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Breeds of the cat family. The largest predatory wild cats in the world

To date, all types of cats are divided into 41 groups. Absolutely all of their representatives are predatory animals and almost all wild. Cats are highly skilled hunters, capable of killing prey larger than their size, which is rare in the wild. And this despite the fact that animals in most cases are solitary hunters. In addition, most species are skillful climbers and swimmers, and felines live on the territory of almost the entire planet. Their natural environment is not considered only:

  • Antarctica;
  • Australia;
  • Madagascar;
  • Japan;
  • New Zealand;
  • other isolated islands of Oceania.

For the continents absolutely all types of cats are native, and with regards to domestic and stray cats familiar to humans, they are common throughout the world. The grace of these animals delights almost everyone, regardless of the size of the family member, they are all similar.

Scientific terminology

In order not to get confused in the complex definitions of species and orders, you should immediately disassemble. The entire cat family belongs to the feline suborder along with hyenas, viverrids and mongooses. Here you should not look for external similarities, since the second suborder of the order of predators are canines.

The ascending staircase has been built, now let's analyze the division into types. The cat family is divided into subfamilies of large and small cats, which, in turn, are divided into genera. Big cats include only the genera of panthers and smoky leopards, but for small representatives everything is more complicated. Among them:

Only after identifying the animal to one of the subfamilies, scientists divided them into species. There are 41 varieties in total. . All pets assigned to the species of forest cats, and their breed is already considered a subspecies.

Habitat

Today it is impossible to find cats only in the polar regions of the planet and in the treeless tundra. Most members of the family live in a unique environment and are found in small areas, as, for example, lions are common only in southern Africa and India, and sand cats in places where the land is mostly covered with sand and rocks.

Domestic cats are universal animals distributed throughout the world regardless of conditions. Only they adapted to any conditions of life, largely thanks to man.

Family Description

Outwardly, all representatives of the cat very similar to each other. They have a short mouth with a characteristic dental formula that allows for increased bite force. Many species are characterized by a noticeable decrease in the upper premolars, which can be seen in the domestic cat, and in lynxes they are completely absent. The teeth of all animals are predatory and well developed for cutting meat and piercing prey tissues with minimal effort. Their rough tongue works in tandem with their teeth to effortlessly separate meat from bone and keep prey in their mouths.

The front paws of cats have 5 toes, and the hind paws have 4, while all of them are armed with retractable claws. The weight of the representatives of the family varies greatly depending on the species and can range from 2 kg to 300 kg. Males in all cats noticeably larger and stronger than females, and in lions they also have a characteristic ornamentation in the form of a mane.

Animal hair grows more actively on those parts of the body where it is necessary by a noticeable decrease in temperature. The colors of predators can be very diverse: from black to white, but most often they combine colors for better camouflage. Cats can be striped, spotted, rosettes, or a solid solid color. The coat color may also vary by age, in some representatives, for example, adults and kittens may have slight differences.

Nature itself helped to become skillful feline hunters. All of them are digitigrade individuals with powerful and strong limbs. The unique vision of cats gives them the ability to catch even organic light, and rotating ears allow you to hear what is happening around the entire axis even without turning your head.

reproduction

Pregnancy in cats lasts 2-3 months depending on the size of the representative. All kittens, except for lions, are born blind and helpless, so their mortality rate at an early age in the wild is quite high. Some species are characterized by seasonality in the reproduction of offspring, since living conditions are not always ideal for feeding cubs. small cats are able to reproduce kittens 3 times a year, while large ones only 1 time in a year and a half.

Mothers begin to introduce solid food into the diet of kittens from the 28th day for small representatives and from 100 for large ones.

All cats are considered polygynous and may mate randomly with multiple partners during sexual activity. Estrus can last 1-21 days. Males are characterized by a demonstration of strength to potential partners. Puberty in cats occurs at 1–2 years, again depending on the size of the animal.

