National Pingtung University of Science and Technology

PET SCIENCE
ABOUT CAT

Instructor: Sheng-Chuan Lin Ph. D.

Author: Dipesh Ghimire (B10622068)

Submission Date:
January 5, 2021
 Introduction
The cat (Felis Catus) is a small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated
species in the family Felidae and often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from
wild members of the family. The cat is either a house cat, kept as a pet, or a feral cat, freely
ranging and avoiding human contact. Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felid species,
with a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp teeth and retractable claws adapted to
killing small prey. They are predators who are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made
by mice and other small animals. Compared to humans, they see better in the dark (they see
in near total darkness) and have a better sense of smell, but poorer color vision. Cats, despite
being solitary hunters, are a social species. Cat communication includes the use of
vocalizations including mewing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling and grunting as well as
cat-specific body language. Cats also communicate by secreting and perceiving pheromones.

It was long thought that cat domestication was initiated in Egypt, because cats in
ancient Egypt were venerated since around 3100 BC. However, the earliest indication for the
taming of an African wildcat (F. lybica) was found in Cyprus, where a cat skeleton was
excavated close by a human Neolithic grave dating to around 7500 BC. African wildcats
were probably first domesticated in the Near East. The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)
was tamed independently in China around 5500 BC, though this line of partially domesticated
cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.

The earliest known indication for a tamed African wildcat was excavated close by a
human grave in Shillourokambos, southern Cyprus, dating to about 9,200 to 9,500 years
before present. As there is no evidence of native mammalian fauna on Cyprus, the inhabitants

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of this Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island
from the continent.

As there is no evidence of native mammalian fauna on Cyprus, the inhabitants of this

Neolithic village most likely brought the cat and other wild mammals to the island from the
continent.

Cat in Europe
The earliest known evidence for the occurrence of the domestic cat in Greece dates to
around 1200 BC. Greek, Phoenician, Carthaginian and Etruscan traders introduced domestic
cats to southern Europe. By the 5th century BC, it was a familiar animal around settlements
in Magna Graecia and Etruria. Domesticated cats were introduced to Corsica and Sardinia
during the Roman Empire before the beginning of the 1st millennium. The Egyptian domestic
cat lineage is evidenced in a Baltic Sea port in northern Germany by the end of the Roman
Empire in the 5th century.

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At present
As of 2017, the domestic cat was the second-most popular pet in the U.S. by number
of pets owned, after freshwater fish, with 95 million cats owned. As of 2017, it was ranked
the third-most popular pet in the UK, after fish and dogs, with around 8 million being owned.
The number of cats in the United Kingdom has nearly doubled since 1965, when the cat
population was 4.1 million.

Size of Cat
Domestic cats are generally smaller than wildcats in both skull and limb
measurements. Adult domestic cats typically weigh between 4 and 5 kg (9 and 10 lb)
although many breeds have a wide range of sizes, with male American Shorthairs, a common
breed, ranging from 3 and 7 kg (7 to 15 lb). Some breeds, such as the Maine Coon, can
occasionally exceed 11 kg (24 lb). Very small cats, less than 2 kg (4 lb), have been reported.
The world record for the largest cat is 21 kg (50 lb). The smallest adult cat ever officially
recorded weighed around 1 kg (2 lb). Feral cats tend to be lighter, as they have more limited
access to food than house cats. The average feral adult male weighs 4 kg (9 lb), and the
average adult female 3 kg (7 lb). Cats average about 23–25 cm (9–10 in) in height and 46 cm
(18 in) in head/body length (males being larger than females), with tails averaging 30 cm (12
in) in length.

Senses of cat

Vision (sight)
Cats have excellent night vision and can see at only one-sixth the light level required
for human vision This is partly the result of cat eyes having a tapetum lucidum, which
reflects any light that passes through the retina back into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's
sensitivity to dim light. Another adaptation to dim light is the large pupils of cats' eyes.
Unlike some big cats, such as tigers, domestic cats have slit pupils. These slit pupils can
focus bright light without chromatic aberration, and are needed since the domestic cat's pupils
are much larger, relative to their eyes, than the pupils of the big cats. At low light levels, a
cat's pupils will expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.

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 However, domestic cats have rather poor color vision and (like most nonprimate
mammals) have only two types of cones, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish
green; they have limited ability to distinguish between red and green. A 1993 paper reported
a response to middle wavelengths from a system other than the rods which might be due to a
third type of cone. However, this appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than
representing true trichromatic vision.
Structure of Eye

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Smell
Cats have an acute sense of smell, due in part to their well-developed olfactory bulb
and a large surface of olfactory mucosa, about 5.8 cm2 (0.90 in2) in area, which is about
twice that of humans.
Accessory smell
Cats and many other animals have a Jacobson's organ in their mouths that is used in the
behavioral process of flehmening. It allows them to sense certain aromas in a way that
humans cannot.

