essay on domestic cat

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Essay on Cat

The cat is a domestic animal. Its scientific name is Felis catus. It is a small animal that belongs to the “Felidae” family. The cat is the only domesticated species of the family. Other members include tigers, panthers, etc. Cats are adorable animals and are petted by lots of people in the world. They are playful and spending time with them reduces stress and anxiety. In this essay about cats in English , their nature, behaviour and diet have been discussed.

Cat Paragraph in English

Cats are of three types- house cats, farm cats and feral cats. House cats are the cats we pet in our houses. Cats become good friends of humans. Unlike dogs, cats are not very active around their owners. However, they are good emotional companions to their owners. An essay on cats must emphasize the fact that cat-sitting has been proven to be therapeutic by many researchers. 

Any ‘my pet cat essay for Class 6’ must include a few details about the appearance of cats. Cats have very sweet features. It has two beautiful eyes, adorably tiny paws, sharp claws, and two perky ears which are very sensitive to sounds. It has a tiny body covered with smooth fur and it has a furry tail as well. Cats have an adorable face with a tiny nose, a big mouth and a few whiskers under its nose. Cats are generally white in colour but can also be brown, black, grey, cream or buff. 

Cats are omnivores. They eat vegetative items such as rice, milk, pulses, etc. as well as fish, meat, birds, mice, etc. Therefore, cats can feed on both types of food.

It is worth mentioning in this my pet cat essay for Class 6 that cats are considered sacred in several cultures such as the Japanese culture. Cats are often depicted as symbols of wit and honour. Several folklores include stories about the intelligence of cats. 

Apart from being clever and sweet, cats are also skilful hunters. They use their sharp, pointed nails and canines (teeth) to kill animals like snakes, mice and also small birds. Cats are also helpful to their owners as they protect the household from rats. Thus, from this cat essay, it can be said that cats are helpful pets as well.

However, any essay on cats would be incomplete without writing about their babies. A cat offspring is called a “kitten”. Cats are very protective and caring towards their kittens. They feed the kittens and raise them. Kittens are extremely tiny and adorable as well. Their eyes open sometime after they are born. Kittens are very energetic and they spend their time playing with each other and loving their parents. 

Now this cat essay will discuss the nature of cats. Cats are very lazy creatures. They usually spend their time napping and sleeping in warm places. Cats have a slow approach to their lives. They are not very energetic animals and they yawn very adorably whenever they are tired. Cats are very good friends to humans if they trust them. Cats like to sleep close to humans for their body warmth.

A Short My Pet Cat Essay for Class 6

In the following, my favourite pet cat essay, the cat’s behaviour, diet and appearance are discussed. Cat is a domestic animal. Cats are very beautiful and friendly animals. They are very good at hunting rats and snakes.

Cats have two eyes, a tiny nose, two perky ears, four legs and a tail. Their bodies are covered with smooth fur. They have whiskers under their nose. They have sharp claws and tiny paws. Cats are very lazy animals. They sleep a lot during the day. Cats are very good friends to humans. Cats eat both animals and vegetables. 

With that, this cat essay in English comes to its conclusion. This cat essay includes various information about cats in short. In a nutshell, this cat essay for kids discusses why cats are loved by many people.

My Pet Cat Essay for Class 1

Cats are domestic animals. They are small in size. Their bodies are covered with smooth fur. They have two mesmerizing eyes, two highly sensitive ears, four legs, whiskers under their nose and a long tail.

Cats are of three kinds, namely- farm cats, house cats and feral cats. House cats are petted by many people all across the globe. Cats are considered sacred in some traditions and cultures like the Japanese culture. Cats are very witty animals. They are very skilful hunters of rats, snakes, etc. Cats are very lazy pets, they sleep for long hours in a day and they are friendly to people they trust. Cats are not very social animals. Its offspring is called a “kitten”. Cats belong to the same family of tigers and panthers. Cats feed on both vegetables and animals and are, therefore, omnivores. Cats are very beautiful animals and they’re a favourite of many people.

With that, my pet animal cat essay comes to an end. In this essay on cats for class 1, their types, appearance, behaviour, diet and nature are discussed. These are some reasons why cats are adored by many.

FAQs on Cat Essay

1. What is a Cat’s Average Lifespan?

A cat’s average lifespan ranges from two to sixteen years. This is usually in the case of indoor cats as compared to street cats whose lifespan extends only up to 5 years.  The lifespan of a cat depends on the lifestyle they adapt to as well as the environmental hazards they are protected from. A person must contact a veterinarian and use the tips given to ensure that the cat is able to survive longer and lead a healthier lifestyle.

2. How Many Breeds of Cats are There on the Planet?

There are sixty recognized cat breeds in the world at present. Some of them are- Persian cats, Birman, Siberian cats, Siamese cats, British Shorthair, American Shorthair, etc. Some of the most common cat breeds known are Domestic shorthair, American shorthair, Domestic Longhair, Russian Blue, Bengal, Scottish Fold, etc. Different breeds have different characteristics in terms of their behaviour, personalities and needs. Some of them are reserved and short-tempered while some are extremely affectionate and loving. There are some breeds that are extremely independent while others are devoted to their owners.

3. How do Cats Clean Themselves?

The tongues of cats are scaly and they are excellent for cleaning the fur of cats. Cats keep their fur clean by licking their bodies. They are epitomes of cleanliness in terms of hygiene and hence use their tongue, paws and teeth to clean themselves clean. They use their rough/barbed tongues to lick, the paws for absorbing moisture and using it to clean off the dirt as well as their teeth to pick out the stubborn specks from their body.

4. How do we know that a cat is suffering from a health issue?

Cat owners must be very vigilant about the health of their cats by observing changes in their movements time and again. Once a cat reaches a certain age, it is obvious that their diet routine and their behaviour. For those cats suffering from major infections or diseases, regular checkups at the vet are mandatory. Once every two months is the recommended period of time to get a cat checked for health issues. Some symptoms like hiding, aggression towards people, loss of interest towards surroundings, neglect to groom or unusual vocalisation should be monitored.

5. What should domestic cats eat?

There is a difference in the diets of domesticated cats and street cats. Most of the time street cats are found to dig through garbage for leftover food for survival or catch smaller live animals as a part of their hunting tactics. In the case of domesticated cats, veterinarians usually suggest a compact diet that is healthy and to the liking of the cats. Regulating the food every day can prevent the cats from being either malnourished or overweight. Cats mostly prefer meat so boiled or cooked fish, chicken or red meat can be included plus cat food containing the same can also help in building their immune system and protect their heart, eyes and bowel movements. Raw meat and dairy products like cheese should be avoided as they are very harmful.

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Essay On Cat

Cats are domesticated animals. ‘Felis catus’ is its scientific term. It is a little animal from the "Felidae" family. The cat is the only member of this family that has undergone domestication. This family of animals also comprises tigers, panthers, and other animals. Domesticated cats are popularly loved because of their cuteness and playful nature. Playing with them makes you feel less stressed and anxious.

100 Words Essay On Cat

200 words essay on cat, 500 words essay on cat.

There are three different types of cats: domestic cats, farm cats, and feral cats. People all across the world love to pet house cats. In various customs and cultures, such as the Japanese culture, cats are revered. Cats are smart animals. They are expert hunters of snakes, rats, etc. Cats are extremely slothful pets; they sleep for lengthy periods of time each day and are kind to those they know and trust. Cats are not particularly sociable. Its child is known as a "kitten." The same family as tigers and panthers includes cats. Cats are omnivores because they eat both plants and animals for food.

The face of a cat is lovely, with a little nose, a large mouth, and some whiskers under the nose. Although they can also be brown, black, grey, cream, or buff, cats are often white in colour.

Food Habits | Cats are omnivorous. They consume fish, meat, fowl, mice, rice, milk, and other vegetative foods in addition to these animal foods. Cats can therefore eat both sorts of food.

Hunting Skills | Cats are not only smart and affectionate but also skilled hunters. They kill creatures, including snakes, mice, and small birds, using their sharp, pointed nails and canines (teeth).

Offsprings | Cats’ offsprings are referred to as ‘kittens’. Cats are incredibly nurturing and guarding of their young. The kittens are raised and fed by them. Kittens are incredibly cute and tiny. Sometime after birth, their eyes open. They have a lot of energy, and they enjoy playing with one another and cuddling with their parents.

Good Pets | Cats are beneficial to their owners because they keep rats out of the house. This is one of the reasons why cats make good pets. Cats are extremely slothful animals. They typically spend their days sleeping and taking naps in warm locations. The pace of life for cats is leisurely. They are not particularly spirited animals, and whenever they are exhausted, they yawn quite cutely. If cats trust people, they can make excellent buddies with them. Cats want to sleep near people because they are warm.

There were 480 million stray cats and 220 million owned cats in the globe as of 2021, according to estimates. With 95.6 million domestic cats owned and 42 million households having at least one cat, domestic cats were the second most common pet in the United States as of 2017. In the UK, 10.9 million cats are thought to be kept as pets, with 26% of adults in the country having one. I keep a fluffy white pet cat as a pet.

Features Of Cats | Although all cats appear to be the same, there are more than 55 different cat breeds. They have excellent night vision, and their flexible bodies make it simple for them to leap from one place to another. They can easily locate the milk because of their keen sense of smell.

Domestication Of Cats | Cats were revered in ancient Egypt starting around 3100 BC. Therefore it was long believed that the domestication of cats started there. However, more recent discoveries in archaeology and genetics have revealed that the domestication of cats actually started in Western Asia around 7500 BC. Later on, Egyptian wildcats contributed to the domestic cat's maternal gene pool.

Breed Development | Cat breed development began in the middle of the 19th century. According to genomic research of domestic cats, the DNA of their wild ancestors underwent significant change during domestication as particular mutations were chosen to create different cat breeds. Most breeds originated from household cats that were randomly bred. These breeds' genetic diversity varies by area and is lowest in purebred populations, which have over 20 harmful genetic illnesses.

My parents made the decision to bring me a pet because I am a single child. I immediately decided on a cat when they asked if I wanted a dog or a cat. My heart raced as my father drove me to a pet store because of this adorable white kitten with grey ears. Since we brought it home, it has been my closest companion. Its name is Rosie.

Rosie has been living with us for the past two years and has integrated herself into our family. I enjoy using it for play. Every evening I play with it in the house and also take it to the park. With my mother's assistance, I bathe it twice a month. Rosie and I both have a lot of fun when we take baths. Every day, my mother makes a point of combing Rosie's hairy coat. Rosie has her own set of combs, brushes, shampoo, and soaps. Her diet is likewise well-cared for by us. For her, we bring a special cat meal home. I cherish my beloved cat.

Although we cannot completely replace humans, my cats still adore me, and I adore them. We play together and engage in a variety of activities that bring joy to both of us. If you've ever kept a cat as a pet, as I did, you'll understand. I adore and appreciate being around my cat. Rosie is lovely, playful, and happy.

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Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Cats: The strange and fascinating history of our feline friends

Cats have associated with humans for up to 10,000 years.

When were cats domesticated?

• Are there different breeds?

How smart are cats?

Do cats feel emotion.

• Do cats see color?

How do cats help people?

Additional resources.

Domestic cats ( Felis catus ) are small carnivorous members of the family Felidae — the only member of that family that has deigned to join humans in domesticated bliss. 

Cats have lived among humans for thousands of years. They probably started hanging around human grain stores, attracted by mice and other vermin, and eventually spread around the world as sailors brought them aboard ships.

Today, cats still help humans control vermin and also provide companionship. In the past few centuries, humans have bred some cats to display certain traits, like hairlessness, establishing dozens of cat breeds. With their charming mix of aloofness and goofiness, cats amuse and fascinate humans in equal turns.

