CATS (Camel Animals - Endangered Species Act) are native animals to Australia, having originated centuries ago in the Downhill Game Area. Like their wild ancestors, domestic cats are highly intelligent, capable predators that can stalk prey from a distance and pounce on it with powerful teeth and sharp claws. They are especially adept at night, when their acute sense of hearing allows them to locate their prey even in total darkness. In addition to their acute sense of hearing and sight.
CATS have an extreme sense of smell that enables them to locate their prey even during the day.
- However, unlike their wildcat relatives, domestic cats are not automatically hostile towards humans.
- Domestic cats are very social creatures and spend most of their time with their owners, bonding and caring for each other.
- Moreover, CATS exhibit a variety of unique personality traits and capabilities that set them apart from their wild relatives.
- The most prominent of these is their tendency towards survival of the fittest, where each cat in the family competes for the dominant role, or 'alpha male'.
- Although all cats look alike and may appear similar from a photograph, the subtle differences between a Siamese or Persian cat and a domestic cat in terms of appearance and behavior can often go unnoticed.
Because domestic cats originated in Egypt: it is likely that they were part of the Egyptian agricultural economy. The early Egyptian farmers adopted the arid farming lifestyle and built permanent villages around their settlements, including houses for sale and food preparation. Most of these earliest Egyptian CATS were probably members of the noble class, as many were mummified and buried with great wealth and luxury, such as was the case with Hatshepsut, the wife of the Pharaoh.
CATS can also be considered: to be members of the rodent family, as they have very strong rodent-like characteristics. Although their forelegs are longer than a cat's, CATS have evolved into very efficient climbers. They can climb up trees and perform short hops like mice. They can also jump much higher than a mouse or rat. Their tails are short and somewhat floppy and they typically use two claws on each limb. Their feet, like those of many rodents and reptiles, are bushy and webbed, but they possess toes that are adapted for grasping and walking on the ground.
One theory regarding: the origin of CATS is that domestic cats were initially bred to protect ancient Egyptian villages from harm, as indicated by the fact that Egyptian Mummies have been discovered with CATS on their ribs, or close to their hind legs. Some suggest that CATS were domesticated for the sole purpose of hunting large animals that are no longer widespread throughout the world, such as the African lion. However, other theories assert that domestic cats were actually introduced into Egypt long before the Egyptian empire rose to power, and that they survived and reproduced through the centuries with help from humans. Either way, the basis for the name "CAT" still remains a mystery.
Today, CATS are recognized: as members of the Non-Livestock Animal class and are commonly used as companion animals or pets. There are two subspecies of CATS - domestic cats and feral cats. In Australia, there are approximately 150 feral cats; many of which are breeders. Feral cats are often abandoned by owners, given up for adoption, or simply disappear from their communities do not offer adequate shelter and care for these cats.