Jacobson's organ

Cats are sensitive to pheromones such as 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol, which they

use to communicate through urine spraying and marking with scent glands. Many cats also
respond strongly to plants that contain nepetalactone, especially catnip, as they can detect that
substance at less than one part per billion.
About 70–80% of cats are affected by nepetalactone. This response is also produced by other
plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herb valerian; it may be caused by
the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual
behaviors.

Taste

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 Cats have relatively few taste buds compared to humans (470 or so versus more than
9,000 on the human tongue). Domestic and wild cats share a gene mutation that keeps their
sweet taste buds from binding to sugary molecules, leaving them with no ability to taste
sweetness.
Their taste buds instead respond to acids, amino acids like protein, and bitter tastes. Cats also
have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature
around 38 °C (100 °F) which is similar to that of a fresh kill and routinely rejecting food
presented cold or refrigerated (which would signal to the cat that the "prey" item is long dead
and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing).

Hearing
Cats have excellent hearing and can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies.
They can hear higher-pitched sounds than either dogs or humans, detecting frequencies from
55 Hz to 79,000 Hz, a range of 10.5 octaves, while humans and dogs both have ranges of
about 9 octaves.
Cats can hear ultrasound, which is important in hunting because many species of rodents
make ultrasonic calls. However, they do not communicate using ultrasound like rodents do.
Cats' hearing is also sensitive and among the best of any mammal, being most acute in the
range of 500 Hz to 32 kHz. This sensitivity is further enhanced by the cat's large movable
outer ears (their pinnae), which both amplify sounds and help detect the direction of a noise.

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Whiskers
To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movable whiskers
(vibrissae) over their body, especially their faces. These provide information on the width of
gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by
sensing air currents; they also trigger protective blink reflexes to protect the eyes from
damage.

Height
Comparison of cat righting reflexes in gravity vis-à-vis zero gravity Most breeds of
cat have a noted fondness for settling in high places, or perching. In the wild, a higher place
may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats may strike prey by pouncing
from a perch such as a tree branch, as does a leopard. Another possible explanation is that
height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. A cat falling
from heights of up to 3 meters can right itself and land on its paws.

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Balance
During a fall from a high place, a cat reflexively twists its body and rights itself to
land on its feet using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. This reflex is known as the cat
righting reflex. An individual cat always rights itself in the same way during a fall, provided
it has sufficient time to do so. The height required for this to occur is around 90 cm (3.0 ft).
Cats without a tail also have this reflex. Several explanations have been proposed for this
phenomenon since the late 19th century: Cats rely on conservation of angular momentum.
The rotation angle of the front body is larger than that of the rear body. The dynamics of the
falling cat have been explained using the Udwadia–Kalaba equation.

Behavior
Cat behavior includes body language, elimination habits, aggression, play,
communication, hunting, grooming, urine making, and face rubbing. It varies among
individuals, colonies, and breeds. Communication and sociability can vary greatly among
individual cats. In a family with many cats, the interactions can change depending on which
individuals are present and how restricted the territory and resources are. One or more
individuals may become aggressive: fighting may occur with the attack resulting in scratches
and deep bite wounds.

Anatomy
Cats have seven cervical vertebrae, as do almost all mammals: 13 thoracic vertebrae,
7 lumbar vertebrae, 3 sacral vertebrae like most mammals, and a variable number of caudal
vertebrae in the tail. The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat’s spinal
mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 12 ribs, the shoulder, and the pelvis unlike
human’s arms, cat’s forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free- floating clavicle bones
which allow them to pass their bodies through any space into which they can fit their heads.

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 Reproduction

Female cats are seasonally polyestrous which means they may have many periods of
heat over the course of a year, the season beginning in spring and ending in late autumn. Heat
periods occur about every two weeks and last about 4 to 7 days. Multi males will be attracted
to a female in heat. The males will fight over her, and victor wins the right to mate. At female
reject the male, but eventually allows the male to mate.

Diseases

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 Outdoor cats and those that live in multi-cat homes have the highest risk of disease.
However, indoor cats and "only cats" can get sick, too.  According to the Humane Society of
the United States, there are more than 70 million feral and stray cats roaming the streets.
Because stray cats often carry dangerous diseases, the best thing that we can do to protect
domesticated cat against serious illness is to keep it indoors. By staying inside, cat is less
likely to fight with other animals and risk the chance of spreading diseases through wounds.
Cats can suffer from wide a range of health problems, including infectious disease, parasite,
injuries, and chronic disease. Vaccinations are available for many of these diseases, and
domestic cats are regularly given treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms and fleas.

Some of common disease in cats and prevention methods

Cancer
Cancer is a class of diseases in which cells grow uncontrollably, invade surrounding tissue
and may spread to other areas of the body.

Cause of cancer
Cancer is a “multifactorial” disease, which means it has no known single cause.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the ear, eyelid or nose is a skin cancer caused by repeated
exposure to the sun. White, or light colored, cats are more susceptible to squamous cell
carcinoma.

