Cats: Breeds, Origins, History, and Physical Characteristics

Cat:

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is a tamed member of the Felidae family. This family is typically categorized into two subfamilies: Pantherinae, which includes big cats like lions, tigers, and leopards that are known for their ability to roar, and Felinae, which encompasses smaller cats such as cougars, bobcats, and domestic cats that are recognized for their purring. Recent studies suggest that purring may result from a unique pad in a cat’s vocal cords, which contains extra fatty tissue, allowing the cords to vibrate at low frequencies, producing the purring sound. Domestic cats are notable for their retractable claws, strong physiques, sharp senses, long tails, and teeth that are perfectly adapted for hunting.

Associations with Human Culture

Cats have played a significant role in various religions and literary works across the globe. Interestingly, the Bible mentions cats only once, in the Letter of Jeremiah. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freyja was believed to travel in a golden chariot drawn by two white longhaired cats. In ancient Egypt, cats were revered, and the cat-headed goddess Bastet was highly worshipped. In Siam (modern-day Thailand), the “Cat-Book Poems” from the Ayutthayan period (1351–1767) include detailed descriptions and illustrations of different cats.

Throughout history, cats have been linked to sorcery and witchcraft, which led to their mistreatment, especially during times when black cats were believed to be companions of witches and were sometimes burned along with them. Superstitions about cats remain common; for instance, in many Western countries, a black cat crossing your path is seen as bad luck, whereas in Japan, the same black cat is considered a symbol of good fortune.

In Japan, the Maneki-neko (“beckoning cat”) figurine, often depicted with one raised paw, is a popular symbol of prosperity and good luck. These figurines are typically white or calico and are commonly found in shops and restaurants.

Cats also appear frequently in nursery rhymes, stories, and popular culture. Aesop, the Greek storyteller, frequently included cats in his fables. The English legend of Dick Whittington tells the story of a man who rose from poverty to wealth, thanks to his cat’s exceptional mousing skills. The 19th-century writers Théophile Gautier and Charles Baudelaire celebrated cats in their works, and in the 20th century, authors like Rudyard Kipling, Colette, and T.S. Eliot wrote about them. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats (1981) became one of the longest-running shows on Broadway.

Identifying Cats

The cat family is broadly divided into those that roar and those that purr. Domestic cats are perfectly designed for two main purposes: pest control and companionship. Because the differences between cat breeds can be subtle, especially compared to dogs, cats are often identified by basic physical characteristics such as color, coat pattern, body size, or hair length. Categories like “black,” “orange tabby,” “longhaired,” and “shorthaired” are common identifiers for cats.

Breed Origins

A cat breed is defined by a group of related cats that share a specific physical appearance or originate from a particular geographic region. As cats spread across the world, they adapted to their environments, passing these adaptations on to their offspring. For example, the Siberian and Norwegian Forest Cat developed thick, dense coats to survive the harsh winters of Russia and Norway. Recent genetic studies have traced the origins of some of the oldest recognized breeds. Most domestic cats, both pedigreed and random-bred, can be traced back to four regions: Asia, Western Europe, East Africa, and the Mediterranean basin.

Breed “standards” are guidelines that describe the ideal attributes of a breed. These standards are usually created by breeders who promote or establish the breed and are approved by cat associations.

Colors and Patterns

Genetic mutations have produced the wide variety of coat colors seen in cats today. However, all domestic cats are genetically tabbies, like their wildcat ancestors. The tabby pattern might not always be visible due to modifying genes. For instance, the dominant white gene can mask other patterns, so a completely white cat might carry the genes for various patterns and colors, which could appear in future generations. Regardless of their appearance, all cats have genes for one or more of the following tabby patterns:

Classic (blotched) tabby: Features wide stripes with swirls or “bull’s-eyes” on the sides.
Mackerel tabby: Has thinner stripes running down the sides, resembling fish bones.
Ticked tabby (agouti): Shows alternating dark and light bands on each hair strand.
Spotted: Displays dark spots on a lighter background, with tabby striping on the face, legs, and tail.

