9781422280850

Taming the Wild Cat

Watch a cat playing in the yard or stalking a toy on the rug and it’s not difficult to see where his origins lie. He may have been domesticated for several thousand years, but he still retains many features of his wild ancestor, the African wildcat. T he cat family (Felidae) is a varied group, and emerged during the Miocene period, which was about 10 million to 11 million years ago. These feline ancestors eventually evolved into eight major groups, including the Panthera (lions, tiger, and other big cats), and Felis (smaller wildcats).

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Cats