Cats were domesticated around 10,000 years ago, research shows. A 2017 genetic study found that today's domestic cats descend from Felis silvestris lybica , a wild cat subspecies from the Near East. Genes from cats found in archaeological sites in the Near East, Europe and Africa reveal that about 10,000 years ago in modern-day Turkey, cats started to associate with humans and split from their wild relatives. 

Despite having relatively small natural ranges, Felis silvestris lybica started showing up in eastern Europe by 4400 B.C., according to telltale genes from cats found in archaeological sites. This spread strongly suggests that cats were hitching rides aboard ships with traders, who probably appreciated that cats kept rats in check. Cats certainly traveled long distances: A 2016 study found DNA from Egyptian cats at a Viking site in northern Germany dating to between A.D. 700 and 1000.

The oldest known burial of a domesticated cat comes from Cyprus, where a human and a cat were buried together 9,500 years ago, researchers reported in 2004 . Cat bones also have been found buried in 5,300-year-old refuse pits in China , suggesting that the felines were a part of human life in the Far East, too.

Even if cats joined people in the Near East, it was in ancient Egypt where they took on a starring role. Scientists aren't yet sure whether the Egyptians domesticated cats separately from the Near East lineage, or whether the cats spread from Turkey to Egypt. Either way, Egyptians treasured cats' mixture of protectiveness and independence and saw the traits of their gods in cats, which were sometimes mummified lovingly next to their deceased owners but were also sacrificed in large numbers as part of religious rituals. Bastet, a feline-headed goddess, was worshipped as a protector and as a deity of pregnancy and childbirth.

Related: Why were the ancient Egyptians obsessed with cats?

Are there different breeds of cats?

Cats come in many breeds, though not with the same degree of diversity as dogs. The Cat Fanciers' Association , a nonprofit dedicated to cats, recognizes 45 pedigreed breeds as well as the "companion cat," otherwise known as "most regular cats."

These breeds include relatively well-known varieties, like the slender Siamese cat and the fluffy Persian, as well as the leopard-spotted Bengal, the short-tailed American bobtail and the hairless Sphynx. While dogs have been bred over centuries to carry out different tasks, leading to a variety of sizes and shapes, domestic cats have only two jobs: controlling pests and being pets. Thus, most pedigreed cats are bred for traits such as color and fur length rather than, say, a waterproof coat for swimming or a strong herding instinct for guarding sheep. Most cat breeds date to less than 100 years ago, Leslie Lyons, a professor at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, told Live Science in 2017 .

Cats are intelligent, and the widely held notion that dogs are smarter than cats may be unfounded, given that each species has cognitive abilities best suited to their lifestyle, Live Science previously reported. Felines display object permanence , or the ability to realize that something still exists when it's out of sight — an ability humans develop around the age of 8 months. Object permanence is an important skill to have when you're a hunter operating at night, listening for the telltale patter of tiny mice feet. Cats also recognize their owners' voices , according to a 2013 study in the journal Animal Cognition .

But cats don't always make their smarts easy to measure. "They're a nightmare to work with in the lab," said Julia Meyers-Manor, a psychologist at Ripon College in Wisconsin who studies animal cognition.

Compared with other animals, such as rats and dogs, few studies have been done on cat intelligence, Meyers-Manor told Live Science. Cats hate strangers and unfamiliar places, like labs, she said; they typically bury their faces in their owners' arms and refuse to cooperate with the task at hand.

Unlike dogs, which are pack animals, cats evolved from a solitary wild lifestyle, thus making them less attuned to social cues   In a 2021 study , researchers had cats watch as their owners struggled to open a container. In some cases, an actor helped the owner open the container. In others, that actor rudely turned away. In still others, an actor sat by neutrally, neither helping nor refusing to help.

The actor then offered the watching cat a treat. Previous studies had found that dogs avoided taking treats from an actor who had refused to help their owners, but cats didn't care; they took treats from anyone. According to the researchers, this may not have been cold-hearted behavior by the kitties; instead, cats may not have understood the difference between someone who helped and someone who didn't. They simply haven't been bred for hyper-cooperativity with humans, the way dogs have.

In other words, cats are plenty smart, at least at tasks that a solitary hunter needs for survival. They just don't necessarily care if you know it.

Cats might not be the most socially savvy, but there is evidence that they form bonds with their humans. A 2002 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that cats can develop separation anxiety, often displayed by peeing or pooping somewhere they shouldn't. Cats also seemed to defer to their owners in a 2015 experiment in which they were presented with an unfamiliar object (in this case, a fan). Of these cats, 80% looked between the fan and their owners while their owners talked about the fan in either a reassuring or alarmed tone of voice. Cats who heard the alarmed tone were more likely than cats whose owners were calm to look toward the room's exit, suggesting they understood the negative emotion in their humans’' voice and were responding to it. They also interacted with their owners more, suggesting they were seeking reassurance.

Cats also seem to recognize the emotions of both other cats and humans. In a 2020 study in the journal Animals , researchers showed pet cats pictures of angry or happy human faces alongside recordings of humans laughing or growling angrily. They also showed the cats pictures of angry and contented cats alongside recordings of cats hissing and cats purring. In some cases, the pictures matched the emotional sounds; in others, they were mismatched. The researchers then measured how long the cats looked at each image while the matched or mismatched sound played.

The results showed that cats looked longer at the pictures when the emotional sounds matched. They also showed more stress when exposed to the stimuli representing both human and cat anger. This finding suggests that cats can process basic emotions, even when displayed by another species.

"These findings demonstrate that cats have developed social skills that allow them to understand human emotional signals, which is a key factor for the maintenance of interspecies relationships and for strengthening the human-cat bond," the researchers concluded.

Do cats see color? (And other feline senses)

Cats have excellent vision, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual . Their eyes are loaded with sensing cells called cones, which provide acuity in bright light. They're also equipped with a high number of rods, cells in the retina that are good at capturing dim light. This allows cats to see six times better than humans can in the dark, according to Merck. A reflective layer in the eye called the tapetum lucidum also helps collect extra light at night. This layer is what makes cats' eyes shine green if a flashlight or headlight catches their eye in the dark.

Research from 2014 suggests that cats can see ultraviolet light , blue light outside the range that humans can see. Cats likely don't see color as well as humans, though. They have two types of cones that can detect short- and long-wavelength light, according to a 2009 study , while humans have three, giving people greater sensitivity at distinguishing between colors. In 2013, an artist created comparisons of scenes from the perspectives of cats and humans , showing that cats don't see long distances as well as people do and that their world looks more desaturated. However, cats have a broader field of view than humans do: 200 degrees compared with 180 degrees for people.

Cats aren't particularly strong smellers, but their sense of hearing is very sensitive. According to a 1985 study in the journal Hearing Research , cats can hear frequencies between 55 hertz and 78 kilohertz, a broad range that is topped only by porpoises and cattle. (For comparison, the deepest sound a human can hear is 20 hertz, and the most piercing high sound is around 20 kilohertz.)

Cats still work to control rats and mice around farms, nurseries and warehouses. But most of the time, a cat’s job is to provide companionship for people.

Science suggests they do their job well. A 2016 study in the journal Pet Behaviour Science found that spending time with a cat reduced heart rate and blood pressure in both owners and volunteers who didn't own cats. A study published online in the journal Anthrozoös in 2015 found that cats reduce their owners' negative moods.

Interacting with cats activates the prefrontal cortex, the front part of the brain that is associated with complex tasks. A 2020 study in the journal PLOS One found that playing with, petting, training and feeding cats all activated a region of the prefrontal cortex linked to empathy and nonverbal communication.

The autonomy and independence of the cats seemed to be key to what makes the cat-human relationship work: Getting a normally uncooperative cat to cooperate with play or training provided a big mood jolt, the researchers found. It turns out that for cats, playing hard to get pays off.

Learn more about caring for cats and avoiding their diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Check out the The Humane Society of the United States for useful information on how to care for cats and solve common problems. And this Library of Congress page has a fascinating description of how cats became domesticated.

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Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. 

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Short Essay on Cat [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Essay writing is an indispensable part of any English writing comprehension syllabus. From lower grades to upper, all kinds of students have a common need to learn essay writing. In today’s session, you are going to learn to write essays on one of the most common animals: cats. Essays on cats have become quite popular in exams during the last few years. So, without further introduction, let’s get started. 

Short Essay on Cat in100 Words

Cats are domestic animals. They are small and cute and are kept as pets. They have bright eyes, tiny paws, sharp claws and a furry body and tail. Most commonly, cats are found in colours like black, white, brown, ginger and orange. They are true carnivores and prey on rats, mice, lizards, snakes, small fishes and other small animals in the wild.

Pet cats can live for 12 to 18 years. Cats have been valued by humans for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred animals and were worshipped. They were viewed as magical beings by the Persians. Cats are also seen as a symbol of good luck in China and Japan. 

Short Essay on Cat in 200 Words 

Cats are small domestic animals. They belong to the family Felidae and are the only domestic species in their family. Cats can be either house cats who live with people, farm cats who live on farms or feral cats who live on streets or in the wild. Cats are small and cute. They have bright eyes, tiny paws, sharp claws and a furry body and tail. Most commonly, cats are found in colours like black, white, brown, ginger and orange. There are about 60 different varieties of cats. 

Cats are true carnivores and need to eat meat to survive. They prey on rats, mice, lizards, snakes, rabbits, small fishes, small birds and other small animals in the wild. They usually eat many small meals throughout the day. Pet cats are known to love tuna and meats like chicken, turkey and beef. Most cat breeds can live for 12 to 18 years. A few cats have even lived for 25 to 30 years. 

Cats have been living with humans for thousands of years. People valued them not just for their ability to kill rodents and snakes, but also as companions. Ancient cultures like Egypt saw them as sacred and worshipped them. In Persia, they were seen as the messengers of omens and magical beings. In Japan and China, cats symbolise blessings, good luck and fortune and their figurines are often displayed in storefronts. 

Short Essay on Cat in 400 Words 

Cats are small animals that can be easily domesticated. They belong to the family Felidae and subfamily Felinae. Cats are the only domestic species in their family. The wild members of the family include lions, tigers, cougars, panthers, and leopards.

Cats can be either house cats who live with people in houses, farm cats who live on farms, or feral cats who live on streets or in the wild and generally avoid people. Cats are small and cute. They have bright eyes, tiny paws, sharp teeth, retractable claws and a furry body and tail. Most commonly, cats are found in colours like black, white, brown, ginger and orange. There are about 60 different varieties of cats. 

Cats are true carnivores and need to eat meat in order to survive. Their night vision and sense of smell are well-developed. They mostly hunt during dawn or at dusk. Cats prey on rats, mice, lizards, snakes, rabbits, small fishes, small birds and other small animals in the wild.

Pet cats are known to love fishes like tuna, salmon, and sardines and meats like chicken, turkey, and beef. Cats are believed to be the only mammals who do not taste sweetness. There are many predators that prey on cats. Some larger predators include cougars, coyotes, raccoons, and wolves, while smaller animals like hawks, eagles, snakes, and owls also hunt cats. 

Most cat breeds can live for 12 to 18 years. A few cats have even lived for 25 to 30 years. Cats usually have kittens from spring to late autumn and their average litter size is four to six. Burmese, Siamese, and Persian cats are known to have the largest average litter. Cats are social animals. In feral conditions, while many cats live alone, others form colonies and live together around food sources. Cats are very territorial and mark their areas by urine spraying, rubbing facial secretions, and defecation. 

Cats have been living with humans for thousands of years. They were first domesticated in the Near East around 7500 BC. People valued them not just for their ability to kill rodents and snakes, but also as companions. Ancient cultures like Egypt saw them as sacred and worshipped them. In Persia, they were seen as the messengers of omens and magical beings. In Japan and China, cats symbolise blessings, good luck and fortune, and their figurines are often displayed in storefronts. According to estimates, there are around 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats today. 

