There is some confusion on the internet as to whether the scientific name for the domestic cat is felis catus or felis silvestris catus. The confusion comes from how scientists have decided to classify the domestic cat within the range … Continue reading →
Which big cat is not in the genus Panthera? The answer depends on how you define ‘big cat’. Historically the big cats are the cats within the genus Panthera. That’s the whole point. These big cats are the classic foursome, … 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 … Continue reading →
What does felis catus mean? I’ll try and break this Latin phrase down to its components and provide translations on the way. An alternative to felis catus is felis silvestris catus (the trinomial name). They are both Latin versions of … Continue reading →
Are cheetahs big cats? The one word answer is no. The term ‘big cats’ loosely refers to size. They are unified by the fact that all four big cats roar. Their anatomy allows it.
Continue reading →There are two points to make (a) in 2017, the South China tiger has been reclassified as the same species as the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and therefore technically we can’t discuss it as a species of wild cat … Continue reading →
“What is the order of a cat?” sounds rather strange. On the face of it it does not make sense. However, the question revolves around the word “order” which is one level in the scientific classification of the domestic cat. … Continue reading →
Here are some examples of the word ‘taxonomy’ in a sentence. I like the science of taxonomy. Taxonomy is an evolving science. The classification of animal and plant species is called taxonomy. The science of taxonomy with respect to the … Continue reading →
People want to know how the word Felidae fits into a sentence. I think it is a good question because the word is technical and it is not obvious as to how the word is used. Felidae is a Latin … Continue reading →
Yes, the Bobcat is a Lynx. People ask this question on the internet. The Bobcat is within a group of four cats which are all under the heading of “Lynx”. In taxonomy terminology this group is called a “Genus”. The … Continue reading →