Key color and pattern adaptations include:

White spotting factor: A dominant gene that gives cats white spots or patches. The expression varies widely among cats.
Solid: Solid-colored cats, also called “self-colored,” inherit two copies of a recessive gene called “nonagouti.”
Dilution: A recessive gene lightens the appearance of hair color by altering pigment distribution, turning black into gray, red into cream, and chocolate into lilac.
Colorpoint: Also known as the Siamese or Himalayan pattern, colorpoint is a form of imperfect albinism that colors the cooler areas of the body, like the ears, face mask, feet, and tail.
Bicolor: This pattern features white areas combined with other colors or patterns. Tuxedo cats, for example, are black with white patches on the face, chest, and paws.
Tricolor: Combines three colors, with calico (patches of orange, black, and white) being the most common tricolor pattern.

Body Types and Features

Cat breeds generally fall into three body types: cobby (seen in Persians), svelte (seen in Siamese), and moderate (seen in European Burmese). The cobby type is characterized by a deep chest, a compact body, broad shoulders and rump, and a large round head. The svelte type is slim and lithe, with long tapering lines, a narrow wedge-shaped head, and a long slender tail. The moderate type falls between these two extremes.

The average length of a full-grown domestic cat is 28 inches (71 cm) for males and 20 inches (51 cm) for females. Their weight typically ranges from 6 to 12 pounds (2.7 to 5.4 kg), but this can vary significantly depending on the breed. For example, the Savannah cat breed can grow up to 17 inches in height (43 cm) and 22 inches in length (56 cm), while Munchkin cats are only 5 to 7 inches tall (13 to 18 cm) due to their short legs. Maine Coon cats can weigh up to 22 pounds (10 kg).

Coordination and Musculature

Cats are highly specialized carnivores with exceptional adaptability. They are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes, which contributes to their silent movement. When walking or running, cats move their front and back legs on each side together, a pattern known as a four-beat gait. Most of their weight is centered on the front paws while walking.

The vertebrae of a cat’s spine are held together by muscles rather than ligaments, giving them remarkable flexibility. Their shoulder joints allow the forelegs to turn in almost any direction, enabling swift changes in direction when pursuing prey. Cats are so well-coordinated that they almost always land on their feet when they fall or are dropped.

Teeth

A cat’s teeth are specialized for three functions: stabbing, anchoring, and cutting. They lack flat-crowned crushing teeth, so they cannot chew food but instead cut it into pieces. Except for the canines and molars, most of the cat’s teeth are nonfunctional; the cheek teeth don’t even meet when the mouth is closed.

Ears

Cats have acute hearing, with more than a dozen muscles in their outer ears that allow them to swivel 180 degrees. This ability helps them pinpoint the source of sounds, and the shape of the ears funnels sound into the ear canal. This design also aids in accurately locating sounds.

Tail

The cat’s tail, which is part of the spine, typically contains around 20 caudal vertebrae. Some breeds, like the Manx and Japanese Bobtail, have mutations that result in short or absent tails. The tail is mobile and used for balance and communication. It acts as a counterweight, but a cat’s sense of equilibrium and flexible spine are what enable it to right itself when falling.

Skin and Hair

The cat’s skin consists of two layers: the dermis and the epidermis. Tiny muscles attached to hair follicles enable the cat to bristle its fur, making it appear larger to intimidate enemies. Bristling also creates air pockets that help insulate the cat from the cold. Most cats have three types of hair: guard, awn, and down. Guard hairs are long and stiff, forming the top layer of the coat and keeping it dry. Awn and down hairs make up the undercoat, with down hairs being the most numerous and prone to matting.

Senses:

Cats, much like humans, possess five primary senses. However, there’s a common belief that domestic cats might have a “sixth sense,” enabling them to navigate back home over vast distances.

Touch:

Cats have a highly developed sense of touch. Their whiskers, known as vibrissae, are crucial for hunting, acting as sensitive touch receptors. These whiskers, along with the hairs on their eyebrows, cheeks, chin, legs, and ears, are finely tuned to detect even the slightest vibrations, providing cats with essential information. This feline “radar” is key to their ability to move and hunt in low-light conditions. Additionally, their paw pads are extremely sensitive, aiding in grasping prey.

