They have adapted to any conditions of life, largely due to man.
Description of the family
Apparently all members of the cat are very similar. They have short jaws with a characteristic dental formula, which helps to increase bite force. In many species characterized by a marked reduction of the upper premolars that can be seen in domestic cats, and lynxes they are missing completely. The teeth of all animals of prey and well developed for cutting meat and perforation of tissues of the prey with minimal effort. Their rough tongue the teeth and allows effortless to separate the meat from the bones and keep prey in the mouth.
The front paws of cats have 5 fingers, and back 4, all of them armed with retractable claws. The weight members of the family can vary a lot depending on the species and can range from 2 kg to 300 kg. the Males have all the cats are noticeably larger and stronger than females, and the lions have a characteristic ornamentation of a mane.
Pet hair actively grows on those parts of the body where it is needed notable lowering of the temperature. Colors of predators can be very diverse: from white to black, but most often combine color for better camouflage. Cats can be striped, spotted, rosettes, or have a solid monochrome color. Can be different hair color and age, some representatives, for example, adults and kittens can have slight differences.
To be skilled hunters have helped the cat’s very nature. They are all palceholder individuals with a powerful and strong limbs. A unique vision of cats enables them to catch even organic light, and rotating the ears allow you to hear what is happening around the whole axis even without turning the head.
Reproduction
Pregnancy in cats lasts about 2-3 months depending on the size of representative. All cats, except lions are born blind and helpless, so their mortality at an early age in the wild is quite high. Some types characteristic of seasonality in reproduction because living conditions are not always ideal for rearing calves. Small cats are able to reproduce kittens 3 times a year, while large only 1 time in a year and a half.
Solid food in the diet of kittens mother begins to introduce 28-day representatives of small and 100 of large.
All cats are palyginimui and can randomly mate with several partners during sexual activity. Estrus may last for 1-21 day. Males characteristic a show of force to potential partners. Sexual maturity in cats occurs in 1-2 years, again depending on the size of the animal.
Demeanor
All felids, except lions, are solitary predators that occur with their own kind solely for procreation. In most cases members of the family hunt at night, but peak activity comes at all during twilight. When meeting with other dogs cats show their location, movements of tail, ears and grin. In their nature is a clear demarcation of borders of their own territory, which the cats regularly mark scratching, friction and urine.
The senses
Perception of the world cats are very well developed. Their eyesight is better than human 7 times, due to the modified pupil and a reflective layer covering the eye. Above the eyes, on the chin, around the nose, tail, feet and ankles in animals there are special vibrissae, which allows us to feel what is happening around tactile. At the base of the nasal cavity in cats is a sensory organ that allows you to catch the pheromones of females at large distances.
Food
Clawed predators are at the top of the food chain in many regions of the world. Virtually all their diet consists of meat. Fluid animals get drinking or eating fruit. From time to time a cat will eat grass which helps them to get rid of indigestible food in the stomach.
Danger for cats
In addition to possible attacks by larger predators on adults in the wild animals threatened by the high mortality of kittens and hunting poachers. Despite the fact that the law prohibited killing a cat, many continue to hunt them to obtain costly shoes. Most species of the family today is on the verge of decline, and some haven’t received the new data.
For cats danger of endoparasites and ectoparasites in the form of fleas, flies, nematodes, flatworms and so on.
The life expectancy of the household members of the family on average is 15 years and 30 years, but to live to old age in wild carnivores is obtained only in human-made conditions.