The cat is a digitigrade feline.
Cat , from the Latin word cattus , is a term that refers to a mammalian animal that is part of the group of felids : those carnivorous species that have rear legs with four fingers and front legs with five fingers; retractable nails; short snout; and rounded head . The legs are also digitigrade since, when walking, they only support their fingers.
Although there are cats of various breeds and with very different characteristics among them, these animals usually have a length of fifty centimeters from the tail to the head. His tongue is rough and his hair is soft.
Purring and meowing are two of the common mechanisms that cats use to communicate. Stray or feral cats usually live in colonies , forming groups , because they are social animals.
The cat and the human
The cat is a domestic animal that has coexisted with humans for about 9,500 years . Although they can be found in homes as pets, cats are predators and can hunt different types of prey (birds, rodents , etc.).
It is important to mention that humans can contract diseases or suffer certain disorders when in contact with cats. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that cats can transmit to people; It is especially dangerous for pregnant women since it can cause malformations in the fetus. There are individuals, on the other hand, who are allergic to a protein in cat saliva.
Characteristics of these animals
In popular culture, due to the animal 's agility and ability to generally fall on its legs, it is often said that the cat has seven or nine lives . These numbers are considered good luck.
Many people are fascinated by cats.
Another of the characteristic features of the cat is its cunning , that is, its ability to understand things and take advantage of different situations for its own benefit, generally deceiving others. It is a particularly enigmatic animal, which generates admiration in many people and attracts them to the point of getting them to observe it for long periods of time without getting bored.
The cat's movements often seem premeditated, and this explains why it spends a lot of time still, observing its surroundings before deciding to move forward. This, added to their incredible agility, can lead to impressive jumps with extremely precise landings; For example, it is not uncommon to see a cat jump from one balcony to another, at a great height, and pass between the bars of the second before touching the ground, in a feat that could end its life with the slightest mistake.
cat breeds
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Siamese - Known for their elegance and piercing blue eyes, they are social and vocal cats.
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Abyssinian - With an adventurous spirit, they are intelligent and active, with a short, shiny coat.
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Bengal - Wild in appearance but domestic at heart, they stand out for their mottled pattern and energy.
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Burmese - Friendly and playful, they have a short, shiny coat that requires little maintenance.
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British Shorthair - With their charming expression and stocky body, they are independent but affectionate.
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Maine coon - Large and gentle, they are famous for their size and friendly nature.
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Persian - Elegant and calm in temperament, they are recognized by their lush coat and flattened face.
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Ragdoll - Affectionate and relaxed, they are known for their docile and loving behavior.
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Scottish fold - Recognizable by their folded ears, they are adorable and calm cats.
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Sphynx - Known for their lack of fur, they are warm, affectionate and always seek human contact.
The cat, loved and rejected
Currently, the image of the cat is also associated with millions of videos published on the Internet in which they are seen doing all kinds of funny or cute things, and which entertain people around the world. “Cat videos” are the most popular on social networks like YouTube and are also mentioned in television shows, movies, songs and video games, as one of the most recent social entertainment phenomena in history.
What makes cats so interesting to our species? One possible answer is its unpredictable and mysterious nature. Their piercing eyes have a hypnotic effect on us, partly because we don't know what they are thinking, what their next move will be. Furthermore, when they are given the opportunity to live with other animals, whether with other cats or dogs, they display a whole other layer of social skills that makes them even more attractive and fun.
This does not mean that the cat is the human's favorite animal. Despite its popularity in certain areas, it also receives a lot of hatred from those who consider it an urban pest and persecute it with castration campaigns or, worse still, with poison and compressed air weapons.