That’s all about today’s session on writing essays on cats. In this essay, I have tried to discuss many different aspects of cats. Hopefully, after going through this session, you have holistic clarity about the topic we have just discussed. If you still have any queries, let me know through some quick comments. And keep browsing the website to read more such essays and other writing comprehensions. 

Join us on Telegram to get the latest updates about our upcoming session. Thanks for being with us. See you again, soon. 

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The inner lives of cats: what our feline friends really think about hugs, happiness and humans

They do what they want, all the time – and can teach us a lot about how to live in the present, be content and learn from our experience

I wanted to know the exact amount of time I spend ruminating on the inner lives of my cats, so I did what most people do in times of doubt, and consulted Google. According to my search history, in the two years since I became a cat owner I have Googled variations of “cat love me – how do I tell?” and “is my cat happy” 17 times. I have also inadvertently subscribed to cat-related updates from the knowledge website Quora, which emails me a daily digest. (Sample: Can Cats Be Angry or Disappointed With Their Owner? )

How do I love my cats? Let me count the ways. The clean snap of three-year-old Larry’s jaw as he contemplates me with detached curiosity is my favourite sound in the world. I love the tenor and cadence of my six-month-old kitten Kedi’s miaows as he follows me around the house. (High-pitched indignant squeaks means he wants food; lower-pitched chirrups suggest he would like to play.) I love the weight of Larry on my feet at night and the scratchy caress of Kedi’s tongue on my eyelid in the morning.

But how do I know what these little tykes really think and feel? I fear the authors of online listicles written in cursive fonts are unlikely to provide me with the latest scientific research – and are probably just saying what they think I want to hear. To truly journey into the feline soul, I will have to go to the fountainhead.

Despite the fact that cats are the most common pet in UK households after dogs, we know relatively little about them. This, says Dr Carlo Siracusa of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, “is partly due to practical problems.”

Dogs are easy to study: you can take them to a lab and they will be content. But cats are intensely territorial creatures. “The behaviour of a cat is so modified by its environment that if you move it to a laboratory,” says Siracusa, “what you’ll see is not really reflective of what the normal behaviour of the cat is.”

But there is another reason that cats are under-researched. “There’s a stigma,” says Siracusa. Cats have been unfairly maligned through much of human history. In the middle ages, cats were thought of as the companions of witches, and sometimes tortured and burned. “They have been stigmatised as evil because they are thought to be amoral,” says the philosopher and writer John Gray, author of Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life . “Which in a sense, cats are – they just want to follow their own nature.”

What we do know about the inner lives of domestic cats is usually determined by scientists running studies in their homes. Unsurprisingly, many of these scientists are cat owners. “Of course I am a cat lover,” says Dr Saho Takagi of Kyoto University . “When I started raising cats, I was attracted by their mysteriousness. What are these cats thinking? How do they perceive the world? These are the questions that motivate me in my research.” Takagi is holding a cat in her photo on the professional network for scientists, ResearchGate .

She co-authored a paper, published last month, that found that cats mentally track the locations of their owners by their voice , even when they can’t see them. Cats participating in the study were played audio of their owners calling their names. When the source of their owner’s voice moved, they appeared the most startled. “These findings suggest that cats are quite concerned about their owners,” she says. “They may be watching their owner’s every action carefully, thinking about what will happen next.”

A common criticism levelled at cats is that these capricious little creatures only use humans for warm beds and a reliable source of protein. But “cats do get attached to people,” says Siracusa. “They get attached to other animals too.” He explains that cats often show affection by proximity, if not physical interaction, “being in the same room as you or physically close to you”. More demonstrative cats will sleep on or near their owners, or other cats. “Cats who have grown up together are more likely to be preferred associates,” he says. “But as a general rule cats do not like to be picked up, hugged and kissed. The great majority of cats don’t like this.”

This misapprehension that cats do not care for their owners typically comes from humans who are disappointed their cats don’t behave like other humans, or at the very least, dogs. “Cats are not people,” Siracusa sighs, “and they are not dogs. Humans hug and kiss. Dogs become very excited and jump around. Cats don’t do anything like that. They are much more elegant. They approach us. They bump their heads. Then they have some contact with us and walk away.”

This is because they are descended from the African wildcat, a solitary creature. “Cats are not social,” says clinical veterinarian Karen Hiestand of the University of Sussex. “They do not need friends.” Although, in multicat households, cats may choose to exhibit affection by allogrooming – licking each other. Watching Larry and Kedi groom each other is usually the highlight of my day.

Cats can feel depressed, says Hiestand. Just don’t call it depression. “There are issues around using mental health terminology on non-human species,” she says. “I have my own views: if it looks like a horse and sounds like a horse, then call it a horse.” The issue when it comes to spotting depressed cats, Hiestand says, “is that cat behaviour is incredibly subtle. We don’t notice when cats are miserable because a miserable cat sits still and doesn’t do much. We think that, if they are miserable, they’ll be hissing and fighting. But that’s an action of last resort for them. There’s a world of misery before then. We just don’t notice.” Changes in behaviour can be a sign of cat distress: when Siracusa started working from home due to the pandemic, his cat, Elsa, was disoriented and upset by the unexpected change in his behaviour. (Look out for changes in their toilet habits, or food consumption.) Fascinatingly, when Siracusa put Elsa on probiotics, this appeared to improve her mood. “Behavioural disorders are influenced by the immune system, and the immune system is influenced by the gut,” he says.

Cats also retain memories: I have seen this myself first-hand. When Larry burned his paw on my induction hob last year, he stopped walking on my kitchen units for months. If I picked him up and placed him on the worktop, he would jump off, associating the area with the memory of pain. “Memories related to emotions,” explains Siracusa, “and memories that cause a negative feeling are particularly good for our survival. Cats learn from experience and retain information that will keep them away from trouble or help them to get an advantage.”

Cats retain more prosaic memories too. Takagi has conducted experiments in which cats are fed using multiple bowls of food over a period of time. The researchers learned which types of food the cats liked best and served it in a specific bowl (allowing them to create memories of what was served and when), then later switched the bowls. They found that the cats could recall if they had previously searched a given bowl when looking for a particular treat and the circumstances under which this had occurred. “This showed that it was a one-time experience that could be used and retrieved later,” says Takagi. “This type of memory is called episodic memory, and it is equivalent to memories in humans.”

They even dream. “In practice,” says Hiestand, “there are some anaesthetic agents we use when operating on cats that are hallucinogenic. I always think, what is the cat hallucinating? Is it giant mice? Sometimes, you see their feet pedalling, as if they are running in their dreams.” She believes these dreams aren’t so dissimilar to the human experience of dreaming: “Going over the day’s events and storing things in their memory banks,” Hiestand says. “There’s no reason to think their brains would work so differently to ours in that respect.”

What cats cannot do, however, is project into the future, because their frontal lobes are not developed. “Cats can’t make long-term plans,” says Siracusa. “Some people think that [when] they leave the house, and their cat poops on the couch, it is so that when I return I have a nasty experience. But cats do not have the ability to plan ahead in this way.” That means Kedi isn’t trying to annoy me when he knocks over my laundry rack: he can’t conceptualise that I may respond negatively to seeing fresh laundry strewn across the floor.

So what is going on in those catty little brains? “That’s a difficult question,” Siracusa says. “I think most of their thoughts are about how to stay safe. Stay away from predators. Do cool stuff, such as eat a juicy mouse. Because they live in a human world, they most likely have thoughts related to us. That new tumble dryer we bought makes a terrible noise. But most of their thoughts are related to staying safe, and happy.” He pauses, and then laughs: “But I suppose those are my inner thoughts, projected on to a cat’s inner thoughts.”

Over the course of the week it takes me to research and write this article, I become obsessed – even more than before – with the happiness and wellbeing of my charges. I observe their pointy little faces carefully, watchful for any flicker of emotion behind their translucent amber eyes. I even send videos of them to the cat behaviourist Anita Kelsey, author of Let’s Talk About Cats . “He’s excited to see you,” she says in response to one video of Kedi accosting me in the morning. “He knows his food is coming soon. There’s a burst of energy shortly after waking. It’s typical behaviour.”

It isn’t enough. Sure, I can see what they are doing in front of me: licking their bottoms, jumping at flies, sleeping adorably on their backs, fluffy bellies crying out to be tickled. But the lives they lead when I’m not around remain a mystery. Do they pine for me, or are they unmoved? The answer, of course, is to spy on them. The home security company, Canary, provides me with motion-activated internal security cameras. What do they reveal? The cats flick pens off my desk. They rip chunks out of my overpriced ergonomic office chair. They drink out of abandoned water glasses. They exist blithely, unconcernedly, unbothered by my physical absence.

Most cats do not long for their absent owners any more than they will fetch a ball on command, or embrace veganism. They are cats. They do what they want, all the time. “Cats are a window outside the human world,” says Gray, “They are themselves, and they stay themselves. They adapt to human ways. But they don’t adopt human ways.”

In other words, we should stop trying to project human attributes on to these inscrutable creatures. “Cats are cats and humans are humans and we can’t become cats,” Gray says. “I think the question should really be, can we learn anything from them that is beneficial to us? I think we can. By looking at something so different to us, that lives alongside us, we can shake the more harmful habits that go with being human. Such as worrying about the future and not living enough in the present, or being content with the life we have.” Also, sleeping a lot.

It strikes me, speaking to Gray, that the ancient Egyptians got it right. They worshipped cats: their deity Mut, the mother goddess, was frequently depicted as a cat. “It’s because they are so self-possessed and imperious,” says Gray. “They do what they want to do. And live the way they want to live.” Perhaps a better relationship between human and cat would approximate these ancient ways. After all, you don’t need to understand the ways of a cat to worship it.

My week-long journey into the feline soul ends with me unplugging my cameras and returning Larry and Kedi to an unmonitored existence. Before I do, I fire up the camera and watch the footage one last time. I see a little kitten, reaching its paw toward the all-seeing eye of a technological interloper. And me, behind the camera, striving for the felicity that comes to our feline friends so easily.

• Animal behaviour

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Essay on Cat

Students are often asked to write an essay on Cat in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Cat

The furry companion.

Cats, small carnivorous mammals, are often kept as pets. They belong to the family Felidae and are loved for their playful nature.

Physical Attributes

Cats have a strong, flexible body with quick reflexes. They use sharp retractable claws for hunting and self-defense.

Behaviour and Habits

Cats are solitary animals. They love to sleep and can sleep up to 13-14 hours a day. They communicate through purring, hissing, and gesturing.

Significance

Cats are beneficial to humans as they kill pests. They are also known for their therapeutic effects.

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250 Words Essay on Cat

Introduction.

Cats, belonging to the family Felidae, have been companions to humans for nearly 9,500 years. Their enigmatic personalities and independent nature have captivated people’s interest, making them one of the most popular pets worldwide.

Evolution and Domestication

The domestic cat, Felis catus, is believed to have evolved from the Near Eastern wildcat. They were domesticated when humans transitioned from nomadic lifestyles to settled farming communities. Cats were revered for their hunting prowess, controlling vermin populations, thus safeguarding grain stores.

Behavior and Communication

Cats exhibit a variety of behaviors that communicate their emotional state. Purring often signifies contentment, while hissing usually indicates fear or aggression. Their body language, particularly tail movements, also provides insight into their mood.

Cognitive Abilities

Cats possess impressive cognitive abilities. They have excellent problem-solving skills, demonstrating a level of intelligence that allows them to adapt to new environments and situations with relative ease. Their memory is notably sharp, especially for learned survival tactics.

Role in Human Society

Cats have played diverse roles in human societies, from being worshipped as sacred creatures in ancient Egypt to being associated with witchcraft in medieval Europe. Today, they are primarily cherished as companions, offering comfort and emotional support to their owners.

