Cat

When the cat’s away, the mice will play.

Old proverb.

Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw,

For he’s the master criminal who can defy the law.

He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:

For when they reach the scene of crime, Macavity’s not there!

First verse of the poem Macavity, the Mystery Cat, in a collection of poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939), by American poet, writer, and editor Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965).

Previously, it was believed that the domestic cat descended from the European wildcat (Felis silvestris). However, recent genetic research indicates that it descended from the African wildcat (F. libyca), which split off from the European wildcat about 170,000 years ago.

Despite its name, the African wildcat is not only found in Africa. As of today, 3 subspecies are recognized, the nominate in northern Africa, cafra in southern Africa, and ornata in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, north-western India, and Central Asia, eastwards to Mongolia and northern China.

Archaeological evidence suggests that domestication of the African wildcat began around 7000 B.C. in Mesopotamia, when crops of early farmers were infested with rodents, which ate a large part of the harvest. The cats were clearly beneficial in controlling the rodent populations in the villages.

In Ancient Egypt, the cat was venerated as a sacred animal. The early goddess of justice and execution, the lion-headed Mafdet, was gradually replaced by Bastet, the cat goddess, who, over time, changed to become the goddess of fertility and motherhood. The cat was so sacred that thousands of cats were mummified after death, just as humans. In Egypt, cats were known not only to kill rodents, but also venomous snakes like cobras.

Today, the domestic cat is mainly a companion pet, found in almost all parts of the world. The total population is estimated at between 300 and 800 million. Like with the dog, there are more than 200 breeds, the largest of which is probably the North American Maine Coon, which can weigh up to 10 kilograms. Incidentally, this breed is not named after the raccoon (Procyon lotor), as one might think, but probably after an English captain, Charles Coon, who kept big, long-haired cats on board his ships.

The ancestor of the domestic cat is the African wildcat. This picture shows an individual of the southern African subspecies, Felis libyca ssp. cafra, resting in savanna grass, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Most African wildcats are a pale sandy-grey, with faint black stripes. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

The domestic cat comes in a wide variety of colours, including greyish with black stripes or spots, black, white, red, fawn, and pied. When these kittens, all from the same litter, grew up, they spent the nights in this bird nesting box, Funen, Denmark. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Cats spend most of the daytime hours sleeping.

Cats have a fantastic sense of balance.

The gestation period of the domestic cat is 64 to 67 days. Kittens are very playful. When playing, they acquire skills, which are necessary later in their life, when they have to start hunting.

Cat breeds

As its name implies, the Siamese cat originated in Thailand, formerly called Siam. In the 19th Century, it became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America.

The Burmese cat originated on the border between Thailand and Myanmar (or Burma, as it was formerly called), but the race proper was developed in England and the United States.

Homeless cats are a big problem in many parts of the world, as they compete with small indigenous predators, and they constitute a serious threat to the wild fauna. For instance, a study from 2013 suggested that free-ranging domestic cats (mostly feral) are the top human-caused threat to wildlife in the U.S., killing an estimated 1.3-4 billion birds and 6.3-22.3 billion mammals annually. (Source: S.R. Loss, T. Will & P. Marra 2013. The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife in the United States, Nature Communications 4:1396)

Cats in culture and artwork

Similar to the dog, the cat is an important element in various cultures and is often depicted in artwork.

Just outside the town of Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, South India, a huge sculpture, measuring c. 15 by 30 m, has been carved into two boulders. The main theme of this sculpture, which has been dubbed The Descent of the Ganges, is an event in the Hindu epic Mahabharatha.

Bhagiratha was a great king, doing penance for a thousand years to obtain the release of his 60,000 great-uncles from the curse of Saint Kapila, eventually leading to the descent of the goddess Ganga to Earth, in the form of River Ganges.

Many other themes have been depicted in the sculpture, including elephants, antelope, and cats.

In a suburban area in the city of Taichung, Taiwan, a retired soldier has adorned an entire neighbourhood – walls, streets, doors – with colourful paintings. For this reason, the area has been dubbed Tsai Hung Tsun (‘Rainbow Village’).

This paper lantern, depicting Disney’s Aristocats, was exhibited during the Festival of Lanterns, celebrated during Chinese New Year 2005 (the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac), which took place in the city of Tainan, Taiwan. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Other members of the cat family are described on the pages Animals – Mammals: Lion – king of the savanna, and Animals – Mammals: The spotted killer, which deals with the leopard. Others are shown in the gallery at Animals: Cats.

(Uploaded September 2017)

(Latest update October 2024)

Kaj Halberg - writer & photographer

Travels ‐ Landscapes ‐ Wildlife ‐ People

Cat