:
In
progress 5/20/99
The Biogeography of
the Domestic Cat
by Christine Coppa,
student in Biogeography 316
:
photo source: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15 1998 (Plate 3)
Species Name: Felis domesticus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Felis
Species: Felis
domesticus
Description of Species:
Domestic cats, Felis
domesticus, possess the features of their wild relatives in being basically
carnivorous, remarkably agile and powerful and finely coordinated in movement.
Cats use their charm to get what they want, warmth, food and affection.
Yet they remain aloof and independent, even the smallest cats harbor the
pride of a lion and while appearing to show affection do exactly as they
please. Small cats can’t roar and big cats can’t purr. When
a cat purrs the bones of the base of the tongue vibrate. (Mellen
1940)
Habitat:
The domestic cat
is one of the most adaptable of all mammals. It lives in habitats ranging
from remote islands to busy industrial cities. Cat densities vary less
than one to more than 2,000 per square kilometer. (Enclycopedia Britannica,
Vol. 15, 1998) Cats are grouped into two categories, solitary cats and
group cats. Home ranges of solitary cats are less than fifty acres for
females and more than 100 acres for males. (Beadle 1977) Group living cats
tend to range over smaller areas than those of solitary cats do. Home ranges
of female group cats are 1.25 acres and home ranges of male cats are 1.75
acres. (Beadle 1977) History has shown that females tend to live by themselves
or in small groups with a few other females; males lead a more solitary
lifestyle and generally do not form a close bond to females.
Natural History:
The earliest record of the
domestication of cats began 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt where the
Sphinx with the body of a lion and head of a king play to the vigilant
role cats played in Egyptian history. (Mellen 1940) During
this time rats and mice were everywhere spreading disease and eating their
precious grain; so the feral cats ate them. The Egyptians recognized
its value in protecting their granaries from rodents. This led to
the development of religious cat cults and temple worship of cats.
In Egypt, to this day, it’s considered good luck to own a cat. The
Egyptians have expressed their gratitude in many ways. They worship
Bastet, the cat goddess, the symbol of compassion and happiness.
It became so sacred that anyone who killed a cat was punished by death.
When a royal or sacred cat died, it was mummified and the owner shaved
off the eyebrows in mourning.
Evolution:
The first cats began to
evolve 500 million years ago, long before humans walked the earth.
(Beadle 1977) A weasel like creature called Miacides is considered
to be the first cat and ancestor of all living carnivores. (George
1970) Then Miacides evolved into felis domestica with its long fang like
teeth sharp as ice picks. All cats are grouped into the Family Felidae.
Domestic cats, Felis Catus,
possess the features of their wild relatives in being basically carnivorous,
remarkably agile and powerful and finely coordinated in movement.
Cats appeared in the Early Pliocene epoch, 5.3-3.4 million years ago.
(Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. 15, 1998)
Other interesting issues:
Every cat has one marking
in common. It’s a tearstripe at the corner of each eye and many cats
have white spots behind their ears. (Grilhe, 1974) This is used for communication
and is a symbol of aggression. They also represent eyes and discourage
a potential enemy that comes from behind. Cats also prefer a vantagepoint
from which they can see and not be seen; stalking silently, watching before
surprising the unsuspecting prey. The cat remains the supreme predator
and will always continue to fascinate humans with their unique behavior.
Cats have evolved so that
they always walk and run on their toes. Their eyes have a special
mirror like surface inside the eyeball that traps light and balances it
back and forth. (Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 15, 1998) This is
why cats eyes appear to shine at night. They have excellent night
vision. Contrary to popular belief cats can’t see in total darkness.
The cats’ pupils react quickly to changes in light levels from large pupils
at night to narrow slits during the day. People believed that the
narrow slits during the day meant they could communicate with the dead.
(Mellen 1940)
Bibliography
Grilhe, Gillette.
1974. "The Cat and Man." New York, New York. G.P.
Putnam’s Sons.
Beadle, Muriel. 1977.
"The Cat, History, Biology and Behavior." New York, New York, Simon&
Schuster.
Mellen, Ida. 1940.
"The Science and Mystery of the Cat." New York, New York. Charles
Scribner’s Son.
George, Wilma. 1970.
"Animal Geography." London, England. Heinemann Educational
Books Limited.
Caras, Roger A. 1986.
"A Celebration of Cats." New York, New York. Simon and Schuster.
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Volume 15, 1998.
send comments to bholzman@sfsu.edu
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