Formidable predators, the family of cats (Felidae) belong to the group of meat-eating mammals known as Carnivora.

With razor-sharp claws and teeth, cats are superbly adapted for a life of hunting other animals for food. Their predatory lifestyle places them in the order Carnivora along with other meat-eating animals such as bears, wolves, raccoons, and hyenas.

All of the members of Carnivora evolved from an ancient group known as the Miacids. This diagram shows the relationship among the different groups of mammals within the order Carnivora. Notice that cats are most closely related to hyenas and mongooses. Can you see a resemblance?

This page was made possible by a grant from Friskies PetCare Company and the National Science Foundation.

All photographic images contained within these Web pages ARE COPYRIGHTED and may not be reproduced or utilized in any manner without the express written consent of the owner.

Sketches of cats by Lauri Stein, chart by Jim Angus. © Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation

Page design by Jim Angus