Which dinosaurs did cats evolve from? - briefly
Cats did not evolve directly from dinosaurs. Instead, they evolved from a group of small mammals known as creodonts, which appeared around 60 million years ago after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
Which dinosaurs did cats evolve from? - in detail
Cats, as we know them today, did not directly evolve from dinosaurs. The lineage of modern cats can be traced back to a small, mammalian ancestor called Miacis, which lived approximately 40 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. Miacis was part of the order Carnivora, which also includes dogs, bears, and other carnivorous mammals. Over time, Miacis evolved into various species, leading to the emergence of the Felidae family, which includes modern cats like lions, tigers, and domestic cats.
Dinosaurs, on the other hand, were reptiles that dominated the Earth during the Mesozoic era, which spanned from around 250 million to 66 million years ago. They went extinct approximately 66 million years ago due to a catastrophic event, likely an asteroid impact or massive volcanic activity. This event marked the end of the Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleogene era.
The evolutionary timeline shows that dinosaurs became extinct long before the first mammalian ancestors of cats appeared. Therefore, it is inaccurate to say that cats directly evolved from dinosaurs. However, both cats and dinosaurs are part of a larger evolutionary history that includes many diverse species and adaptations.