Behavior

All felines, except for lions, are solitary predators that meet with their own kind exclusively for procreation. In most cases, members of the family hunt at night, but the peak of activity for everyone occurs during twilight. When meeting with relatives, cats demonstrate their location by movements of the tail, ears and grin. In their nature, there is a clear distribution of the boundaries of their own territory, which cats regularly mark with scratching, friction and urine.

sense organs

The perception of the world by cats is very developed. Their vision is 7 times better than human, thanks to a modified pupil and a special reflective layer of the eye shell. Above the eyes, on the chin, near the nose, on the tail, paws and ankles, animals have special vibrissae that allow you to feel what is happening around tactilely. At the base of the nasal cavity cats have a sense organ that allows them to capture the pheromones of females over long distances.

Nutrition

Clawed predators are at the top of the food chain in many regions of the planet. Their diet consists almost entirely of meat. Animals get liquid by drinking or eating fruits. From time to time, felines eat grass, which helps them get rid of indigestible foods in the stomach.

Dangers for cats

The life expectancy of domestic representatives of the family is on average 15 years, and large ones - 30 years, but wild predators can only live to old age under conditions created by man.

The cat family is very cautious, mysterious, graceful and unusually attractive animals. Unfortunately, many of them are already listed in nature protection books or even on the verge of extinction, hunting is prohibited for them. We decided to make Top 20 most beautiful representatives of the cat family living all over the world and occupying a wide variety of habitats. You can also check out the Rating of the most beautiful cat breeds.

In addition, on the site you can see a collection of photographs on the topic: Friendship of a man and a lion, Friendship of a man and a tiger.

20. Serval (bush cat)

Predatory mammal of the cat family. Servals are distributed almost throughout Africa, excluding the Sahara, foreststhe equatorial zone and the extreme south of the mainland (Cape Province). North of the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco) this beast is now extremelyrare, but still quite common in East and West Africa. There are about 14 subspecies. HThey inhabit open spaces with shrubs and grassy thickets, settling, as a rule, near water. Theyavoid deserts, dry plains and tropical rainforests, keeping to the edges of the latter.It is an object of fishing, as its skin is used for fur products; it is also valued in parts of Africa due toyour meat. It is also exterminated due to attacks on poultry.As a result, in the densely populated areas of Africa, the number of servals has dropped markedly. Quite easily tamed andcan be kept in captivity as pets. Serval males can mate with ordinary domestic cats, giving hybrids -"savannah".

19. Jaguarundi


A species of predatory mammals, which also includes the genus Puma. Outwardly, the jaguarundi somewhat resembles a member of the familymustelids or viverrids: she has an unusually elongated, flexiblea body on short strong legs and a long thin tail, which in general makes it look like a weasel or Madagascar fossa.Demonstrates great flexibility in the choice of habitats. These cats were found in the savannas, in the thorny thickets of chaparral, duringhumid tropical forests. Features of the structure of the body allow him to easily make his way among the thick grass and shrubs.Jaguarundis often settle near water - in wetlands, along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes. In the mountains they climb to a height of up to3200 m above sea level. Secretive animals leading a predominantly solitary lifestyle (with the exception of the mating season).Unlike most cats, jaguarundis are active mainly during the day; the peak of their activity falls on 11hours of the morning. Jaguarundis are terrestrial animals, however they can climb and swim well. Due to its wide range, this animal is notbelongs to the protected species, although in the southern United States it has become rare. Little is known about its abundance and ecology.



Wild cat of Southeast Asia: in the eastern Himalayas, Sumatra and Borneo. Marble cats are slightly larger than domestic cats. Their length is about 55 cm, not including the 50 cm tail. The coat pattern is reminiscent of a clouded leopard. Their immediate habitat is tropical forests. Being a nocturnal hunter, the marbled cat feeds on rodents, especially squirrels, toads, birds and insects. Unlike the Bengal cat living on the ground, it moves mainly in the branches of trees, and thus both species do not compete with each other. Hunting for it is prohibited in Bangladesh, China (only in Yunnan), India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.



Wild small cat from the genus of Asian cats. A close relative of the Bengal cat. The smallest member of the cat family. Lives only in India and Sri Lanka. The species is threatened with extinction as the species has fewer than 10,000 adults.representatives with a constant decline, due to changes in the natural habitat.Ceylon rusty cats live in the rainforest, while the Indian population inhabits dry open areas.Rusty cats are nocturnal and live alone. Their behavior is very close to that of a Bengal cat. To theirprey include mice, lizards and insects. Despite being good at climbing trees, rusty cats most of the timeusually carried out on the ground.

