CATS! WILD TO MILD | INTRODUCTION

DEADLY DESIGN

The cat is the ultimate predatory machine. It is designed to catch and kill prey.

"And let me touch those curving claws of yellow ivory, and grasp the tail that like a monstrous asp coils round your heavy velvet paws."

-Oscar Wilde

Leopard

Cats have changed relatively little since they first appeared about thirty million years ago. From the beginning, they were solitary hunters that attacked from ambush, with grasping limbs, sharp claws, and knife-like canine teeth. Most cats hunt at dawn or dusk and have excellent senses of vision and hearing. They often have patterned coats that help hide them from their prey. Very few cat species are social, and all are territorial, using scent, signs, and sounds to signal their presence to other cats.

As we explore the biology and behavior of felines, we will see that house cats have much in common with wild cats. Many of their habits can be better understood by studying their wild relatives.

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

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Original photograph of leopard from SunSITE Japan Multimedia Collection. Modified by Jim Angus.

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