Cats, with their complex behaviors and rich history, continue to be a subject of fascination. Their unique blend of independence and affection makes them an intriguing pet choice, offering a special bond that enriches human lives. Their role in our societies reflects our enduring fascination with these enigmatic creatures.

500 Words Essay on Cat

Cats, belonging to the Felidae family, are one of the most beloved pets worldwide. With their diverse breeds, each with unique characteristics, cats have charmed their way into the hearts of millions. This essay explores the biological aspects, behavior, and significance of cats in human societies.

Biological Characteristics

Cats, scientifically referred to as Felis catus, are small carnivorous mammals. They are often valued by humans for their ability to hunt household pests like rodents. Cats have a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, and sharp retractable claws. They are known for their agility and grace. Interestingly, domestic cats are similar in size regardless of their breed. They typically weigh between 4 and 5 kg, but some larger breeds can reach up to 11 kg.

Behavioral Traits

Cats are primarily solitary hunters but show a wide range of social behaviors. They communicate through a variety of vocalizations (meowing, purring, hissing) as well as body language. Cats also display complex behaviors like territory establishment, mating rituals, and mother-kitten bonds. Unlike dogs, which have undergone extensive selective breeding, cats are largely similar to their wild ancestors. This is reflected in their behavior as they often display a strong instinct to hunt, even when well-fed.

Role in Human Societies

Cats have been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years, and are currently the most popular pet worldwide. They were revered in ancient Egypt and were even represented in social and religious practices. Today, cats are often valued for their companionship and ability to hunt vermin. They also play a therapeutic role, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Symbolism and Cultural Significance

Cats hold significant symbolic meanings in various cultures. In ancient Egypt, they were considered sacred. The goddess Bastet, often depicted as a lioness or a woman with a cat’s head, was the goddess of home, fertility, and childbirth, protector of the pharaoh. In Japanese folklore, the “maneki-neko” or “beckoning cat” is a common talisman believed to bring good luck to the owner.

Cats, with their mysterious allure and independent spirit, continue to captivate people around the globe. Their biological attributes and behaviors have not only made them efficient companions but also subjects of fascination in scientific research. As symbols, they carry rich cultural and historical significance. Understanding cats, therefore, can be a gateway to understanding larger concepts in biology, history, and culture. The multidimensional appeal of cats underscores their unique position in the human world.

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June 1, 2009

13 min read

The Evolution of House Cats

Genetic and archaeological findings hint that wildcats became house cats earlier--and in a different place--than previously thought

By Carlos A. Driscoll , Juliet Clutton-Brock , Andrew C. Kitchener & Stephen J. O'Brien

It is by turns aloof and affectionate, serene and savage, endearing and exasperating. Despite its mercurial nature, however, the house cat is the most popular pet in the world. A third of American households have feline members, and more than 600 million cats live among humans worldwide. Yet as familiar as these creatures are, a complete understanding of their origins has proved elusive. Whereas other once wild animals were domesticated for their milk, meat, wool or servile labor, cats contribute virtually nothing in the way of sustenance or work to human endeavor. How, then, did they become commonplace fixtures in our homes?

Scholars long believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to keep cats as pets, starting around 3,600 years ago. But genetic and archaeological discoveries made over the past five years have revised this scenario—and have generated fresh insights into both the ancestry of the house cat and how its relationship with humans evolved.

Cat’s Cradle The question of where house cats first arose has been challenging to resolve for several reasons. Although a number of investigators suspected that all varieties descend from just one cat species— Felis silvestris , the wildcat—they could not be certain. In addition, that species is not confined to a small corner of the globe. It is represented by populations living throughout the Old World—from Scotland to South Africa and from Spain to Mongolia—and until recently scientists had no way of determining unequivocally which of these wildcat populations gave rise to the tamer, so-called domestic kind. Indeed, as an alternative to the Egyptian origins hypothesis, some researchers had even proposed that cat domestication occurred in a number of different locations, with each domestication spawning a different breed. Confounding the issue was the fact that members of these wildcat groups are hard to tell apart from one another and from feral domesticated cats with so-called mackerel-tabby coats because all of them have the same pelage pattern of curved stripes and they interbreed freely with one another, further blurring population boundaries.

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In 2000 one of us (Driscoll) set out to tackle the question by assembling DNA samples from some 979 wildcats and domestic cats in southern Africa, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Middle East. Because wildcats typically defend a single territory for life, he expected that the genetic composition of wildcat groups would vary across geography but remain stable over time, as has occurred in many other cat species. If regional indigenous groups of these animals could be distinguished from one another on the basis of their DNA and if the DNA of domestic cats more closely resembled that of one of the wildcat populations, then he would have clear evidence for where domestication began.

In the genetic analysis, published in 2007, Driscoll, another of us (O’Brien) and their colleagues focused on two kinds of DNA that molecular biologists traditionally examine to differentiate subgroups of mammal species: DNA from mitochondria, which is inherited exclusively from the mother, and short, repetitive sequences of nuclear DNA known as microsatellites. Using established computer routines, they assessed the ancestry of each of the 979 individuals sampled based on their genetic signatures. Specifically, they measured how similar each cat’s DNA was to that of all the other cats and grouped the animals having similar DNA together. They then asked whether most of the animals in a group lived in the same region.

The results revealed five genetic clusters, or lineages, of wildcats. Four of these lineages corresponded neatly with four of the known subspecies of wildcat and dwelled in specific places: F. silvestris silvestris in Europe, F. s. bieti in China, F. s. ornata in Central Asia and F. s. cafra in southern Africa. The fifth lineage, however, included not only the fifth known subspecies of wildcat— F. s. lybica in the Middle East—but also the hundreds of domestic cats that were sampled, including purebred and mixed-breed felines from the U.S., the U.K. and Japan. In fact, genetically, F. s. lybica wildcats collected in remote deserts of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were virtually indistinguishable from domestic cats. That the domestic cats grouped with F. s. lybica alone among wildcats meant that domestic cats arose in a single locale, the Middle East, and not in other places where wildcats are common.

Once we had figured out where house cats came from, the next step was to ascertain when they had become domesticated. Geneticists can often estimate when a particular evolutionary event occurred by studying the quantity of random genetic mutations that accumulate at a steady rate over time. But this so-called molecular clock ticks a mite too slowly to precisely date events as recent as the past 10,000 years, the likely interval for cat domestication. To get a bead on when the taming of the cat began, we turned to the archaeological record. One recent find has proved especially informative in this regard.

In 2004 Jean-Denis Vigne of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and his colleagues reported unearthing the earliest evidence suggestive of humans keeping cats as pets. The discovery comes from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, where 9,500 years ago an adult human of unknown gender was laid to rest in a shallow grave. An assortment of items accompanied the body—stone tools, a lump of iron oxide, a handful of seashells and, in its own tiny grave just 40 centimeters away, an eight-month-old cat, its body oriented in the same westward direction as the human’s.

Because cats are not native to most Mediterranean islands, we know that people must have brought them over by boat, probably from the adjacent Levantine coast. Together the transport of cats to the island and the burial of the human with a cat indicate that people had a special, intentional relationship with cats nearly 10,000 years ago in the Middle East. This locale is consistent with the geographic origin we arrived at through our genetic analyses. It appears, then, that cats were being tamed just as humankind was establishing the first settlements in the part of the Middle East known as the Fertile Crescent.

A Cat and Mouse Game? With the geography and an approximate age of the initial phases of cat domestication established, we could begin to revisit the old question of why cats and humans ever developed a special relationship. Cats in general are unlikely candidates for domestication. The ancestors of most domesticated animals lived in herds or packs with clear dominance hierarchies. (Humans unwittingly took advantage of this structure by supplanting the alpha individual, thus facilitating control of entire cohesive groups.) These herd animals were already accustomed to living cheek by jowl, so provided that food and shelter were plentiful, they adapted easily to confinement.

Cats, in contrast, are solitary hunters that defend their home ranges fiercely from other cats of the same sex (the pride-living lions are the exception to this rule). Moreover, whereas most domesticates feed on widely available plant foods, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have a limited ability to digest anything but meat—a far rarer menu item. In fact, they have lost the ability to taste sweet carbohydrates altogether. And as to utility to humans, let us just say cats do not take instruction well. Such attributes suggest that whereas other domesticates were recruited from the wild by humans who bred them for specific tasks, cats most likely chose to live among humans because of opportunities they found for themselves.

Early settlements in the Fertile Crescent between 9,000 and 10,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period, created a completely new environment for any wild animals that were sufficiently flexible and inquisitive (or scared and hungry) to exploit it. The house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus , was one such creature. Archaeologists have found remains of this rodent, which originated in the Indian subcontinent, among the first human stores of wild grain from Israel, which date to around 10,000 years ago. The house mice could not compete well with the local wild mice outside, but by moving into people’s homes and silos, they thrived.

It is almost certainly the case that these house mice attracted cats. But the trash heaps on the outskirts of town were probably just as great a draw, providing year-round pickings for those felines resourceful enough to seek them out. Both these food sources would have encouraged cats to adapt to living with people; in the lingo of evolutionary biology, natural selection favored those cats that were able to cohabitate with humans and thereby gain access to the trash and mice.

Over time, wildcats more tolerant of living in human-dominated environments began to proliferate in villages throughout the Fertile Crescent. Selection in this new niche would have been principally for tameness, but competition among cats would also have continued to influence their evolution and limit how pliant they became. Because these proto–domestic cats were undoubtedly mostly left to fend for themselves, their hunting and scavenging skills remained sharp. Even today most domesticated cats are free agents that can easily survive independently of humans, as evinced by the plethora of feral cats in cities, towns and countrysides the world over.

Considering that small cats do little obvious harm, people probably did not mind their company. They might have even encouraged the cats to stick around when they saw them dispatching mice and snakes. Cats may have held other appeal, too. Some experts speculate that wildcats just so happened to possess features that might have preadapted them to developing a relationship with people. In particular, these cats have “cute” features—large eyes, a snub face and a high, round forehead, among others—that are known to elicit nurturing from humans. In all likelihood, then, some people took kittens home simply because they found them adorable and tamed them, giving cats a first foothold at the human hearth.

Why was F. s. lybica the only subspecies of wild­cat to be domesticated? Anecdotal evidence suggests that certain other subspecies, such as the European wildcat and the Chinese mountain cat, are less tolerant of people. If so, this trait alone could have precluded their adoption into homes. The friendlier southern African and Central Asian wildcats, on the other hand, might very well have become domesticated under the right conditions. But F. s. lybica had the advantage of a head start by virtue of its proximity to the first settlements. As agriculture spread out from the Fertile Crescent, so, too, did the tame scions of F. s. lybica , filling the same niche in each region they entered—and effectively shutting the door on local wildcat populations. Had domestic cats from the Near East never arrived in Africa or Asia, perhaps the indigenous wildcats in those regions would have been drawn to homes and villages as urban civilizations developed.

Rise of the Goddess We do not know how long the transformation of the Middle Eastern wildcat into an affectionate home companion took. Animals can be domesticated quite rapidly under controlled conditions. In one famous experiment, begun in 1959, Russian scientists using highly selective breeding produced tame silver foxes from wild ones in just 40 years. But without doors or windowpanes, Neolithic farmers would have been hard-pressed to control the breeding of cats even if they wanted to. It seems reasonable to suggest that the lack of human influence on breeding and the probable intermixing of house cats and wildcats militated against rapid taming, causing the metamorphosis to occur over thousands of years.

Although the exact timeline of cat domestication remains uncertain, long-known archaeological evidence affords some insight into the process. After the Cypriot find, the next oldest hints of an association between humans and cats are a feline molar tooth from an archaeological deposit in Israel dating to roughly 9,000 years ago and another tooth from Pakistan dating to around 4,000 years ago.

