"member of the cat family, the felids, which are a rapidly evolving family of mammals that share a common ancestor only 10–15 million years ago and include lions, tigers, cougars and many others. Within this family, domestic cats (""Felis catus"") are part of the genus ""Felis"", which is a group of small cats containing about seven species (depending upon classification scheme). Members of the genus are found worldwide and include the jungle cat (""Felis chaus"") of southeast Asia, European wildcat (""F. silvestris silvestris""), African wildcat (""F. s. lybica""), the Chinese mountain cat (""F. bieti""), and the Arabian sand cat (""F."
"Tiger The tiger (""Panthera tigris"") is the largest cat species, most recognizable for its pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. The species is classified in the genus ""Panthera"" with the lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. It is an apex predator, primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids. It is territorial and generally a solitary but social predator, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support its prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that it is indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth, has caused significant"
"Big cat The term ""big cat"" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus ""Panthera"", namely tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. Except the snow leopard, these species are able to roar. A more liberal and expansive definition of the term includes species outside of ""Panthera"" including the cougar, clouded leopard, Sunda clouded leopard and cheetah, although these added species also do not roar. Despite enormous differences in size, various cat species are quite similar in both structure and behaviour, with the exception of the cheetah, which significantly stands out from the"
"lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther, depending on the region, is a mammal of the family Felidae, native to the Americas. This large, solitary cat has the greatest range of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes of South America. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in every major American habitat type. It is the second heaviest cat in the American continents after the jaguar. Although large, the cougar is most closely related to smaller felines. Order: Carnivora, Family: Canidae Occurrence: Forests, grasslands - C The coyote"
"and claws are adaptations to clutching prey. Cougars are slender and agile members of the Cat Family. They are the fourth-largest cat species worldwide; adults stand about tall at the shoulders. Adult males are around long from nose to tail tip, and females average , with overall ranges between nose to tail suggested for the species in general. Of this length, the tail typically accounts for . Males generally weigh , averaging . Females typically weigh between , averaging . Cougar size is smallest close to the equator and larger towards the poles. The largest recorded cougar, shot in 1901,"
"word ""jaguar"") converted the ""cuguacu ara"" to ""cuguar"", which was later modified to ""cougar"" in English. The first English record of ""puma"" was in 1777, where it had come from the Spanish, who in turn borrowed it from the Peruvian Quechua language in the 16th century, where it means ""powerful"". Cougars are the largest of the small cats. They are placed in the subfamily Felinae, although their physical characteristics are similar to those of the big cats in the subfamily Pantherinae. The family Felidae is believed to have originated in Asia about 11 million years ago. Taxonomic research on felids"
"comprises mostly small to medium-sized cats, including the domestic cats, but also some larger cats such as the cougar and cheetah. A 2010 study published in ""Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution"" has given insight into the exact evolutionary relationships of the big cats. The study reveals that the snow leopard and the tiger are sister species, while the lion, leopard, and jaguar are more closely related to each other. The tiger and snow leopard diverged from the ancestral big cats approximately 3.9 Ma. The tiger then evolved into a unique species towards the end of the Pliocene epoch, approximately 3.2 Ma."
