Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus)

Domestic Cat

UK History

All cats belong to a family called the felids and were thought to have evolved 12 million years ago. Domestic cats originated from African wild cats, which they are still closely related to. The first domestic cats were thought to have lived 8,000 years ago in Cyprus.

Cats are depicted in Egyptian paintings and sculptures from 3,000 BC. They were used to control pests in grain stores and came to be worshipped by people. It is thought that the Romans introduced cats into Britain.

UK Status

Widespread and increasing. Estimated to be around 7.5 million now kept as pets with a further 1 million feral cats.

Global Status

Widespread across many parts of the world, especially Europe and North America. 60 million in the US; 300 million worldwide. Currently, the cat is the world's most popular pet.

Biology

Relative to size, domestic cats are very effective predators. The domestic cat can hunt and eat about one thousand species—many big cats will eat fewer than 100.

Sexual mature at six months (females) to seven months (males). Average litter size 3 - 5 kittens. Kittens are weaned at between 6 -7 weeks. Average lifespan is between 9 and 15 years, though they can sometimes live for over 20 years.

Issues with humans

Cats were traditionally kept to kill rodents and this is still the case on some farms. Most are now household companion pets. Some people suffer allergies to cat dander.

Many pet cats successfully hunt and kill rabbits, rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, fish, and large insects by instinct, but might not eat their prey. It is estimated that around 250 million items of prey are killed by domestic cats in Britain each year.

Future Outlook

The number of cats in the UK is set to increase further. A correctly fitted collar and bell can reduce cat predation by at least a third. Recent research showed that cats equipped with a bell returned 41 per cent fewer birds and 34 per cent fewer mammals. For the safety of the cat the collar should be a quick release one that snaps open if it gets caught on a branch.

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