Testament to full domestication comes from a much later period. A nearly 3,700-year-old ivory cat statuette from Israel suggests the cat was a common sight around homes and villages in the Fertile Crescent before its introduction to Egypt. This scenario makes sense, given that all the other domestic animals (except the donkey) and plants were introduced to the Nile Valley from the Fertile Crescent. But it is Egyptian paintings from the so-called New Kingdom period—Egypt’s golden era, which began nearly 3,600 years ago—that provide the oldest known unmistakable depictions of full domestication. These paintings typically show cats poised under chairs, sometimes collared or tethered, and often eating from bowls or feeding on scraps. The abundance of these illustrations signifies that cats had become common members of Egyptian households by this time.

It is in large part as a result of evocative images such as these that scholars traditionally perceived ancient Egypt as the locus of cat domestication. Even the oldest Egyptian representations of wildcats are 5,000 to 6,000 years younger than the 9,500-year-old Cypriot burial, however. Although ancient Egyptian culture cannot claim initial domestication of the cat among its many achievements, it surely played a pivotal role in subsequently molding the domestication dynamic and spreading cats throughout the world. Indeed, the Egyptians took the love of cats to a whole new level. By 2,900 years ago the domestic cat had become the official deity of Egypt in the form of the goddess Bastet, and house cats were sacrificed, mummified and buried in great numbers at Bastet’s sacred city, Bubastis. Measured by the ton, the sheer number of cat mummies found there indicates that Egyptians were not just harvesting feral or wild populations but, for the first time in history, were actively breeding domestic cats.

Egypt officially prohibited the export of their venerated cats for centuries. Nevertheless, by 2,500 years ago the animals had made their way to Greece, proving the inefficacy of export bans. Later, grain ships sailed directly from Alexandria to destinations throughout the Roman Empire, and cats are certain to have been onboard to keep the rats in check. Thus introduced, cats could have established colonies in port cities and then fanned out from there. By 2,000 years ago, when the Romans were expanding their empire, domestic cats were traveling with them and becoming common throughout Europe. Evidence for their spread comes from the German site of Tofting in Schleswig, which dates to between the 4th and 10th centuries, as well as increasing references to cats in art and literature from that period. (Oddly, domestic cats seem to have reached the British Isles before the Romans brought them over—a dispersal that researchers cannot yet explain.)

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the globe, domestic cats had presumably spread to the Orient almost 2,000 years ago, along well-established trade routes between Greece and Rome and the Far East, reaching China by way of Mesopotamia and arriving in India via land and sea. Then something interesting happened. Because no native wildcats with which the newcomers could interbreed lived in the Far East, the Oriental domestic cats soon began evolving along their own trajectory. Small, isolated groups of Oriental domestics gradually acquired distinctive coat colors and other mutations through a process known as genetic drift, in which traits that are neither beneficial nor maladaptive become fixed in a population.

This drift led to the emergence of the Korat, the Siamese, the Birman and other “natural breeds,” which were described by Thai Buddhist monks in a book called the Tamara Maew (meaning “Cat-Book Poems”) that may date back to 1350. The putative antiquity of these breeds received support from the results of genetic studies announced last year, in which Marilyn Menotti-Raymond of the National Cancer Institute and Leslie Lyons of the University of California, Davis, found DNA differences between today’s European and Oriental domestic cat breeds indicative of more than 700 years of independent cat breeding in Asia and Europe.

As to when house cats reached the Americas, little is known. Christopher Columbus and other seafarers of his day reportedly carried cats with them on transatlantic voyages. And voyagers onboard the Mayflower and residents of Jamestown are said to have brought cats with them to control vermin and to bring good luck. How house cats got to Australia is even murkier, although researchers presume that they arrived with European explorers in the 1600s. Our group at the U.S. National Institutes of Health is tackling the problem using DNA.

Breeding for Beauty Although humans might have played some minor role in the development of the natural breeds in the Orient, concerted efforts to produce novel breeds did not begin until relatively recently. Even the Egyptians, who we know were breeding cats extensively, do not seem to have been selecting for visible traits, probably because distinctive variants had not yet arisen: in their paintings, both wildcats and house cats are depicted as having the same mackerel-tabby coat. Experts believe that most of the modern breeds were developed in the British Isles in the 19th century, based on the writings of English natural history artist Harrison Weir. And in 1871 the first proper fancy cat breeds—breeds created by humans to achieve a particular appearance—were displayed at a cat show held at the Crystal Palace in London (a Persian won, although the Siamese was a sensation).

Today the Cat Fancier’s Association and the International Cat Association recognize nearly 60 breeds of domestic cat. Just a dozen or so genes account for the differences in coat color, fur length and texture, as well as other, subtler coat characteristics, such as shading and shimmer, among these breeds.

Thanks to the sequencing of the entire genome of an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon in 2007, geneticists are rapidly identifying the mutations that produce such traits as tabby patterning, black, white and orange coloring, long hair and many others. Beyond differences in the pelage-related genes, however, the genetic variation between domestic cat breeds is very slight—comparable to that seen between adjacent human populations, such as the French and the Italians.

The wide range of sizes, shapes and temperaments seen in dogs—consider the Chihuahua and Great Dane—is absent in cats. Felines show much less variety because, unlike dogs—which starting in prehistoric times were bred for such tasks as guarding, hunting and herding—wildcats were under no such selective breeding pressures. To enter our homes, they had only to evolve a people-friendly disposition.

So are today’s cats truly domesticated? Well, yes—but perhaps only just. Although they satisfy the criterion of tolerating people, most domestic cats are feral and do not rely on people to feed them or to find them mates. And whereas other domesticates, like dogs, look quite distinct from their wild ancestors, the average domestic cat largely retains the wild body plan. It does exhibit a few morphological differences, however—namely, slightly shorter legs, a smaller brain and, as Charles Darwin noted, a longer intestine, which may have been an adaptation to scavenging kitchen scraps.

The house cat has not stopped evolving, though—far from it. Armed with artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization technology, cat breeders today are pushing domestic cat genetics into uncharted territory: they are hybridizing house cats with other felid species to create exotic new breeds. The Bengal and the Caracat, for example, resulted from crossing the house cat with the Asian leopard cat and the caracal, respectively. The domestic cat may thus be on the verge of an unprecedented and radical evolution into a multispecies composite  whose future can only be imagined.

The Truth about Cats and Dogs Unlike dogs, which exhibit a huge range of sizes, shapes and temperaments, house cats are relatively homogeneous, differing mostly in the characteristics of their coats. The reason for the relative lack of variability in cats is simple: humans have long bred dogs to assist with particular tasks, such as hunting or sled pulling, but cats, which lack any inclination for performing most tasks that would be useful to humans, experienced no such selective breeding pressures.

Note: This article was originally published with the title, "The Taming of the Cat".

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Benefits and Risks of Domestic Cats

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Essay on Cat | My Favourite Pet & Animal

March 19, 2018 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

Cats are most popular pets in the world. Cats have been nearly 10000 years as a pet animal.  Cats help us with more than 1000 species of animals, including snakes, rats and other animals. It is very easy to train the cats because they are quick learners. The cat sounds like meow.

According to one survey in America 69 million cats are there as pets. Cats take second place as pets where dogs have the first place. The origin of the cats is African wild cat.

Few people kept cats to help them to find the mouse in their farms. Where others kept them as friendly and good companions. The Egyptians kept cats as their main pet animal. They believe cats as gods.

The English word ‘cat’ is a Latin word Catus. A group of cats is referred to as cloud or glitter, a male cat called tom or comet, a monotonous woman called the queen. We call small cats as kittens.

Different breeds having different types of hair, like long hair, short hair, and hairless breeds. Nowadays special foods are available for cats in all developed countries. Right food will help to cats live longer.

Table of Contents

Cats have excellent night vision and can only see the one-sixth level of human need for human vision. Cats have excellent hearing and can detect the most extensive frequencies. Can hear more-pitched sounds than dogs or humans.

Cats have relatively few taste buds compared to humans (470 or more than 9,000 in human language). Indigenous and wild cats share genetic mutations to contain sugar molecules, including their sweet taste buds, which do not have a sweet taste. Instead, their taste buds react to amino acids, bitter taste, and acids.

The average lifespan of pets has grown in recent years. In the 1980s, it was seven years, rising 9.4 years in 1995, and in 12-15 years in 2014.

Several kinds of health problems, including parasites, bruises, chronic disease, can affect cats. Many diseases are available for vaccines, and indigenous cats regularly provide treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms.

The pet cats are similar to other members of Felice, usually with 4 and 5 kg weight. Some species occasionally more than 11 kg. On the opposite, very small cats, less than 2 kg, have been reported. The largest cat to the world record 21 kg. The officially recorded smallest cat is weighed 1 kg.

Outdoor cats are active in the night, the time of kittens activity is quite simple and varied, meaning home cats are more active morning and evening, in response to more human activities at this time. The daily duration of sleep is typically between 12 to 16 hours and the average time is around 12 to 14 hours.

Some cats sleep for up to 20 hours. The term cat nap refers to the sleeping cat’s sleep for a short period of time (lightly) sleeping. When falling asleep, cats sleep rapidly with sleeping eye movements often with muscle holes, which suggest they dreams.

Communication

Tail and ears are important social signal systems, especially in cats. For example, the increased tail deals with a friendly greeting, and the flat ears represent animosity.

The development of a basic advantage as a signaling mechanism between mother and cats and nursing kittens emerged. The cats breaking mechanism is unclear. The cat does not have a specific body structure that is clearly responsible for the sound.

Domestic cats, especially young cats, are known for their love of play. This behavior varies in hunt and kittens are important to help kill the twigs, the capture, and the hunt.

Cats engage in fighting the game with one another and with humans. This behavior may be a way of achieving the skills needed for a real war, and they can reduce any fears when launching attacks on other animals.

Due to the close similarity between drama and hunting, cats like to play with animals such as small fur-dolls, but lose interest in the toy they have played quickly (they get used to). Toys are more common when cats are hungry.

Cats can bite humans when induced, during play or aggression. The cat bite is different from other pets. This is because cat teeth are sharp and deeper.

Cats can transmit viruses, bacteria, fungus, protozoa, arthropods or mites to humans. In some cases, the cat does not show any symptoms for this disease, although the same disease is clearly visible in man.

The risk of a person being infected depends on the age of the person and the immune system. Most of the infections occurring are salmonella, cat scratch disease, and toxoplasmosis.

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Articles About Cats: Top 5 Examples and 6 Prompts

Cats are cheeky pets that liven many people’s lives. See our articles about cats examples and prompts if you plan to write about these lovable creatures.

Fiora and Tariq are twin cats I found in a  makeshift fire pit at the side of the road when I was walking home from school one day. I heard meowing, saw something wriggling away from the small fire, and took the tiny bag to safety. Two sets of wide, panicked eyes met mine when I opened the bag, and it didn’t take me another second to decide to take these twin cats home, even if it meant facing my father’s wrath. 

I had misgivings about nurturing cats, mainly because my experience was limited to a friend’s hissing Himalayan feline that never wanted to be touched. But Fiora and Tariq grew into clingy cats, and now my grandmother has sole custody of the latter.

Cats are adorable pets that don’t need regular bathing or walking. Plus, they help their owners cope with depression. If you want to write about this topic, see our essays about depression .

5 Example Articles

1. domestic cats and their impacts on biodiversity: a blind spot in the application of nature conservation law by arie trouwborst, 2. why do we think cats are unfriendly by stephen dowling, 3. domestic cat by national geographic, 4. do hypoallergenic cats even exist 3 myths dispelled about cat allergies by susan hazel and julia henning, 5. is it okay to let your kitten cry by maria azzurra volpe, 1. cat care at home, 2. can aggressive cats be friendly, 3. understanding your cat’s behavior, 4. how to keep your cat happy and healthy, 5. the benefits of raising a cat, 6. famous cats.