"appropriate forensic knowledge. Cougar The cougar (""Puma concolor""), also commonly known as the puma, mountain lion, panther or catamount, is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae native to the Americas. Its range, from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America, is the widest of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in most American habitat types. It is the biggest cat in North America, and the second-heaviest cat in the New World after the jaguar. Secretive and largely solitary by nature, the cougar is properly considered"
"in Colombia. IUCN Red List assessors for the species and members of the Cat Specialist Group do not recognize any jaguar subspecies as valid. The following table is based on the former classification of the species provided in ""Mammal Species of the World"". The jaguar is a compact and well-muscled animal. It is the largest cat native to the Americas and the third largest in the world, exceeded in size by the tiger and lion. Its coat is generally a tawny yellow, but ranges to reddish-brown, for most of the body. The ventral areas are white. The fur is covered"
"Cougar The cougar (""Puma concolor""), also commonly known as the puma, mountain lion, panther or catamount, is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae native to the Americas. Its range, from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America, is the widest of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in most American habitat types. It is the biggest cat in North America, and the second-heaviest cat in the New World after the jaguar. Secretive and largely solitary by nature, the cougar is properly considered both nocturnal and"
"the ocelot, margay, and Andean mountain cat, and the other leading to the remaining species. The following species are recognised following the taxonomic revision of the Felidae, 2017: Leopardus Leopardus is a genus of spotted small cats mostly native to Middle and South America, with a very small range extending into the southern United States. The genus is considered the oldest branch of the part of the cat family to cross into the Americas, followed by the genera ""Lynx"" and ""Puma"". (The jaguar is the other extant cat native to the Americas.) The largest species in ""Leopardus"" is the ocelot;"
"CFA. The Maine Coon is the largest breed of domestic cat. On average, males weigh from with females weighing from . The height of adults can vary between and they can reach a length of up to , including the tail, which can reach a length of and is long, tapering, and heavily furred, almost resembling a raccoon's tail. The body is solid and muscular, which is necessary for supporting their own weight, and the chest is broad. Maine Coons possess a rectangular body shape and are slow to physically mature; their full potential size is normally not reached until"
"Exceptionally heavy male lions and tigers have been recorded to exceed in the wilderness, and weigh around in captivity. The liger can grow to be much larger than its parent species, the lion and tiger. In particular, a liger called 'Nook' is reported to have weighed over . Big cat The term ""big cat"" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus ""Panthera"", namely tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. Except the snow leopard, these species are able to roar. A more liberal and expansive definition of the term includes species outside"
"of habitat. Overall, the jaguar is the largest native cat species of the New World and the third largest in the world. This spotted cat closely resembles the leopard, but is usually larger and sturdier. It ranges across a variety of forested and open terrains, but its preferred habitat is tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, swamps and wooded regions. The jaguar enjoys swimming and is largely a solitary, opportunistic, stalk-and-ambush predator at the top of the food chain. As a keystone species it plays an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating prey populations. While international trade in jaguars"
"foraging for food and sometimes intermittently fed by people, but are typically wary of human interaction. Domestic cats are similar in size to the other members of the genus ""Felis"", typically weighing between . Some breeds, such as the Maine Coon, can occasionally exceed . Conversely, very small cats, less than , have been reported. The world record for the largest cat is . The smallest adult cat ever officially recorded weighed around . Feral cats tend to be lighter, as they have more limited access to food than house cats. The Boston Cat Hospital weighed trapped feral cats, and"
"Felinae The Felinae are a subfamily of the family Felidae that includes the genera and species presented below. Most are small to medium-sized cats, although the group does include some larger animals, such as the cougar and cheetah. The earliest records of the Felinae are ascribed to ""Felis attica"" of western Eurasia from the late Miocene, 9 million years ago (Mya). It is estimated that the pantherine big cats split away from this group about 6.37 million years ago. Felidae cats are split up into two main lineages: the conical-toothed cats, which includes all the extant cats in subfamilies Felinae"