Lymphosarcoma or lymphoma (LSA), is one of the most common type of cancer in cats.
Some reports estimate that 30% of all reported cat cancers are due to LSA. Feline leukemia
virus (FeLV) is linked to most forms of LSA except for the gastrointestinal (GI) form. FeLV
is a transmittable retrovirus that can be passed in utero as well as through saliva and direct
contact. Primarily a disease in younger cats, the virus doesn’t always manifest symptoms, so
it is important to have your cat tested regularly to prevent transmission and progression.
There is a vaccine available for FeLV that your veterinarian can discuss with you based on
your cat’s lifestyle and risk of exposure to FeLV.
Cancer Prevention

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  Keeping your cat indoors will protect her from certain skin cancers caused by
repeated sun exposure and sunburn.
 Breast cancer is a common cancer for cats, but it can be avoided by having your cat
spayed before her first heat cycle.

Diabetes
Diabetes in cats is a complex disease caused by either a lack of the hormone insulin or an
inadequate response to insulin. After a cat eats, her digestive system breaks food into various
components, including glucose—which is carried into her cells by insulin. When a cat does
not produce insulin or cannot utilize it normally, her blood sugar levels elevate. The result is
hyperglycemia, which, if left untreated, can cause many complicated health problems for a
cat.

Diabetes can be classified as

 Type I (lack of insulin production)

 Type II (impaired insulin production along with an inadequate response to the
hormone).
Cats with type II diabetes can progress to type I diabetes. In fact, by the time most cats are
diagnosed with diabetes, they are identified as having the type I disorder. These cats require
insulin therapy for survival. Cats with type II disease may respond to other forms of therapy.

Diabetes Prevention
A proper diet and regular exercise can go a long way to avoid the development of feline
diabetes. Aside from other negative effects, obesity is known to contribute to insulin
resistance.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
Cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may not show symptoms until years
after the initial infection occurred. Although the virus is slow-acting, a cat’s immune system
is severely weakened once the disease takes hold. This makes the cat susceptible to various
secondary infections. Infected cats receiving supportive medical care and kept in a stress-free,
indoor environment can live relatively comfortable lives for months to years before the
disease reaches its chronic stages.

Caring for an FIV-Infected Cat

 Keep your cat indoors. This will protect him from contact with disease-causing agents
to which he may be susceptible. By bringing your cat indoors, you’re also protecting
the uninfected cats in your community.

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  Watch for changes—even seemingly minor—in your cat’s health and behavior.
Immediately report any health concerns to your vet.
 Bring your cat to your vet at least twice per year for a wellness checkup, blood count
and urine analysis.
 Feed your cat nutritionally balanced food—no raw food diets, please, as bacteria and
parasites in uncooked meat and eggs can be dangerous to immunocompromised pets.
 Be sure your cat is spayed or neutered.

High-Rise Syndrome
Many pet parents eagerly open their windows to enjoy the weather during the summer
months. Unfortunately, unscreened windows pose a real danger to cats, who fall out of them
so often that the veterinary profession has a name for the complaint—High-Rise Syndrome.
Falls can result in shattered jaws, punctured lungs, broken limbs and pelvises—and even
death.

Preventing High-Rise Syndrome

To keep your cat safe during the summer, take the following precautions:

 Install snug and sturdy screens in all your windows.

 If you have adjustable screens, please make sure that they are tightly wedged into
window frames.
 Note that cats can slip through childproof window guards—these don’t provide
adequate protection!

Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of all mammals, including cats,
dogs and humans. This preventable disease has been reported in every state except Hawaii.
There’s good reason that the very word “rabies” evokes fear in people—once symptoms
appear, rabies is close to 100% fatal.

Rabies Prevention

 Vaccination is the key—and in many areas of the country, such as New York City, it's
the law.
 Some local ordinances require lengthy quarantines—or euthanasia—of pets who have
bitten someone if their owners do not have proof of current vaccination.
 Vaccinating your cat doesn't just protect her from rabies—it also protects your cat if
she bites someone.

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 In municipalities where rabies vaccinations for cats are not required, the decision to
vaccinate is best left to the judgment of the veterinarian and the cat guardian because
some cats experience serious side effects to the rabies vaccine.
 The vaccine should definitely be administered if your cat spends any time outdoors
(ASPCA experts recommend keeping pet cats indoors).

References

 http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/5-most-dangerous-cat-diseases/ Accessed on, 4

Jan 2021.
 https://www.slideshare.net/Syifasahal23/report-text-cat Accessed on, 4 Jan 2021.
 https://www.acatclinic.us/cats-five-senses-sight-hearing-smell-taste-touch-cats/
Accessed on 3, Jan 2021.
 https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-diseases Accessed on, 5 Jan
2021.
 https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat Accessed on, 5 Jan 2021.

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