Cat

B

Vocal Sounds

Cats make a distinctive set of vocal sounds. The meow call is typically made for humans, not for other adult cats. The meow can be low-pitched if the cat is agitated or high-pitched if the cat is happy or is welcoming a person. The meow can be a demand for food or for attention. Mother cats use a trilling kind of meow with their kittens.

Male cats caterwaul when encountering other males and when preparing to mate with a female. Females sometimes yowl when they are in heat to attract males. Hisses, screams, or growls indicate a cat is frightened or feels threatened. Other cat sounds include chirps and chatters when looking for prey.

Purring is thought to be produced by moving muscles in the voice box and in the diaphragm as the cat breathes in and out. Although cats often purr to show contentment, cats also purr when they are injured or in distress. Some research suggests the vibrations from purring may help heal injured bones.

C

Reproduction

The domestic cat usually reaches puberty at around nine or ten months of age. A sexually mature female cat goes into heat, or estrus, several times a year; during estrus, she is both receptive to, and attractive to, male cats. The gestation period of the cat is about 65 days; the average litter consists of 4 kittens. Kittens are born blind, deaf, and helpless. Their eyes open at 8 to 10 days of age, and they begin to be weaned about 6 weeks after birth.

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D

Coat Colors

The domestic cat’s original coat color was probably grayish-brown with darker tabby stripes, a color that provides excellent camouflage in a variety of environments. All other coat colors and patterns are the result of genetic mutations; for example, solid coat colors such as black and blue are the result of a gene that suppresses tabby stripes; an orange coat is the result of a gene that transforms black pigment to orange; and a solid white coat is the result of a gene that completely suppresses all formation of pigment.

Two pigments, black and orange, form the basis for all coat colors in the modern domestic cat. These pigments may be combined with each other or with white (the absence of pigment). A single gene, the O (Orange) gene, determines whether a cat’s coat contains black or orange pigment. The O gene can be thought of as a switch that is either on (orange) or off (black). The gene is located on the X chromosome, so its inheritance is sex-linked.

IV

Cat Breeds

There are many varieties, or breeds, of domestic cats. Although the various cat breeds often differ dramatically in coat length and overall look, they vary less in size than do dog breeds. The smallest cat breeds weigh about 2 to 3 kg (about 5 to 7 lb) when full-grown; the largest weigh about 7 to 9 kg (about 15 to 20 lb). So far, attempts to develop miniature or giant domestic cat breeds have been unsuccessful.

A

Breed Origins

Many domestic cat breeds, including the Maine coon, Manx, Russian blue, and Siamese, began as a naturally occurring variety of domestic cat native to a specific geographic area. Others, such as the Himalayan, are artificially created breeds, the result of generations of careful breeding for a desired look. Some relatively new breeds, including the curly-coated Rex breeds, the hairless Sphynx, the fold-eared Scottish fold, and the curl-eared American curl, began with a genetic mutation and were then developed by selective breeding into a distinct breed.

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