“Notwithstanding this growing awareness of their negative impact on wildlife, domestic cats continue to inhabit a place that is, at best, on the periphery of international wildlife law. No doubt, there are political, sociological and psychological explanations for this regulatory oversight but the implications for wildlife conservation are profound.”

Because domestic cats have a negative impact on wildlife, Trouwborst et al. aim to identify various conservation laws to tackle their effects, including government authorities’ role in preserving wildlife. The authors delve into domestic cats’ impact on people, other species, and ecosystems. They also examine strategies to reduce its adverse effects, including vaccination, immunization, etc.

After reviewing the laws and their application, the researchers concluded two things. First, the government needs to enact and enforce regulations to eliminate, reduce, and prevent the threats posed by domestic cats. Second, the feasibility, scientific uncertainty, and interest of pet cats and owners greatly influence law enforcement.

“The cat that may be currently curled up on your sofa or glaring at you from its vantage point on top of the bookcase shares many of its instincts with that of its pre-domestic ancestors – the desire to hunt, to patrol territory, guarding it from other cat; they are much closer to their old selves than dogs. Our taming of cats has only partly removed them from the wild.”

Dowling compares clingy cats versus distant ones and notes their body language to identify their mood and emotions. Despite extended training, dogs, humans, and cats are still different and cannot be alike. 

He also mentions that cats’ gazes look unfriendly and scary compared to dogs because they don’t have the muscles to look gentle, but their slow, blinking stares express their love. In the end, he advises readers not to be disappointed if their cats don’t greet them. Their behavior of staring is a way to say they’re happy to see their owner.

“Thousands of years ago, these wildcats were likely drawn to human settlements and their plentiful mice and food scraps. People realized these rodent catchers were helpful to have around, and eventually the two species began living together. Later, people began to bring felines aboard ships as they traveled the world.”

This article dives into the history of how we have domestic cats, where they come from, how they reproduce, etc. According to their research, there are at least 45 domestic cat breeds today, with the Maine Coon being the largest and the Singapura from Singapore being the smallest. The author also notes other interesting information, such as cats mating and having an average of four kittens after 64 days.

Cats communicate with their owners through bunting (rubbing their faces) and swishing their tails. Domestic cats are carnivores, have a strong hunting instinct, and have excellent night vision.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about dogs .

“What we do know is that pet cats provide companionship and joy to many, and understanding the causes and treatment of pet allergy can only help both cats and humans.”

In this article, the authors dissect myths linked to hypoallergenic cats, examining their basis and if they are true. The first myth includes people allergic to cat hair and pointing out that it’s not the hair they are hypersensitive to but the substance in it. Second, the authors claim that there isn’t enough evidence for a hypoallergenic cat, only cats with less hair, like the Sphynx. Third, allergic people must give their cats away if it’s a life-threatening allergy, but if it’s just a mild one, there are ways to raise a cat. 

“… Just like babies, it is their own way of communicating with you. They may cry multiple times a day, for various reasons, and if you’re not a cat expert, it can be really hard to identify what’s behind their discomfort.”

Volpe’s article explains why kittens cry, according to veterinarians. When a kitten calls, they usually have physical needs such as wanting to eat or going to the potty. Crying also means they want their owners’ attention or are experiencing pain and discomfort.

It’s usual for kittens to cry at night, and they shouldn’t be ignored. Volpe includes methods to comfort and stop the kitten from crying and meet their needs, such as providing companionship and training.

6 Prompts for Articles About Cats

Dedicate your article to guiding cat owners on how they can care for their pets at home. You can divide your piece depending on where the owner lives, such as a condominium or a house. You can also use this prompt to answer the most basic questions a future cat owner should consider before adopting a cat. Write about cat characteristics, needs, and budget for expenses.

In your article, discuss the motives behind a cat’s erratic behaviors and if they can be altered. Present cases where cats become aggressive, and the reason they became this way to encourage patience and empathy. Include effective tips owners can do to handle and calm their cats. Remember to give detailed examples so that readers can follow the steps well. 

Cats sometimes bite and scratch people, bring their kills to their owners, knock and cuddle things, meow a lot, and run for no reason. Discuss the meaning of these odd cat behaviors in your article and why they do it. Ensure that you have supporting evidence from science or experts examining cats’ demeanors to assist owners in caring for their pets.

Devote your article to listing care tips every cat owner should know to ensure their cat stays healthy and happy. These pieces of advice should focus on the animal’s well-being and mental state, so they don’t get stressed and pose more problems to the owner. Discuss proper grooming practices, food, vitamins, toys, exercise, etc.

A small feline friend can be a joy and treasure in many ways. For this prompt, explain why cats are great pets, especially for first-time fur parents. Then, present the scientifically proven health benefits of raising a cat at home. You can also include emotional support cats that comfort their owners with mental health issues.

Create an entertaining article introducing the world’s most popular cats, whether they are real, fictional, or animated cats. Some great examples are Jim Davis ’ Garfield, Breakfast at Tiffany’s Orangey, and Shrek’s Puss in Boots. Describe how and why they became famous. 

For help editing your articles, we recommend using the best grammar checker . Our round-up profiles these tools and offers discounts.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Essay On Cat

500 + words essay on cat in english.

Cats are domestic animals. The scientific name of the cat is Felia catus . It is a very cute and adorable animal. Apart from tigers, cats belong to the family Felidae. The offspring of cats are called kittens. From kids to adults, everyone is fond of cats. Cats are very good friends of humans. They like to play with them. Cats usually feed on milk, meat, fish, mice, etc. Though cats are kept as domestic pets, they are clever hunters. They are very friendly animals and like to hunt mice and snakes. 

Cats are basically tiny creatures covered with silky fur. They have whiskers and ears which are highly sensitive. They have sharp eyes which helps them to see at night. Cats are social animals which like to spend time with people. Most of the time they like to sleep. But, they entertain and create happiness at home. If cats get irritated, they can strike with their claws. They only need love and affection from people. Cats are extremely lazy as they like to lie down in some corner of the house. 

What Are The Features Of Cats?

Cats usually make a meow sound for their communication. Did you know that the catwalk is the most graceful? Yes, they walk very gracefully and slowly. They like to play with their owners. Some of the interesting facts about cats are mentioned below: 

• Cats are the most intelligent animal.
• Cats have bright eyes, sensitive ears and whiskers. 
• Cats are fond of eating mice, fish and drinking milk. 
• Cats have sharp eyes that can see even at night. 
• Cats are very friendly animals. 
• The body of a cat is covered with silky hair. 
• Cats hate sweets. 
• Cats have a tendency to make less sound while walking. 
• Cats can groom other cats. 
• The sound meow is a way of their communication. 
• Cats live longer when they stay indoors. 

How To Protect Cats?

Though cats are very intelligent and independent animals, it is important to take care of them. Some of the ways to groom and protect cats are mentioned below:

• Devote some time to the cats. 
• Provide timely food and water for the cats. 
• Groom cats on a regular basis. 
• Create a safe environment for the cats to play. 

Also explore: Learn more about animals like cats in essay on tiger , essay on animals and essay on zoo .

Benefits Of Owning A Cat

The cats bring extreme joy and unconditional love for their owners. They help in reducing their stress and relieving tensions in life.  Some of the benefits of cats are mentioned below:

• Cats are fun and playful animals. 
• They are extremely low maintenance pets. 
• Most cats like to maintain silence and avoid any kind of fuss at home. 
• They do not look for attention and always play independently without disturbing others. 
• They hunt mice and other insects in the house. 
• They help in relieving tensions in life. 
• They reduce the feeling of isolation and loneliness among people.

Conclusion 

Cats are domestic animals and belong to the family Felidae. They are very clever and intelligent animals. Most of the cats are kept as domestic pets at home. They only need love and care from their owners. Therefore, cats have to be protected and taken care of. 

We hope this essay on cat was useful to you. Check essays for kids to explore more topics. 

Frequently Asked Questions On Essay On Cat

What is an essay on cats.

It is a short write up on cats which are the domestic pets belonging to the Felidae family. 

What are the features of cats?

The  features of cats are that they have sharp claws, whiskers and bushy tails. The body of the cat is covered with fur.

What are the benefits of owning a cat?

The benefits of owning a cat are that they shower love and reduce the feeling of loneliness in life.

Essay on Cat

Cat is one of the cutest pets and notorious at the same time. They are super lazy but also become super active if needed. They are a very good pet and will never bother you much unless you like to spend time with them. They are cute and soft at the same time, they look attractive and all of us like their sweet mew sound.

Short and Long Essays on Cat in English

Essay on Cat for students of class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and class 12 in English in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 500 words. Also find short Cat essay 10 lines.

Cat Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Cat is a small and cute pet animal.

2) Cats have four legs and two sharp eyes.

3) They have furry skin which makes them soft.

4) Cats can be found in different colors.

5) Cat is a carnivorous animal that loves milk and fish.

6) Cat possesses strong hearing and smelling capability.

7) Cat can see in the dark and is a big foe of rats.

8) Children like to play with cats as they are cute.

9) Kittens are the small kids of cats.

10) We can find more than 55 breeds of cats in the world.

Essay 1 (250 Words) – Features of Cat

Introduction

The sweet mew of a cat either alerts as if she has arrived to drink all of your milk or if you have a cat as a pet then it makes you feel loved by your pet. Cats are really very cute animals and their small ears and teeth make her look unique. They also have very shiny eyes and a sharp nail in their paws. These paws make them a very good hunter. They can easily catch a rat and have their dinner.

Some Features of Cat

They are considered as the smallest member of a Felidae family. There are more than 30 animals belonging to this family. Some of them are Leopard, Lion, Tiger, Puma, Cheetah, etc. Cats are the smallest of this family and are also considered as a domestic animal.

They have two eyes, two ears, one nose and a body similar to other family members. They are available in different colours like white, black, golden, grey, etc. Although they have different colours, they can only see very few colours. They can only see black and grey like colours. They need very less maintenance as a comparison of a dog.

Although all cats look alike, there are more than 55 breeds of a cat. They have very good night vision and their flexible body helps them to jump here and there easily. Their smelling ability makes it easy to reach the milk.

If you have a cat you will never feel bored, they are very good pets and also love their owner. They are carnivorous mammals. The Ancient Egyptians also worshipped cats. We also find mummified cats in Egypt. I can say that it is a small animal with a lot of value.

Essay 2 (400 Words) – Some Amazing Facts about Cats

One of the most loved animals and an amazing pet. I love cats and their cute ears and shiny eyes attract everyone. Generally, all animals are cute but cats are super cute with some decent features. They are carnivores but they also eat banana, cheese, carrot, rice, milk and etc. They don’t make much noise and need very less care. They are also called as a lazy animal because it sleeps most of the time. I have discussed some of the amazing facts about a cat and hope will help you.

Some Amazing Facts About Cats

• Cats are of different types, depending on their size and some physical qualities. They are more than 50 different types of cat breeds available.
• A cat sleeps a lot and they sleep up to 12 to 20 hours a day. In their entire life, they spend 70% of their life sleeping.
• It is found that Cats walk like camels and giraffes.
• There is a cat with a tag of ‘world’s richest cat’ and its name is Blackie, It has a net worth of 12.5 million dollars.
• The record for the longest cat ever is of 48.5 inches.
• It was 1963 when a cat went to space for the first time.
• Tiger, Lion, Leopard, etc belong to the same cat family.
• A cat can easily hear the sound of 500 Hz to 32 kHz and can also detect a higher range of 55 Hz to 79,000 Hz.
• Cats don’t have sweet taste buds and it is very tough for them to detect a sweet taste. They have very fewer taste buds as compared to us. They are marked as the only animal with no sweet taste bud.
• Although a cat looks so small it has 250 bones.
• Their tail helps them to maintain balance while jumping here and there.
• It is believed that cats use Mew to communicate with human beings.
• Generally, cats don’t have eyelashes.
• A cat can live up to 16 years.
• The ancient Egyptians worshipped cat in the form of a half-feline goddess named Bastet.
• A breed naming Sphinx cats don’t have fur.
• A cat can jump up to 8 feet at a time.

