FREE ESSAY ON CATS

CATS

Many people today have pets for pleasure and companionship. Nearly any animal can be a
pet, such as hamsters, rabbits, birds, fish, frogs, horses, and even cats and dogs.
Besides being a loving companion, pets serve many other purposes as in protecting homes,
destroying vermin, and providing a means of transportation. The elderly and the childless
couples can rely on a pet as an emotional outlet. In addition, pets can be kept for their
beauty, rarity, or for the beautiful sounds that birds can make. Today pets are usually
purchased from breeders, pet shops, or animal shelters rather then individually captured
and tamed. All pets were made domestic, including cats.
Cats are the second most popular pets in the world at this time. Of the two most popular
pets, cats are the easiest to maintain and do not need to be taken out for exercise.
Being small means cats are not big eaters and only have to eat one or two times a day.
Cats can play with string, balls, and anything that may fascinate them. On the other
hand, cats can be your companion while you sleep, read a book, or watch television. The
life of a cat can be very interesting if you are willing to spend time with them and
learn their personality. Every cat has its own personality. Cats can live to be 15 years
old, and in that time a cat owner can find that a cat is a man's best friend. The origins
of a cat can be very interesting, considering that the cat first began its life with the
early Egyptians and other cultures. The domestic cat, the most popular cat of the cat
family, is a very laid back cat, sleeping most of the day. Other types of cats like the
tiger, lion, and the cheetah are some of the fiercest animals in the wild. Looking back
in history, and comparing the earlier cats to modern day cats, we discover that today's
cats do not eat to live, but live to eat.
Where did cats come from? Cats were not around when dinosaurs existed, after they
disappeared, hoofed animals evolved and led to saber-toothed cats (Rutherford 8). There
are many additional subdivisions of cats in the world today. Pseudaulurus, the first true
catlike animal, lived about 20 million years ago and roamed the forests of Europe and
North America hunting for small mammals and birds (Brown 1147). Eventually, more cats
began revealing themselves to the world and began living a dominant life. Two animals
become similar when they are exposed to the same food sources and environment conditions
(Rutherford 10). Many cats have approximately the same traits as each other, but the
cheetah and the saber-tooths are completely opposite. The cheetah is the cat furthest
from the saber-tooth's in having small canines to allow for the larger nasal opening that
enables it to increase its air intake during a high speed chase (Tabor 10). There is not
much evidence that shows how far cats date back that we know about. The earliest known
remains of a leopard were found in Siwalik Mountains of India and date from about 1.5
million years ago (Brown 1148). Saber-toothed cats were one of the longest existing cats
on earth. Some saber-toothed cats were still around only 13,000 years ago, so they
survived as a subfamily for nearly 34 million years (Tabor 10). Panthers, Lynxes,
leopards and other wild cats existed over 10,000 year ago (Rutherford 11). The transition
of cats took place over a period of 50 million years; longer than any human has been
around. Cats are truly one of the oldest animals still on this earth.
The Egyptians were the first to realize the importance of cats. Cats began teaming with
people about 2,000 BC in Egypt (Cats 1). There is evidence that points to small wild
feline species having been tamed up to 8,000 years ago. Egyptian Pharaohs were the first
to tame cheetahs, and from 1500 BC onwards, cheetahs and dogs were their hunting animals
(Rutherford 15). Early Egyptian art verifies that cats were honored as female deity (Cats
1). Much of the Egyptian art appears to us as paintings on the inside of tombs, or wooden
carvings of figures of cats. Eventually the Egyptians began linking animals with human
traits (Rutherford 27). A lion-headed woman, Bastet or Bast, was one such icon. At Beni
Hasan, an Egyptian archeological site, more than 300,000 mummified Bast cats were
unearthed (Luke 20). There was no loss more painful then the death of a cat. At a cat's
death, every member of the family shaved off their eyebrows in mourning (Rutherford 30).
The booming of each and every great culture from the pharaohs to the British Empire is
the claim of cats (Dempsey 1). A cat was one of the most respected animals in the
Egyptian culture.
Other cultures' opinions on cats varied from rodent vacuums to the rain makers. In China
cats were believed to have the power to drive away all evil spirits and were kept in
houses for that purpose (Henderson 67). Many superstitions still exist regarding cats.
Black cats seem to cause bad luck, while white cats give off good luck (Levin 1). Despite
those civilizations, cats never again arise as far as the Egyptian right of individuality
(Steve 1). People still believe that cats can heal a person's soul. Japanese sailors
sailed with tortoiseshell cats to protect them from ghosts and to give them warning of
storms (Henderson 68). Christians despised the cat for depicting the image of Satan, such
as a witch's black cat. Cats and Christianity came to Europe at the same time, from just
about the same part of the world (Hofmann 13). All cats faced persecution from the early
Church for their paganistic connection to cults (Luke 20). The Egyptians were not the
only culture to reflect the cat in their art. Ancient Greek, Roman, and Indian art also
depicted cats on vases, marble relics, coins, and sculptures (Cats 1). All cultures have
different beliefs about cats, but many cultures apply the cat to everyday living.
