Cat
©  Amy Pertschuk

Domestic Cat Felis cattus
Report By Dylan Mozingo
Humans and cats have probably lived together for more than 10,000 years, after humans began farming and storing grain and cats joined in for the plentiful supply of rodents. The house cat is thought to descend from the African Wildcat, a small feline still found in Africa and the Middle East that looks like a pet tabby. Over the years, humans have bred cats for different hair color, eye color, coat length, patterns, and other qualities. Today there are dozens of different cat breeds.

Look For: Cats come in a wide variety of colors, and their fur can be short or long. Cats can be solid-colored, all white, a spotted tabby pattern, tortoiseshell, calico, and many other patterns. l.

Length: Body 12-20" long, tail 0-15" long; 5-20 lb.