Cats are cute as well as intelligent; they have a very good memory and remember things for a long time. They can differentiate between a child and an adult and behave accordingly. They are also marked as a symbol of luck in many countries. After knowing the above facts, I can say that cats are very good pets and one should really own a cat.

Essay 3 (500 – 600 Words) – Cat: My Pet Animal

Many of us love having a pet and I am one of those. I have a pet cat and her name is Venus. I kept her name Venus just because of her glittery eyes. It really shines amazingly, especially in a dark room. I can easily know where it is in a dark room just because of her eyes. It is amazing to have Venus as a part of my life. It is white in colour and has pink lips and ears and has soft and beautiful fur. I love playing with her.

An Intelligent Animal

She is quite intelligent and behaves as if she understands me. One day my mother scolded me when I was continuously using the phone and after that day when I touched the phone, Venus ran to me and tried to keep the phone away from me. This shows that she really understands and also has a good memory. I really love my cat.

Requires Very Less Maintenance

Dogs need more maintenance in comparison with a cat. Cats always keep themselves clean and they never like to be dirty. So, I don’t have to care much about cleaning it on daily basis. She needs food and once she is happy with her stomach she plays happily. I don’t have to take it on a walk on daily basis or have to train her. I can say that cat is a student’s friendly pet.

Doesn’t Make Much Noise

The best part of my cat, actually I have to study and my parents never compromise with my studies at any cost. When it is a dog it makes a lot of noise or tries to lick every time. Whereas my cat never makes noise and it helps me to read peacefully and I can also keep her on my lap and do my work. I really like my cat’s company. It does not make much noise and this helps me to have my studies peacefully and when I feel bored, I play with her.

I Play with My Cat

My Venus plays with me, it likes playing with balls and some of my other toys. Being the only child of my parents, I never feel bored or need any companion. Yes, we cannot replace a human being still my cats love me and I love her and we play together and perform various acts which make both of us happy.

Shows Affection

People believe that cats are not so friendly but they are. They love grooming themselves and in research, it has been found that they spent 30% of their life, live-in grooming themselves. When I groom her, she feels happy and performs various acts to show her affection. She purrs, blinks her eyes more often to show her affection.

A Beautiful Pet

The white colour with soft baby pink colour nose and ears makes it so beautiful. She has a lot of soft furs which makes her look attractive. She likes to stay in my arms when I am out with her because it makes her paws dirty. Her glittery eyes attract everyone and people smile when I carry her outside.

Pets are really very good and will never allow you to be sad and will do all to keep her owner happy. Not only I, my parents and friends also like Venus and they come to meet her. We play together and she loves our company. We love her and she loves us. Normally she feels lazy but once she is active, she enjoys and plays with great energy. She jumps and shows her joy in different ways.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . A cat sleeps for about 16-20 hours in a day.

Ans . Felis catus is the scientific name of cat.

Ans . A cat can jump 5-6 times of their own height.

Ans . Cats are most attracted with Catnip plant and therefore this plant is called as cat-pleasing plant.

Ans . International Cat day is celebrated every year on 8th August.

Ans . The color of the eyes of new born kittens is blue.

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Essays on Domestic Cat

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Domestic Animals: Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats Essay

Different people have their own preferences and different reasons on whether to have pets such as dogs or cats. First, there are not many games that can be played with cats. Many cats enjoy playing with string toys and small cat ball toys in the same way that people do. One can decide to play alone as well as with others (Menchetti et al., 2020). Dogs love to play and often become interactive games that one play with them. If the dog is on good terms with other dogs, one can even arrange a “play date” for another puppy. However, always ensure that both dogs are healthy and close. This paper therefore discusses some of the reasons why dogs are superior to cats.

Most cats are generally sensitive to their environment and do not like changes. Many dogs are more tolerant of change, especially if their owners pretend, they pay little or no attention. In general, introducing a new person, pet, or item to one’s place or relocating to a new home requires more time for the cat to get used to the new environment (Stregowski, 2021). Most owners do not automatically believe that everything is fine. Most of the dogs are modeled after their owners. If the dog is calm and gathering when new babies come through the door, so should the cat. Of course, there are some that refuse to accept strangers.

Dogs are more active than cats, which is one of the reasons they are so popular. Dogs can be taught actions, manners, tricks, and commands. This can be done for safety and protection, simple pleasure, as well as obedience. According to Albuquerque & Soares (2019), dogs love training as they have a mission, and they love to be part of a pack. Cats can be educated, but when they are bored, they can knock their treats out of their hands and run away. In addition, dogs protect people’s home from thieves and strangers, while cats do not. They are shy and tend to run away when strangers visit. Even the smallest dogs with their loud barking are enough to lure some burglars into intruding other people’s homes (Large, 2018). Many dogs can even wake someone up when there is a fire outbreak, which cats cannot.

Dogs are lifelong companions; they will want to be with someone until their last day. Some of the bonds with dogs are beautiful; they are friends you can have for a very long time. A person who listens to the other, hugs them and remains loyal to them throughout their life (Albuquerque & Soares, 2019). Moreover, a dog is a very affectionate pet, unlike a cat. A dog will lie or sit next to its owner while doing other things. It is thrilled to see them because it gets excited when the owner comes home, even if the owner was away for 20 minutes (Menchetti et al., 2020). This kind of affection is not as strong as a cats usually show, as they would not care if someone is away the whole day.

Lastly, it is essential to take one’s dog for a walk to do its daily work and exercise. But one may not know that caring for their dog helps to take care of oneself. According to one study, older dog owners travel nearly a mile each day (Amanda-h, 2018). This can be more than being forced to walk unmotivated by their beloved pet. Of course, if they take their dog a little under the block, they will be more active if they have a dog. Throwing a ball or Frisbee, or playing in the yard with a dog, necessitates more exercise than simply hitting a string ball.

Albuquerque, N. S. de, & Soares, G. M. (2019). Epidemiology of domestic cat behavioral problems in the city of Porto Alegre/Brazil: A survey of small animal veterinary practitioners. Ciência Rural , 49 (10). Web.

Amanda-h. (2018). Indisputable reasons why dogs are better than cats . showbiz cheat sheet; showbiz cheat sheet. Web.

Menchetti, L., Calipari, S., Mariti, C., Gazzano, A., & Diverio, S. (2020). Cats and dogs: Best friends or deadly enemies? What the owners of cats and dogs living in the same household think about their relationship with people and other pets. PLOS ONE , 15 (8), e0237822. Web.

Stregowski, J. (2021). 10 reasons dogs are better than cats . The Spruce Pets; TheSprucePets. Web.

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30 best things about owning a cat

Posted: February 6, 2024 | Last updated: February 6, 2024

Thinking of getting a feline friend? These are the best things about owning a cat

Cats are everywhere, so what are the best things about owning a cat? There’s such a huge variety between the breeds, and every cat has its own personality. However, there are some shared feline characteristics that can’t fail to appeal. Not only as companions and household pets but also therapeutically, with astonishing benefits to both our physical and mental health.

Let’s take a look at some of the best things about owning a cat. 

Cats are a low-maintenance pet

Especially when compared with dogs, cats make our lives easy. They don’t require exercising and are usually independent – sometimes to the point of aloofness.

Cats lower stress

Stroking pets makes us release oxytocin, which reduces cortisol and can help us to feel less anxious. And a cat trumps all other pets in this regard, with their abundant furry coats being particularly soothing.

A cat’s purr

Wondering; why do cats purr? Extraordinarily, the purr has benefits for humans too. Not only does it soothe us, reduce anxiety, and make us feel happy, but its particular frequency of vibrations can increase bone density and reduce stress by relaxing our muscles. Wow. 

Mental health benefits

So many aspects of cat ownership help to reduce stress, from the sensation of stroking them to their therapeutic purr to the sense of purpose they give us in our daily life – without overwhelming us with responsibility. 

Rodent control

Cats are superb mousers. They are natural-born killers and have a predatory instinct to hunt down small animals such as mice and rats, and even insects in the home. Many people have a cat for just this purpose.

A peaceful pet

Yes, cats can be fairly vocal in their communication, but it’s mostly at a fairly low level  – compare a meow to a bark. Bar a crazy few minutes of self-exercise maybe once a day, they like to sleep a lot. 

You don’t need to stay at home all day

Cats tend to sleep for most of the day, while you’re out at work, as they are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Happily for cat owners, this is the time that humans are most likely to be at home. And anyway, you probably need a cat’s companionship more than he needs yours.

They are relatively long-lived

Compared to many domestic pets, such as hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits, at an average of 13-14 years, cats live for a decent chunk of a human life, and some even last until they are 20. The oldest recorded cat, Creme Puff, died at the age of 38. 

Prevent allergies

Given that cat allergies are the most common indoor allergy after house dust mites, this may come as a surprise. However, studies such as this one from the National Library of Medicine show that if a child is exposed in early life to cats, their immune system is more likely to overcome cat allergies and asthma.

Boost heart health

Thanks to cats being associated with the reduction of stress and blood pressure, several studies, such as this 2009 paper from the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology , have shown that they are also connected to a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cats might not be as needy as some other pets, but they do love to play. Find your inner child by blowing bubbles, playing hide-and-seek or setting up an edible treasure hunt.

Even if you’re “not a cat person”, you’d need a strong will to meet a litter of kittens and not want to take one home. So what stimulates this cute reflex? Studies show that we seek out the tactile sensation of their soft fur, as well as being neurologically wired to want to nurture baby animals.

Cats come in all shapes and sizes

From tiny Singapuras to huge Maine Coons, from Hairless Sphynxes to fluffy Persians, the pretty blue-eyed Birmans to the weird and wonderful Elf Cats, there are felines to suit every taste.  

Cat owners are smarter

A study carried out at Carroll University, Wisconsin, found that cat owners were more intelligent than dog owners! Whether the cat made them smarter, or smart people get cats, who knows?

Sneaky sleepers

Cats may look like they sleep all day, but they’re actually constantly on the prowl for prey, even when they’re napping. They are able to tap into both their auditory and olfactory senses while asleep, making them ready to pounce on any unsuspecting victim. 

The boost to your social media likes

Cats are extremely photogenic, and they know how to sit still, unlike some other popular domestic pets. With their expressive eyes and bodies, cats tap into human emotions, so they work brilliantly both for funny memes and beautiful portraits. Some famous felines have enormous social media followings.

Kids’ development

Pets are brilliant for helping children develop social skills and a sense of responsibility. They teach kids monumental lessons such as the circle of life, calmness, empathy, biology, patience, love and companionship, as well as helping reduce stress and being fabulous entertainers.

No need for a mansion

Cats don’t need a vast house and garden. In fact, some cats never go outside at all. Cats can thrive in a small apartment, and they’re also typically more welcome than dogs because they don’t bark every time someone walks past the door (don’t mention their yowling abilities). 

Cats aren’t too demanding on your time. Yes, they interrupt you when you’re working or on the phone. They love playtime. But they don’t require a two-hour walk every day, just a short amount of play and then “please leave me alone now”.

Naturally hygienic

Cats are by their nature very clean, and they fastidiously groom themselves with their barbed and very effective tongue, which has a form of antiseptic within the saliva. They are also typically easy to train to use a litter tray, in fact, their mom will usually teach them to use it.

Cats smell good

If you ever bury your nose deep into a cat’s soft fur, you’ll know how good they smell; sort of musky and sweet. They groom themselves meticulously, and their barbed tongue gets rid of the smells of their food trapped in their fur and whiskers (ostensibly to stop them being sniffed out by predators, however little this applies to your average house cat). The grooming also spreads their natural oils over their coat, helping them to stay silky and pleasantly scented. 

