Cats: Mysterious little companions of humans

Cats are vertebrates belonging to the Felidae family of the Carnivora order.

Cats are small in size and have a wide variety of coat colors, ranging from blue-gray to brownish-yellow. They are relatively slender, with a body length of approximately 0.3 to 0.5 meters. Their bodies are covered in thick, soft fur. Cats have small collarbones, short muzzles, round eyes, sturdy necks, relatively short limbs, and several round pads under their claws, allowing them to move silently. The surface of their tongues is covered with a layer of keratin-like material, featuring papillae resembling thread-like hooks. Male and female cats are similar in appearance, though males have rounder, broader heads and are slightly larger in size.

Cats have 19 pairs of chromosomes, with an average lifespan of 12–17 years, and they can reproduce throughout their lives. In the poem “Mocking the Cat” by Song Dynasty poet Lu You, there is a self-commentary: “People often say that cats are the uncles of tigers, and many of the tigers’ skills were taught by cats, but cats did not teach tigers to climb trees,” so cats also have the nickname “tiger uncle.”

Cats have a very wide distribution range, from hot tropical rainforests and arid desert hills to vast grasslands and high plateaus. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Cats are particularly skilled at climbing trees. They do not like to live in groups and have a strong sense of territory. If their territory is invaded by other animals, they will attack. Cats are carnivorous animals. In the wild, they survive by catching mice, small birds, fish, and other small animals. They particularly enjoy eating meat and have a tendency to be picky eaters.

Keeping cats as household pets can fulfill people’s emotional needs. Take catching mice, for example; cats can help humans reduce significant economic losses. Over time, many wild cats were domesticated by humans and became house cats. Their function gradually shifted from catching mice to accompanying humans, becoming beloved pets. Ancient Egypt was the first place to domesticate house cats. At that time, cats were regarded as “sacred beasts.” In early Egyptian artworks, cats were depicted as both the sun god and the moon god. Archaeologists believe that people began domesticating cats as early as the First Dynasty of Egypt around 3000 BCE, but it wasn’t until the Eighteenth Dynasty (1540–1292 BCE) that domestic cats were fully domesticated.

According to the International Cat Association (TICA), there are 73 recognized breeds of domestic cats. As of 2023, the global population of domestic cats has exceeded 500 million. According to a report in Science magazine, cats have 276 distinct facial expressions, and these expressions likely evolved over time as cats interacted with humans.