16. Cheetah


A predatory mammal of the cat family, the fastest land animal. Noticeably different from other members of the cat family. The body is slenderwith well-developed muscles and practically no body fat, it even seems fragile. The claws are partially retractable, which is not typical for cats and except forthe cheetah is observed only in the fishing cat, Sumatran and Iriomote cats. Cheetahs are diurnal predators. They are huntingmainly on medium-sized ungulates: gazelles, impalas, wildebeest calves, as well as on hares. Three cheetahs can defeat an ostrich.87% of the cheetah's prey is Thomson's gazelle. Cheetahs usually hunt early in the morning.or in the evening, when it is no longer very hot, but still light enough. They navigate more by sight than by smell. Unlike other cats,cheetahs hunt by stalking prey, not by ambush. In pursuit of the victim, it develops speed up to 110-115 km / h, accelerates to 75 km / h in2 seconds. In Africa, the cheetah is the weakest of the large predators. Hyenas, leopards and lions can take prey from cheetahs,taking advantage of the fact that the cheetah needs up to half an hour to rest after the chase. The cheetah only eats the animals it has killed.himself, sometimes drags prey into the bushes,to hide it from predators and eat it later, but more often it hunts again each time.


Margay is sometimes kept in South America as a domestic cat. Forest margays differ from ordinary pets in strong long legs, in addition, they are somewhat larger. The length of a cat without a tail is about 60 centimeters. They are also called a smaller copy of the ocelot. But the margay's tail is special - two-thirds of the length of the entire cat, it is decorated with stripes and rings. Margay is also called the long-tailed cat. He balances with his tail, moving in crowns along thin branches. It lives in trees and finds its prey there. Just like an ordinary cat, margay hunts lizards or small birds. The only one of all felines, the margay can twist its ankles 180 degrees and climb a tree just like a squirrel - up or down. Due to deforestation and the diligence of hunters, margays are becoming rarer, and are already recognized as an endangered animal. Alas, in zoos they breed very poorly.



A wild cat from the genus Catopum that lives in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Previously, it was attributed to the now abolished genus of golden cats. Today it is believed that its resemblance to the golden cat found in Africa is based on convergent evolution. The species is named after the Dutch zoologist Konrad Temminck. More than twice the size of a normal domestic cat. Its length is 90 cm, not counting the tail, which is 50 cm long. The range of the Temminka cat stretches from the Himalayas and southern China to the Indochinese Peninsula, and it is also found in Sumatra. Inhabits forest biotopes. Due to deforestation and hunting, the Temminka cat has become a rare animal. In China, its meat is considered a delicacy, and its bones are used in traditional Chinese medicine. In Thailand, there are a lot of legends around her, according to one of which it is believed that burning the hair of the Temminka cat drives away tigers from the surroundings, and carrying at least one hair from her wool, according to local signs, protects against tiger attacks.



Predatory mammal from the cat family, common in Central America, northern and centralparts of South America. The northernmost region where ocelots live is in the US state of Texas. Its population is concentrated intropical forests, ocelot avoids open spaces. Ocelots live alone and hunt primarily at night. Duringduring the heat of the day, they like to hide in the hollows of trees. Despite their excellent ability to climb trees and stones, they huntearth. Ocelot prey includes mainly small mammals and birds, howeversometimes they do not disdain snakes. The largest specimens of the ocelot also overpower small donkeys and pigs.Due to the intense hunting for it, the ocelot has become an extremely rare animal in our time. Thanks to new interstateunder the agreements, the hunting of ocelots, as well as the sale of any products made from ocelots, is prohibited.



A member of the cat family that lives in Southeast Asia. It vaguely resembles a leopard and is considereda fairly ancient species, as well as a possible ancestor of the current large felines. Its value corresponds to approximatelyshepherd size. Clouded leopard is found in southeast Asia: from southern China to Malacca and from the eastern Himalayas toVietnam. The subspecies found in Taiwan is extinct. His biotopeare tropical and subtropical forests located at altitudes up to 2000 meters. Live alone and move around normallyin the thickets. The long tail helps them keep their balance in difficult environments. Among the feline smokyLeopards are the best at climbing trees. They also swim well. Their prey includesdeer, wild boars, monkeys, birds, goats, reptiles. They wait for their victims on the branches and suddenly jump on them from above.Because of the precious skin, the clouded leopard was hunted a lot in the past. Today it is threatened by poaching, butgreatest danger to its conservationrepresents the progressive deforestation of the tropical forests that are its home.