"not been selectively bred. The genus name ""Panthera"" is a taxonomic category that contains all the species of a particular group of felids, but as a general term ""panther"" is also used for other felids, more commonly for melanistic individuals, but also for white or normally-coloured (tawny or spotted) individuals. The white jaguar is a prime example of the genetis helusius mutation that has been proven to be the largest growing mutation among big cats. This genetic deformity causes the species it has afflicted to become more aggressive than the average big cat. In some cases the panther has been"
"Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera; with their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more manoeuvrable than birds, flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium. The smallest bat, and arguably the smallest extant mammal, is Kitti's hog-nosed bat, which is in length, across the wings and in mass. The largest bats are the flying foxes and the giant golden-crowned flying fox, ""Acerodon jubatus"", which can weigh and have a wingspan of . The second largest order of mammals, bats"
"and the largest species at up to 12 kg (26 lb). Some have retractile or semi-retractile claws (the fossa and the Malagasy civet) and others do not (the falanouc and Malagasy mongooses). They all tend to have slender bodies and pointed rostra (except the fossa, which has a blunt snout). Diet varies with size and form of the species and, like their mainland counterparts, ranges from small mammals, insects and invertebrates through to crustaceans and molluscs. Family Felidae (cats) are the best-known of ""cat-like"" carnivorans. There are 41 extant species, and all but a few have retractile claws. This family"
"and Pantherinae, and the extinct saber-toothed cats (members of Machairodontinae). Some authorities include all conical toothed cats in Felinae to reflect this primary division, in which case the tribes Pantherini and Felini are used for the pantherine and feline cats, respectively. In this sense, the tribe Felini is synonymous with the use of Felinae in this article. Felinae The Felinae are a subfamily of the family Felidae that includes the genera and species presented below. Most are small to medium-sized cats, although the group does include some larger animals, such as the cougar and cheetah. The earliest records of the"
"length. The coral catshark, however, is the most common scyliorhinid in home aquaria. Catshark Catsharks are ground sharks of the family Scyliorhinidae. They are one of the largest families of sharks with around 160 species placed in 17 genera. Although they are generally known as catsharks, many species are commonly called dogfish or gato. Like most bottom feeders, they feed on benthic invertebrates and smaller fish. Catsharks are not harmful to humans. The family includes 17 genera and over 150 species, making it the largest family of sharks. Castsharks may be distinguished by their elongated, cat-like eyes and two small"
"Lion The lion (""Panthera leo"") is a species in the family Felidae; it is a muscular, deep-chested cat with a short, rounded head, a reduced neck and round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. The lion is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females with a typical weight range of for the former and for the latter. Male lions have a prominent mane, which is the most recognisable feature of the species. A lion pride consists of a few adult males, related females and cubs. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on"
"in ""At Home In The Zoo"" (1961), Gerald Iles wrote ""For the record I must say that I have never seen a liger, a hybrid obtained by crossing a lion with a tigress. They seem to be even rarer than tigons."" The liger is often believed to represent the largest known cat in the world. Males reach a total length of , which means that they rival even large male lions and tigers in length. Imprinted genes may be a factor contributing to the large size of ligers. These are genes that may or may not be expressed on the"
"other big and small cats. All cats are carnivores and efficient apex predators. Their range includes the Americas, Africa, and Asia. The ability to roar comes from an elongated and specially adapted larynx and hyoid apparatus. When air passes through the larynx on the way from the lungs, the cartilage walls of the larynx vibrate, producing sound. The lion's larynx is longest, giving it the most robust roar. All five extant members of the genus ""Panthera"" contain this elongated hyoid but due to differences in the larynx the snow leopard cannot roar. The principal threats to big cats vary by"
"the slopes grazing herbivores inhabit. Though they choose to inhabit those areas, they are highly adaptive and can be found in a large variety of habitats, including forests, tropical jungle, grasslands, and even arid desert regions. Unfortunately, with the expansion of human settlements and land clearance, the cats are being pushed into smaller, more hostile areas. However, their high adaptability will likely allow them to avoid disappearing from the wild forever. Subspecies of the genus ""Puma"" include cats that are the fourth-largest in the cat family. Adult males can reach around 7.9 feet from nose to tip of tail, and"
