Cat Characteristics

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 20 February 2021
Update Date: 12 November 2024
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With a reputation for being independent and not very attached to their caregivers, the truth is that cats are excellent companions for any home. They may be as affectionate as the dogs, but they will show considerable differences, not just physical ones. It is essential that you know the character, behavior and needs, ie all characteristics of cats before adopting one.

To ensure a happy coexistence, in this article by PeritoAnimal, we cover all the details and we will explain to you how are the cats.

Origin and evolution of cats

There are many qualities in cats. Smart, elegant and agile are just some of the possible qualities to refer to this feline that has adapted to living with human beings, inside their homes and cities, forming what we call colonies. The cats approached people about 10,000 years ago, attracted by the abundance of rodents that roamed human settlements, who in turn realized the value of the cat in controlling these pests. But beyond that, in civilizations like the Egyptian, cats were sacred animals, gods, and so respectable that they were buried with honor.


Over the years, the relationship between cats and humans has gone through several ups and downs, but cats have always managed to adapt to each situation to survive. Today, they are part of people's favorite pets, but unfortunately, there are still many people who decide to leave them on the streets.

As for the origin of the cat as a species, there are several theories about it, which is why it is still debated how cats emerged and where. Mammals, carnivores and with seasonal heat, we'll delve deeper into the characteristics of cats below.

cat taxonomy

As for the characteristics of the cat with its taxonomy, which is the scientific classification which places this species in the animal kingdom according to its most important parameters. It is as follows:

  • Kingdom: Animalia;
  • Subkingdom: Eumetazoa;
  • Subphylum: Vertebrate;
  • Class: Mammalia;
  • Subclass: Theria;
  • Infraclass: Placentalia;
  • Order: Carnivora;
  • Suborder: Felifornia;
  • Family: Felidae;
  • Subfamily: Feline;
  • Gender: Felis;
  • Species: Felis sylvestris;
  • Subspecies: Felis sylvestris catus.

What are cats like?

As for the physical characteristics of the cat, we are talking about a quadruped, tailed mammal, although Manx's cat doesn't have one, retractable claws and fur covering the entire body. It has 230 bones that give it great flexibility and elasticity. Their whiskers stand out, which are hair modified with a sensory function.


Its color is very variable and can be monochromatic, bicolor or tricolor, with different stripes and length patterns. Although there are variations between specimens and larger or smaller breeds, we can establish a average weight between 3 and 5 kg.

In addition, cats are live-bearing animals, meaning that they give birth to litters of about 4-5 kittens that will be fed on their mother's milk for the first few weeks of life. Also highlighted are your senses of sight, hearing and smell, which make your life as a predatory animal easier. Your cats body temperature is between 38 and 39°C.

Where do cats live?

cats are distributed all over the world. Currently, we can talk about the habitat of the domestic cat, which would correspond to specimens that live under the care of humans in their homes and of other cats, considered wild, found in natural environments without contact with people. Furthermore, around the human nuclei, there are free cats that go on with life without any person being directly responsible for them. Under these conditions, cats barely survive.


Environmental enrichment for cats

Is important take into account the characteristics of the cat for coexistence in your home to be successful. For this, it is necessary to have essential utensils, such as a litter box with a shovel, a scraper, a food pot, a drinking fountain and food adapted to the cat's nutritional needs according to its stage of life. In addition, it is convenient to provide the cat with entertainment, for which you will find various toys for sale, as well as an environment where it can climb, hide, rest, etc.

Cat feeding

cats are animals strictly carnivores. Their diet in the natural environment was based on hunting rodents, birds and lizards, but the occasional intake of plants, supposedly to supplement their diet, is not uncommon.

Currently, you can choose from several options, such as homemade food, feed, wet or dehydrated food, but always according to the stage of life in which the cat is, so that nutritional deficiencies do not occur.

Contrary to popular belief, in which the image of the cat is associated with a dish of milk, adult cats do not need to consume this food. In fact, with age, they lose the enzyme essential for digesting milk, which makes the milk indigestible for these animals. Learn more about the topic in the article "Can cats drink milk?".