Domestic cats can be found in almost every home of a cat owner. Most cats are domestic
unless bred otherwise. The domesticated cat appeared first in the Middle East more then
3500 years ago, though there is some evidence of a jawbone discovered on Cyprus in 1983 -
that such cats existed in 6000 BC (Rutherford 11). On ships, cats were the mice catchers
and other rodent eliminators. Cats even traveled to North America with the Pilgrims on
the Mayflower (Coll 2). During the 1700's, explorers, colonists, and traders from Europe
brought the domestic cat to the Americas (Cat 219). The transformation from wild to
domestic came over a long period of time. Despite domestic living, our pet cats have
retained many features of their wild ancestry (Tabor 8). Although cats have angelic
faces, it was one of the last animals to be domesticated. After domesticating horses for
transportation, cattle and swine for food, and dogs and leopards for hunting, man began a
cautious relationship with the equally cautious domestic cat (Rutherford 11). From that
time on cats began their growth in homes. As man thrived, so did the domestic cat, as a
result of the massive increase in food supply for both house and feral animals (Tabor 9).
Domestic cats are more popular in the home than any other specially bred cats,
considering that creating special breeds did not catch hold until the mid-nineteenth
century (Taylor 9). Domesticated cats have an astonishing popularity compared to any
other cat in the wild or bred for cat shows.
All types of cats come from the same, basic evolution. Cats are meat-eating, or
carnivores, and great hunters; they have sharp, pointed teeth called canines and claws
that can be retracted into their paws (Brown 1147). Cats have very keen senses, which
allow them to stalk their prey. All cats have well-developed sight and very sharp
hearing, which allows them to make successful hunting forays at dawn and dusk (Rutherford
14). Cats must be able to merge in with their environment, to flee the pursuer and pursue
their target (Rutherford 18). Some characteristics of the cat outweigh others without
competition. Cats have a strong sense of smell, which is used more for detecting and
communicating with other animals than for hunting (Rutherford 14). All cats are linked to
one another through their traits and characteristics, but no cat can beat the cheetah.
The cheetah is the undisputed champion of sprinters in the animal kingdom; no other
creature can surpass it for it's bursts of speed (Brown 341). Cats occupy all continental
landmasses apart from Antarctica and Australia (Cats 1). Due to the cold in Antarctica no
animal that is warm-blooded can survive on its own. Cats are found in more places over
the world than any other animal.
Most cats today live better lives then some American people. Today, the cat maintains its
position as a respected, but rarely feared, member of the animal community (Currah 17).
Other cultures respect and treat the cat with utmost dignity. In India today, the Hindu
religion urges followers to provide food and shelter for at least one cat (Coll 1).
Egyptians still pay their dues to the cat in Egypt. Almost everyone in Egypt owns a cat.
Those who don't, still participate in the culture by leaving out table scraps for the
roaming felines that happen to pass by (Reilly 43). Some Americans treat their cats as
family members. Most cats are fed twice a day, and have dry food and water out the rest
of the day to snack on. A stimulating video game can help entertain your indoor cat,
giving their instincts a jump-start (Vanderheidn 18). The simplest things in everyday
life can amaze a cat. By playing, the cat learns to put its abilities to full use,
improve its intellect, and burns up excess energy (Mondadori 205). Breeding an animal was
a way of getting the animal to its fullest ethnic group. Keeping and breeding pedigree
cats has long since ceased to be the privilege of the wealthy (Verhoef 43). Most pet cats
today do not die a natural death; their lives are ended by veterinarians who will put an
end to a painful illness or a very old cat with many problems, and their owners are with
them up to the end (Moyes 1,2). Superstition says that cats have nine lives because of
all the mischief they can get into and how close they come to their demise.
Cats are the easiest animals to live with, they are not messy eaters, keep themselves
clean, and are easy to clean up after. Cats comfort you when you're down, and can amuse
you with their many talents, like playing with a ball of string. Cats are truly mans best
friend. Cats are not the latest trend, but have been around for millions of years.
Egyptians worshiped them as goddesses. Many other cultures had luck and fortune
superstitions regarding cats. World cultures took cats on boats or would have them in
their homes just because of a superstition. The domestic cat is well known for its
preciousness, and angelic faces. The domestic cat is the only cat that people consider
having in and around their homes. Considering the size of wild cats', people would not
want them as a pet or a security blanket. The modern day domesticated cat is one of the
smallest cats, but can run and climb much faster and higher then we can. The modern day
cat is used mostly for the purpose of a companion. Without a companion we humans have no
one to tell our deepest desires, and most profound secrets, and cats can surely keep a
secret.
We have learned that the evolution of a cat did not just begin yesterday, but has been
around for over millions of years. Cats did not just show up on someone's doorstep; we
humans have developed a well-tuned, meat-eating beast. As a cat owner, I have been
educated by this project as far back as 35 million years ago. Since cats are tied into
the dinosaur era, not only did I learn about cats, but about dinosaurs too. As for the
future, cats will still maintain the title as the second most popular pet. Possibly one
day the cat will surpass the dog and become known as man's best friend. I believe that as
cats gain popularity in today's society, they will eventually need to be walked on
leashes; therefore, eliminating their freedom to roam outdoors. The possibility may come
for cats to be licensed in the same way that dogs are. If you are planing on getting a
cat, I suggest that you get it from the A.S.P.C.A. or from a nearby shelter. Many
unwanted cats go to shelters and see their doom in eight days; that's unless someone
comes by and adopts one. It would be a good idea to get your cat spayed or neutered, so
that the pet population would be better controlled. This was an interesting project that
not only took a tremendous amount of time and research, but also gave me a better
understanding of the cat world. I enjoyed doing the research, typing, and a whole lot of
brainstorming. It has definitely taught me organizational skills and file making. This
project has given me a jump-start for college and will make researching a paper a little
less of a challenge. I look forward to doing more research papers in college with the
knowledge I have gained through this experience.
Bibliography
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