"Fishing cat The fishing cat (""Prionailurus viverrinus"") is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. Since 2016, it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Fishing cat populations are threatened by destruction of wetlands and have declined severely over the last decade. The fishing cat lives foremost in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps, and mangroves. The fishing cat is the state animal of West Bengal. The fishing cat is the largest of the ""Prionailurus"" cats. Its coarse fur is olive-grey to ashy-grey with darker stripes on the shoulder and roundish"
"be examined. The following table is based on the classification of the species provided in ""Mammal Species of the World"". It also shows the synonyms used in the revision of the Cat Classification Task Force: The jungle cat is a medium-sized, long-legged cat, and the largest of the extant ""Felis"" species. The head-and-body length is typically between . This cat stands nearly at shoulder and weighs . Its body size decreases from west (Israel) to east (India); this was attributed to greater competition from small cats in the east; body size shows a similar decrease from the northern latitudes toward"
"Cat flea The cat flea (scientific name Ctenocephalides felis) is an extremely common parasitic insect whose principal host is the domestic cat, although a high proportion of the fleas found on dogs also belong to this species. This is despite the widespread existence of a separate and well-established ""dog"" flea, ""Ctenocephalides canis"". The cat flea belongs to the insect order Siphonaptera (Ancient Greek ""siphono-"" ""tube"" or ""siphon"" + ""a"" ""not"" + ""ptera"" ""wing"", the tube-drinking wingless insects) which in its adult stage is an obligatory hematophage. Adults of both sexes range from 1–2 mm long and are usually a reddish-brown"
"of all catfish. Most of these species are in the genus ""Corydoras"", the largest catfish genus. The subfamily Corydoradinae includes about 90% of the species in the family Callichthyidae and is one of the most diverse siluriform assemblages in the Neotropics, with about 170 valid species. It includes two tribes, Aspidoradini and Corydoradini. Aspidoradini contains ""Aspidoras"" and ""Scleromystax"", while Corydoradini contains ""Corydoras"" and ""Brochis"". Some believe the genus ""Brochis"" should be synonymized with ""Corydoras"". The subfamily Callichthyinae contains ""Callichthys"", ""Dianema"", ""Hoplosternum"", ""Lepthoplosternum"", and ""Megalechis"". According to a 1997 paper, ""Callichthys"" is the most basal member of the subfamily. In a"
"Catshark Catsharks are ground sharks of the family Scyliorhinidae. They are one of the largest families of sharks with around 160 species placed in 17 genera. Although they are generally known as catsharks, many species are commonly called dogfish or gato. Like most bottom feeders, they feed on benthic invertebrates and smaller fish. Catsharks are not harmful to humans. The family includes 17 genera and over 150 species, making it the largest family of sharks. Castsharks may be distinguished by their elongated, cat-like eyes and two small dorsal fins set far back. Most species are fairly small, growing no longer"
"and they have been kept as pets. Boiga dendrophila Boiga dendrophila, commonly called the mangrove snake or gold-ringed cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged colubrid from southeast Asia. It is one of the biggest cat snake species, averaging 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) in length. It is considered mildy venomous. Although moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, there has never been a confirmed fatality. Snout longer than eye; rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; internasals as long as or shorter than the prae-frontals; frontal as long as or slightly shorter than its distance from the"
"cats"", ""dog-like cats"", ""cat-dogs"", etc., because of their placid nature and affectionate behavior, with the cats often following owners from room to room as well as seeking physical affection akin to certain dog breeds. Ragdolls can be trained to retrieve toys and enjoy doing so. The Ragdoll is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds, with a sturdy body, large frame, and proportionate legs. A fully-grown female weighs from . Males are substantially larger, ranging from or more. The genes for point coloration are responsible for the distinctive blue eyes of the Ragdoll. More intense shades of blue are favored"
"cubs reach adulthood, although faint spots often may still be seen on the legs and underparts. The lion is the only member of the cat family that displays obvious sexual dimorphism. Males are more robust than females; they have broader heads and a prominent mane that grows downwards and backwards to cover most of the head, neck, shoulders, and chest. The mane is typically brownish and tinged with yellow, rust and black hairs. The tail ends in a dark, hairy tuft that in some lions conceals an approximately -long, hard ""spine"" or ""spur"" that is formed from the final, fused"