Cat behavior and personality

Among the characteristics of the cat, its character stands out, although it is possible to find great variations depending on the individual and the experiences he has lived throughout his life. It is possible to highlight its rich communication, which includes the body language and sounds like meows, snorts and purrs. The pheromones it emits and detects are another very important form of communication.

Cats stand out for their cleanliness and, except when sick, devote many hours to self-cleaning. Much of the remaining time is spent sleeping. In addition to cleaning, it is necessary that cats sharpen your claws. If you don't provide suitable locations for this, such as a scraper, your furniture or curtains are likely to be ripped. Still on hygiene, they do the needs in the litter box since they were little.

Cats, with the exception of the female and her kittens, have lonely habits. Although they may live in colonies or collectives, it is also true that for them this is a stressful situation, which manifests itself in inadequate defecation, fights, lack of appetite, etc. Cats love routine, so any changes should be made after an adjustment period. Unlike dogs, they don't need to learn basic commands, although it's convenient to establish some rules of coexistence and give them time for play and attention.

Cat reproduction

How do cats reproduce? Male cats can reproduce whenever they notice the proximity of a female cat in heat. They are seasonal polyestrics, that is, during the months with the highest incidence of sunlight, they go through continuous heat. This makes one of the characteristics of cats the ability to produce up to three litters per year. Pregnancy lasts about nine weeks. After birth, puppies must spend at least eight weeks with their mother and siblings.

Cats reach sexual maturity quickly, in approximately 6-8 months. Early sterilization of males and females is recommended as part of responsible care to avoid problems with coexistence, health and uncontrolled reproduction.

Cat breeds: classification

Currently, there are more than 100 standardized and registered cat breeds. The oldest breeds had short fur and are the descendants of the cats that the Romans spread throughout Europe. The first long-haired cat was the Angora, from Turkey. Next was the famous Persian from Asia Minor. From the Far East came the Siamese, while from Russia, the Russian Blue and from Ethiopia, the Abyssinian.

The characteristics of the cat do not fundamentally vary from one breed to another, but we can find certain characteristics more typical of one or the other. It is advisable that you inform yourself before adopting. According to the International Feline Federation, cat breeds are grouped into four categories, which are as follows:

  • Category I: Persians and exotics like Ragdoll;
  • Category II: for the semi-long as the Norwegian of the Forest, the Siberian or the Angora;
  • Category III: Short fur such as the Cat-de-Begala, Chartreux, the European Common Cat or the Manx;
  • Category IV: Siamese and Oriental such as Abyssinian, Sphynx, Devon Rex, Russian Blue or Balinese.

Cat Life Expectancy

If you have decided to adopt and are wondering how long a cat lives, although there are variations depending on the quality of life received, you will be able to enjoy its company for about 12 to 15 years. Obviously, there are also cats that go beyond this age and live to be 20 years old. Everything will depend on the quality of life he had and the care he received.

To provide everything your cat needs, don't miss our YouTube video with all the care for your cat to live longer:

Cats Curiosities

One of the most curious characteristics of cats is that the male has a prickly penis. This conformation is due to the fact that, at the end of copulation, the cat needs to receive a stimulus for ovulation to occur. The spines of the penis, when pulled out in the opposite direction, do this.

Another curiosity about its anatomy is the carey or tricolor coat, which occurs only in females, since the so-called red color is associated with the X chromosome. In addition, cats are no longer revered animals, with punishments for those who dare harm them, to relate to pagan celebrations, in a way which eventually came to be associated with the devil and witchcraft. So, in many places, black cats are associated with bad luck.

On the other hand, cats' resistance popularized the belief that they have seven lives. Seven is a number that is considered good luck, and cats always fall on their feet. Although this statement is not entirely true, it is another curiosity of cats that they are able to straighten their bodies to land well when jumping from heights.

Finally, the love of cats and their current popularity led some specimens to become mayors of their cities. One example is the famous Stubbs, honorary ruler of a small town in Alaska, who died a few years ago.

If you want to read more articles similar to Cat Characteristics, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.