Cats - everything you need to know about breeds, care, behavior

Domesticating Cats: A Historical Perspective

Views: 5 071. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Archaeological findings provide invaluable insights into the historical relationship between humans and cats, offering a glimpse into the process of cat domestication. The earliest evidence of human-feline interactions dates back to around 9500 years ago in Cyprus, where both wildcat remains and human artifacts were discovered together.

The Global Cat Population: Trends and Demographics

Views: 4 387. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Accurate estimation of the worldwide feline population relies on a combination of direct and indirect data sources. Household questionnaires collect owner‑reported numbers of pet cats, while veterinary clinic registries provide records of neutered, vaccinated, and treated animals.

The Anatomy of a Predator: Physical Characteristics of Big Cats

Views: 1 765. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

The jaw muscles of big cats, such as lions and tigers, are remarkably powerful and play a critical role in their predatory behavior. These muscles, primarily the masseter and temporalis, enable the cat to exert immense force when clamping down on prey.

Exploring the Diversity of Cat Breeds Worldwide

Views: 1 567. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

The origins of cat domestication can be traced back to ancient civilizations, providing a fascinating insight into the evolution of various feline breeds worldwide. Archaeological evidence suggests that cats were first domesticated around 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East.

Understanding the Behavioral Differences Between Cats and Dogs

Views: 1 185. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

The behavioral differences between cats and dogs are profoundly shaped by their evolutionary histories, with cats exhibiting a more solitary nature while dogs display a pack mentality. This dichotomy is rooted in their distinct origins: whereas cats have descended from small, independent predators like the African wildcat, dogs have evolved from wolves, which are social creatures that thrive in groups.

The Impact of Cats on Modern Culture and Media

Views: 1 182. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Viral cat videos and memes dominate online traffic, generating billions of views across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Short-form clips featuring cats performing unexpected actions-jumping onto keyboards, reacting to laser pointers, or delivering comedic vocalizations-trigger high engagement rates, prompting algorithms to prioritize similar content.

Instruction: what should never be said to a cat, even as a joke.

Views: 121. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Loud noises and sudden movements are among the most detrimental stimuli when communicating with a cat, even in jest. Cats possess acute auditory receptors that detect frequencies far beyond human perception; sudden, high‑decibel sounds trigger a fight‑or‑flight response, causing immediate stress and potential aggression.

Instruction: why a cat purrs when you are sick.

Views: 122. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

As a veterinary physiologist, I explain the biological processes that cause a feline to emit a low‑frequency vibration while its caregiver experiences illness. The cat’s purring originates in the laryngeal muscles, which contract rhythmically under neural control from the brainstem.

Understanding the Behavioral Differences Between Cats and Dogs

Views: 1 185. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

The behavioral differences between cats and dogs are profoundly shaped by their evolutionary histories, with cats exhibiting a more solitary nature while dogs display a pack mentality. This dichotomy is rooted in their distinct origins: whereas cats have descended from small, independent predators like the African wildcat, dogs have evolved from wolves, which are social creatures that thrive in groups.

Instruction: how to train a cat not to scratch the door in the morning.

Views: 109. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Cats scratch for several innate reasons that become evident when a pet repeatedly targets a doorway at dawn. Territorial marking - Scratch pads deposit scent glands from the paws, signaling ownership of the area. The door, a boundary between rooms, offers a visible, high‑traffic surface for this purpose.

Instruction: what to do if a cat has started stealing money.

Views: 120. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Cats engage in theft-like behavior primarily because of instinctual drives and environmental cues. When a feline repeatedly appropriates objects that contain money, several underlying mechanisms are at work. Predatory instinct: Cats are natural hunters.

Instruction: how to know that your cat is a little spy.

Views: 53. Date latest changes: 2025-10-02.

Observing a cat’s prolonged, unblinking focus on a specific area often reveals covert surveillance behavior. When the animal fixes its gaze for several seconds, tracks subtle movements, and maintains eye contact without a typical predatory flick, the pattern suggests an intent beyond ordinary curiosity.

Instruction: how to teach a cat to respond to its name if it ignores it.

Date of published: 2025-10-01.

Date latest changes: 2025-10-02 00:59.

Cats often ignore their names because owners rely on inaccurate ideas about feline behavior. These misconceptions shape training methods and reduce effectiveness. Cats are indifferent to human speech and cannot learn name recognition. Ignoring a name signals deliberate defiance rather than lack of association.

Instruction: why cats love to knock things off tables and shelves so much.

Date of published: 2025-10-01.

Date latest changes: 2025-10-02 00:59.

Cats exhibit a striking tendency to dislodge objects from tables and shelves, a behavior that has puzzled owners and researchers alike. The phenomenon stems from a combination of sensory, predatory, and environmental factors that trigger innate responses.

Instruction: how to tell if your cat is healthy by its whiskers.

Date of published: 2025-10-01.

Date latest changes: 2025-10-02 00:59.

Understanding whiskers is essential for evaluating feline health. Each whisker, or vibrissa, is a highly innervated hair rooted deeply in the follicle. The follicle contains a blood supply and nerve endings that transmit tactile information about the environment.