Polite eating and drinking habits

It’s beneath a cat to guzzle their food or slurp their drink. They tend to sip gently, and eat selectively. If you are among the fifth of the population who is disgusted by the sounds of chewing and related sounds, a cat is the perfect pet.

Economical on space

Cats are neat creatures who don’t take up loads of space. Yes, they love a stretch, but they are very partial to a tiny box, love curling into a tidy ball, and they won’t monopolize the couch. 

Financially sensible

Owning any pet is a big responsibility, especially on the finances. However cats have much lower running costs than dogs, requiring less food, one scratching post will suffice for a toy, and you don’t need to shell out for a dog-walker.

Personal space

Call them aloof, but sometimes a cat’s sense of protecting their personal space is an asset. We can’t always give our pets constant attention, we don’t want to play games all day long – sometimes we just want to get home and chill, with just a gentle purr nearby to soothe us.

Feline balance

Watch a cat walk along a wall or even a narrow railing, and marvel. The idea that their balance is thanks to their whiskers is an old wives’ tale and it likely has more to do with their incredibly flexible back, which allows them to twist and land on their feet should they fall. The tail, too, helps align the body and acts as a balancing stick. Plus the vestibular apparatus in their ears works in tandem with their eyes to give them their superb balance.

Cats have nine lives

If only this were true! The medieval proverb states: “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays”. This is probably due to their mythical status in ancient civilizations, and also the fact that we see them fall off a high wall or out of a tree and magically twist and land on their feet. Alas, however resilient and nimble they are, they are not indestructible.

Daredevil nature

Enjoy the sight of a cat walking along a railing, running up a tree, weaving in and out of traffic, jumping off walls, pouncing on unsuspecting victims, this is an animal that knows how to get its thrills and is pretty confident of its abilities. The stuntman of the animal kingdom.

The cat’s whiskers

If something’s  “the cat’s whiskers”, it’s better than anything. The jury’s out on whether the 24 or so feline whiskers really are superior to other animals’, but they have a finely tuned sensory function, being attached to nerve endings and muscles. Being the same width as a cat’s body, they allow cats to judge distance, and also detect vibrations for discerning their environment and potential prey.

A simply adorable pet

Cats may have their faults, but we‘re blinded by their total adorableness. Fluffy, soft and rounded; intelligent, with big, colorful, beautiful liquid eyes, and deep, rumbly, soothing purrs. This overload of cuteness affects us physiologically, with the orbitofrontal cortex of the brain (decision making) telling us to protect this adorable creature) combining with the nucleus accumbens (pleasure center) releasing dopamine. No wonder cats make us happy.

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Debate heating up on management of domestic and feral cats

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Cat owners in Hutt City are now required to register, microchip and desex their felines to help reduce the feral cat population under a recently passed bylaw .

It's a move that Parliament's Environment Select Committee endorsed last year when it recommended the establishment of a nationwide cat management framework .

Later this year, the public will be invited to give feedback on whether feral cats should be added to the Predator Free 2050 strategy. Currently, that strategy only focuses on the removal of rats, stoats, ferrets, weasels and possums.

The Predator Free New Zealand Trust says if the country is to be pest-free in 26 years, feral cats must be included, and better management of domestic cats has to be the starting point.

But will cat owners and other councils get on board?

Predator Free New Zealand Trust Chief executive Jessi Morgan and Hutt City Councillor Andy Mitchell join Kathryn Ryan.

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Anxiety, Bedtime and Mating: How Animals May React to the Eclipse

When the total solar eclipse happens on Monday, animals at homes, farms and zoos may act strangely. Researchers can’t wait to see what happens when day quickly turns to night.

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By Juliet Macur and Emily Anthes

This article is part of The Times’s coverage of the April 8 eclipse , the last time a total solar eclipse will be visible in most of North America for 20 years.

While millions of people are preparing to watch the total solar eclipse that will make its way across North America on Monday, the animals in that affected area — in homes, on farms, in zoos and in the wild — missed the news that the moon will block the sun, briefly turning day into night.

How they react to that swift and unexpected change of light and temperature, which in some places will last as long as four and a half minutes, is anyone’s guess.

Cows may mosey into their barns for bedtime. Flamingoes may huddle together in fear. The giant, slow-motion Galápagos tortoise may even get frisky and mate.

Circadian rhythms might take a noticeable hit, with nocturnal animals mistakenly waking up and starting their day only to realize that, whoa, nighttime is already over. And then there will be some animals, perhaps particularly lazy domestic cats or warthogs focused on foraging, who might not give the dark sky a second thought.

“Everybody wants to see how they are going to react,” said Robert Shumaker, the chief executive and president of the Indianapolis Zoo, which will experience nearly four minutes of darkness. It’s one of several prominent zoos situated along the path of totality, a gentle arc stretching from Texas to Maine, where researchers, animal keepers, volunteers and the public will be studying the animals’ response to the eclipse.

Dr. Shumaker, an expert in animal behavior and cognition, said that “most of the animals, of course, they’re going to notice that there’s something unusual happening.”

Most animals will likely be confused by the darkness and will start their nighttime routines, said Dr. M. Leanne Lilly, a veterinary behaviorist at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

But the way humans react to the eclipse — looking at the sky, expressing excitement or gathering in a group — could affect domesticated animals, like dogs or cats, because pets can act strangely when their humans are acting strangely, Dr. Lilly said.

“That can make any of our domestic animals feel like things are not as safe and predictable as they are supposed to be,” Dr. Lilly said, adding that any unusual human behavior can disturb pets because they are “domesticated to attend to us.”

“We might be the problem,” she said, with a laugh.

How animals will react to solar eclipses can only give hints of animal behavior because the relatively few studies of the topic are often conflicting. One study in 1560 cited that “birds fell to the ground.” Other studies said birds went to roost, or fell silent, or continued to sing and coo — or flew straight into houses. Dogs either barked or whimpered, or did not bark or whimper.

A study of the 1932 eclipse, which was thought to be the first comprehensive research conducted on the subject and included observations from the public, explained that it received “a good deal of conflicting testimony” from people who had observed mammals. It concluded that several animals showed the strongest responses: squirrels ran into the woods and cattle and sheep headed for their barns.

Zoo animals, the study said, showed little or no response, and Dr. Shumaker does not expect the animals at the Indianapolis Zoo to show much of an unusual response, because “they take a lot of things in stride.”

“ We’re thinking that this will be a very casual and easy experience for the animals,” he said, adding that some might experience “a little bit of confusion” about what’s going on. “I certainly don’t anticipate that it will be alarming to them.”

Dr. Shumaker is as curious as anyone to see what the animals will do, and in 2017, Adam Hartstone-Rose, now a professor of biological sciences at North Carolina State University, tried to get some answers. Before that total solar eclipse crossed the United States, he launched a formal study of animals at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia., S.C., and it resulted in what was likely the broadest study of animals during an eclipse since the 1932 effort.

Just as he is doing next week at the Fort Worth Zoo, Dr. Hartstone-Rose assembled a group of researchers, animal keepers and volunteers to observe animals before, during and after totality.

About three-fourths of the 17 species his team studied, including mammals, birds and reptiles, displayed a behavior response to the eclipse, with many of those animals thinking that the change in light meant it was time to prepare for bed. A smaller group of animals, including the giraffes, baboons, gorillas, flamingoes, lorikeets (a type of parrot) and one Komodo dragon showed behavior that was out of the ordinary and could be interpreted as anxiety.

According to the study, the baboons ran around their enclosure as totality approached, and one paced and walked in circles for about 25 minutes. One male gorilla charged the glass. The flamingoes huddled together, encircling their young, vocalizing loudly and looking toward the sky, which is “the kind of thing they might do if they think there’s an aerial predator around,” Dr. Hartstone-Rose said.

The lorikeets grew active and loud just before totality, and during totality flew together to one side of their exhibit. One Komodo dragon rushed to his den but the door was closed, and he “ran erratically” around until daylight returned.

He noted that it was “entirely possible” that the behaviors were triggered not by the eclipse, but by the large crowds and the noises at the zoo, which included fireworks exploding in the distance.

Yet the giraffes’ behavior that day in South Carolina was similar to the animals’ behavior elsewhere during eclipses, including at the Nashville Zoo in 2017, and also in the wild in Zambia during a 2001 eclipse.

“Most of us expected that the giraffes would just kind of be like, ‘Oh, it’s dark, so it’s bedtime,’” said Alyson Proveaux, curator of mammals at the Riverbanks Zoo and one of the observers of the giraffes in 2017. But their reaction was much more dramatic.

Normally, the Riverbanks Zoo giraffes chomp on lettuce, chew their cud, mill about or play with their enrichment toys. But when the sky went dark, according to the study, they stopped eating and huddled in the back of their enclosure, with one pacing and swaying. As the daylight slowly returned, several broke into a gallop for several minutes, which was extremely out of character. Giraffes also galloped during the eclipse at the Nashville Zoo and in Zambia.

“They are creatures of habit,” Ms. Proveaux said. “So we just rocked their world.”

In another part of the Riverbanks Zoo, the Galápagos turtles did something even stranger just before totality that the study described as a “novel response.” Instead of moving slowly around their area, as they usually do, they grouped together and two started mating. During totality, all four tortoises moved faster than usual.

Dr. Hartstone-Rose is curious to see if these responses will be repeated by animals at the Fort Worth Zoo, where he will likely be monitoring the bonobos, which are similar to chimpanzees. He said bonobos often exhibit sexual behavior to alleviate anxiety and that it will be fascinating to see their response to the unexpected darkness.

He also is asking the public to formally observe the animals around them during the eclipse and submit those findings to him so he can include them in his study. Those animals include pets, livestock, as well as wild animals, who also are known to alter their behavior during eclipses.

Scientists have used different types of technology to record wild animal responses to an eclipse. For the 2017 solar eclipse, scientists used radar data from weather stations across the country to study how flying animals responded when day turned into night.

As the sky darkened, the amount of biological activity in the atmosphere fell, they found, suggesting that insects were landing and birds were beginning to roost. In some places, there were also brief pulses of activity during totality, when some nocturnal creatures — which may have included bats, some insects and birds that migrate at night — came to life.

Still, the brief bout of darkness did not seem significant enough to completely convince animals that night had descended. “It’s kind of a muted response,” said Andrew Farnsworth, a visiting scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology who was an author of the study.

Some animals, including many butterflies, are especially sensitive to temperature. During the 2017 eclipse , Robert Michael Pyle, an ecologist and butterfly expert in southwestern Washington, spent hours carefully logging the conditions in his yard and as the temperature dropped, the woodland skippers, a common butterfly species, disappeared. “Two degrees put the butterflies back to bed,” he said.

Although they have been the focus of less research, plants, which require the sun for sustenance, are also affected by eclipses . “As the sun goes away, photosynthesis goes down,” said Daniel Beverly, an ecophysiologist at Indiana University who documented that slowdown in big sagebrush during the 2017 eclipse. The findings highlight the importance of circadian rhythms beyond the animal kingdom, he said.

And careful observations of what organisms do during an eclipse can yield new insights that extend beyond the event itself. The eclipse “is a sort of natural experiment, manipulating light and temperature on a grand scale,” said Candace Galen, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Missouri who found that bees went quiet during the period of totality in 2017.

In the end, Dr. Hartstone-Rose said, “who knows what’s going through the head of a giraffe.” But his aim is to collect as much data as he can, to try to find out.

He does have one definite answer to a question posed to him again and again: During an eclipse, should you put protective glasses on your dog?

“As a fashion statement, I’m all for it, so go for it,” he said. “But as a safety precaution, no, that’s not something they need to do. Animals do not look at the sun.”

Emily Anthes is a science reporter, writing primarily about animal health and science. She also covered the coronavirus pandemic. More about Emily Anthes