Smell:

Cats have an extraordinary sense of smell, far superior to that of humans, with about 200 million odor receptors compared to our 5 million. This acute sense of smell is vital for detecting prey and assessing food. If a cat’s nasal passages are blocked due to illness, it may lose its appetite. Cats also possess a special sensory organ known as Jacobson’s, or the vomeronasal organ, located between the nose and palate. They access this sense through a behavior called “flehming,” where they appear to grimace or sneer to analyze intriguing scents.

Taste:

The cat’s tongue is covered with various sensory knobs called papillae, some of which form backward-facing hooks that help them strip meat from bones and scoop water when drinking. Taste receptors are spread across the front, sides, and back of the tongue, but cats have relatively few of them—only 473 compared to the 9,000 in humans. These receptors respond mainly to salty, sour, and bitter tastes, with very few detecting sweetness. Protein-based compounds activate these receptors, while fats are perceived more through smell than taste. Due to the close relationship between taste and smell, cats are particularly sensitive to the aroma of their food, often preferring it warm as heat releases more odors.

Body Language and Communication:

Cats communicate through various body postures:

Arching: A cat arches its back and turns sideways when frightened or angry to appear larger and more intimidating. It also flattens its ears to detect potential attacks from the sides or rear.
Bristling: The fur stands on end, making the cat look bigger and more threatening to predators or other cats.
Crouching: A frightened or submissive cat lowers itself to protect its vulnerable underbelly and appear smaller. When crouching to pounce, the cat’s ears are usually forward, and its whiskers spread wide, signaling excitement.
Kneading: Known as “making biscuits,” kneading is a comforting behavior for cats, often associated with affection and self-soothing. It also involves scent marking via the glands in their paw pads.
Tail Movements: An erect tail signals friendliness, while swishing or lashing indicates anger or a predatory mood. A tucked tail shows fear or submission, and a tail held to one side is a sexual invitation by a female in heat.

Vocal Communication:

Cats use different sounds to communicate:

Meowing: Usually a greeting, request, or complaint. Some breeds are more vocal than others.
Purring: Commonly associated with contentment but can also indicate distress when a cat is hungry, lonely, or in pain.
Hissing and Spitting: Both are warning sounds, indicating fear or anger, with hissing being a sharp exhalation and spitting being a more explosive sound.
Growling and Screaming: Growls range from low rumbles to louder warnings, while screaming signals extreme anger or fear.
Yowling: Often a plea or demand, and can indicate hunger, boredom, pain, or a female in heat.
Chattering: A staccato sound made when a cat spots out-of-reach prey, signaling frustration or desire.
Mating Calls: Known as “caterwauling,” these loud yowls are used by females in heat to attract mates.

Domestication:

While dogs have evolved significantly in response to domestication, cats have remained remarkably similar to their wild ancestors. The domestic cat’s closest relative, the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), is genetically almost identical, and interbreeding between them threatens the purity of the wild species. Unlike dogs, which adapted to live in packs with a clear leader, cats have retained much of their independent nature. This is why feral cats thrive and why experts often consider cats not fully domesticated.

The earliest evidence of humans and cats living together dates back to around 15,000 to 10,000 years ago, when agriculture began in the Middle East. Cats were likely drawn to human settlements by the abundance of rodents, which fed on stored grain. Over time, a mutual relationship developed—humans benefited from cats controlling pests, and cats had a steady food source. Evidence of this relationship includes a 9,500-year-old grave in Cyprus containing a human and a cat, indicating that cats were valued companions even then.

Origin and History of Cats:

After the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, mammals rose to dominance. The earliest feline-like mammal, Proailurus, emerged about 30 million years ago, and all true cats are believed to have evolved from this civet-like predator. Cats resembling modern felines first appeared during the early Pliocene Epoch, around 5.3 to 3.6 million years ago, and have remained largely unchanged. The combination of fangs, claws, a flexible spine, and muscular strength allowed felids to adapt to various environments and survive through changing eras. While minor adaptations have occurred in response to prey, the fundamental feline body design has remained consistent over millions of years.