Cats make excellent pets. Despite the feline reputation for aloofness and independence, many owners can attest to the mutual strength of the human/companion-cat bond. An understanding of cats,their origins, and their natural behavior can help deepen our appreciation of our pets. When feline misbehaviors threaten to rupture the bond between owner and cat,application of our knowledge of cat behavior can help stabilze the relationship.
We will never really be certain how cats became domesticated. The available archaeological evidence indicates that cats began residing with humans approximately six thousand to ten thousand years ago. The cat from which the domestic cat originated is believed to be the North African wild cat, Felis libyca. Those cats that deigned to share their territory with people may have done so because the humans caches of food attracted rodents, a favorite feline prey. Cats probably chose to live with humans, rather than being captured and deliberately tamed as dogs and other farm animals were; humans may have tolerated the cats presence because of their value as rodent killers. Perhaps for these reasons there has been much less selective breeding of cats than of other domesticated animals. One need only compare the differences between pomeranians and Great Danes,or beween Clydesdale horses and Shetland ponies, to appreciate clearly how little the feline anatomy has been altered. In fact, there was little selective breeding of cats until just a few hundred years ago.
Behavior can also be modified by selection. The most significant behavioral change resulting from domestication of cats is the species greater tolerance of human contact. This aspect of behavior can also be strongly influenced by experience.Once cats were accepted by humans ( and vice versa)' they soon spread from their home in North Africa to the remainder of the world. Crossing the vast ocean distances aboard sailing vessels, cats became valued members of the crew by killing rats and mice and thus protecting the cargo and ship's supplies. Today cats can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
Cats are fairly fluid in the organization of their social structure. In a rural setting, cats have territories that can be as large as three acres per female or thirty acres per male. In cities, densities can be as high as ten cats per acre. In general, the dominant tom's territory encompasses the femaless territories, he will repel other males. Cats may share a general "core area", but most of their hunting and other activity takes place within exclusive territorial boundaries. Repeated use of territory and presumably repeated marking of territory is necessary to maintain this exclusiveness.
Cats characteristically display brief bursts of activity distributed over twenty four hours and are more active during the day than at night. Caged cats spend ten hours per day sleeping. Ordinary sleep lasts three times longer than dream sleeep. To date, on one has investigated the sleeping and activity patterns of house cats.
Behavior can also be modified by selection. The most significant behavioral change resulting from domestication of cats is the species greater tolerance of human contact. This aspect of behavior can also be strongly influenced by experience.Once cats were accepted by humans ( and vice versa)' they soon spread from their home in North Africa to the remainder of the world. Crossing the vast ocean distances aboard sailing vessels, cats became valued members of the crew by killing rats and mice and thus protecting the cargo and ship's supplies. Today cats can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
Cats characteristically display breif bursts of activity distributed over twenty four hours and are more active during the day than at night. Caged cats spend ten hours per day sleeping. Ordinary sleep lasts three times longer than dream sleeep. To date, on one has investigated the sleeping and activity patterns of house cats.
