The answer to this question is actually straightforward. Because of circumstance and because the Near Eastern wildcat can be domesticated, it was domesticated about 10,000 years ago. The Near Eastern wildcat (aka North African wildcat) is quite a small animal. … please continue reading
When did Breeding start? It started in the United Kingdom (specifically England) in the late 1800s and the first cat show was in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in South London. It was organised by the father of the Cat … please continue reading
How has the domestic cat evolved over the approximate 10,000 years of its domestication from the Near Eastern wildcat? We have the beginnings of an answer at least. In 2014 scientists collected DNA samples from cheek swabs of 22 domestic … please continue reading
Do wild cats shed as much as house cats? I have the best books on the wild cats and there is nothing in them on the speed at which the wild cat species shed fur, which is unsurprising because it … please continue reading
If cats are feline what are dogs? Dogs are “canine”. Below I set out the origin of the words “feline” and “canine”. Google also tells us that the use of the word canine has increased significantly from the 19th century … please continue reading
The cheetah is alone in the genus Acinonyx. A ‘genus’ is a rank in the classification of the species (taxonomy). It is a sort of group of cats with the same fundamental features and in this case it is a … please continue reading
Although the average dog is about 25% smaller than their wild ancestor, the grey wolf, it appears based upon some recent research in Denmark that domestic cats have become 16% larger over the past 2000 years beginning with the Vikings. … please continue reading
‘Kilkenny Cats’ refers to soldiers who fight with tenacity and conviction. However, the phrase originates in cat cruelty. It is said that the cat’s aloofness is partly the reason why people were and continue to be cruel to cats. However, … please continue reading
By Gina Shahbander Cats would have saved Europe from the Plague. Europe in the 13th century did not understand the concept of an allergy caused by cat’s dander. They accused the cats of stealing people’s breath, they also did not … please continue reading
It’d be interesting if someone could try and untangle the interpretation of this 16th century religious painting by Barocci containing a domestic cat. It is called ‘The Madonna of the Cat’ (La Madonna del Gatto). Please click on the image … please continue reading
