Cat Intro Flashcards
Order name, and traits
- Carnivora
- has 4 canoe teeth (2 top, 2 bottom)
- short digestive tract
Family name
- Felidae
- Alt: Felis casus, Felis domesticus, Felis silvestris catus
Maybe derived from European will cat ____
Felis silvestris
First domesticated in _____
Domesticated always _____ years ago.
- Egypt
- 5000 years ago
Evidence of cat (F. silvestris) buried with owner from 9500 years ago on island of ____
Cyprus
Cats (domestic or not) are indigenous to all continents except
Australia and Antarctica
Over ___ recognized breeds
330
Female Cat
queen
Male cat
Tom
Young Cat
Kitten
Alters
- (inshows) spayed and castrated cats
- shown in alter classes
Body is designed to be ____ & ____ predator
Triats
- fast running, agile
- digitigrade, retractable claws, more vertebra, lacking collarbone, strong jaws
Why do cats’ eyes glow green when light shines on them?
They ave layer of reflective material in retina -> “Tapetum lucidum”
Sight
- Good (?)
- Binocular
- Poor color sense
- poorer at distance
- better in low light
- tapetum lucidum
HEaring
- better than humans at high frequencies
Smell
- better than ours probability -> Cats (200 million) vs humans (5 million)
- not has good as dogs’
Taste
- no sweet receptors
- fewer taste buds
Jacobson’s organ
AKA vomeronasal organ
- especially for sexual odors (pheromones)
- Flehmen response
Skin glands
- only have seat hands on pads of feet
- scent glands
Balance is ____
exceptional
What do cats use to “fell” their way?
- whiskers
- Carpal hairs on forelegs
Cat lifespan
- Mean: 15+
- Record: 38 years, 3 days
- maybe increasing
Precautions when choosing cat as pet
- expensive (bill, feed, vet, groom, litter, play/excerxise)
- altering, vaccines, dental, accidents, death
- you’ll need and want lots of things
Costs
- ASPCA estimates: $1150/year after first year
- First year about $1900