Type of cat family. The dune cat is the smallest among wild cats: its body length is 65-90 cm,with 40% occupied by the tail. The feet are covered with hard wool, which protects the soles of the paws from burns with hot sand.The fur is thick and soft, protecting the body from low night temperatures. The range of the dune cat looks like a strip startingin the Sahara (Algeria, Morocco, Chad, Niger) and through the Arabianpeninsula to Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) and Pakistan. Lives exclusively in hot, dryareas. Its habitats are very diverse, from sandy deserts. Dune cats are strictly nocturnal.Only the Pakistani subspecies is active mainly at dusk in winter and early spring. From the heat of the day they are saved inshelters - in the old holes of foxes, corsacs, porcupines, as well as in the expanded minks of ground squirrels and gerbils.Cats are carnivorous; their diet includes almost all the game that they can find. Its basis is made up of gerbils,jerboas and other small rodents, lizards, spiders and insects. Sometimes tolai hares and birds whose nests are ruined.The dune cat is also known for its hunting of poisonous snakes (horned viper, etc.). In winter, she sometimes approaches the villages,but does not attack domestic cats and birds. Most of the moisture dune cats get from food and can for a long timego without water. The natural enemies of dune cats are snakes, large birds of prey and jackals.Sometimes they dig shallow holes or pits on their own, where they hide in case of danger. Ppractically devoid of vegetation, to rocky valleys overgrown with shrubs. They are not huntedhowever, they are caught for sale. They also suffer from the destruction of their natural habitat.In general, the dune cat is the most “prosperous” species among wild cats.



Predatory mammal of the cat family. His second name - Pallas cat - he received in honor of the German naturalistPeter Pallas, who discovered manul on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the 18th century. Manul is an animal the size of a domestic cat.The fur of the manul is the most fluffy and thick among the cats. Distributed in Central and Central Asia, from South Transcaucasia andwestern Iran to Transbaikalia, Mongolia and Northwestern China. Manul habitats are characterized by sharply continentalclimate with low temperatures in winter and low snow cover; it is most numerous in areas with little snow. Inhabitsmanul steppe and semi-desert areas. leads a sedentary lifestyle. Active mainly at dusk and early morning; sleeps during the dayin shelter. The slowest and most clumsy of wild cats. Manul feeds almost exclusively on pikas and mouse-likerodents, occasionally catches ground squirrels, tolai hares, marmots and birds. Manul is not adapted to fast running. At risk forit is characterized by hiding; he also escapes enemies by climbingon stones and rocks. An alarmed manul makes a hoarse rumbling or a sharp snort.Manul is rare or extremely rare, and its numbers continue to decline. In some places it is on the verge of extinction,listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in the IUCN Red List with the status of "close to threatened". manul huntinguniversally prohibited.



A species of mammals from the genus lynxes, the northernmost of the cat species; in Scandinavia, it is found even beyond the Arctic Circle.It was once very common throughout Europe, but by the middle of the 20th century it had been exterminated in most countries of Central Asia.and Western Europe. Successful attempts have now been made to revive the lynx population.forests, taiga, although it occurs in a variety of plantations, including mountain forests; sometimes enters the forest-steppe and forest-tundra.She climbs trees and rocks perfectly, swims well.She also survives well in the snow (beyond the Arctic Circle), catching fur-bearing animals. With an abundance of food, the lynx lives settled, withlack - roams. It can travel up to 30 kilometers per day. Hares form the basis of its diet. She alsoconstantly hunts grouse birds, small rodents, less often - small ungulates, such as roe deer, musk deer, spotted andreindeer, occasionally attacks domestic cats and dogs, in addition - foxes, raccoon dogs and other medium-sized animals.According to Russian zoologist Mikhail Krechmar, not a single confirmed case of a lynx attack on a person is known.Moreover, the lynx is known as one of the most easily tamed animals.

Predatory mammal of the cat family. For a long time, the caracal was attributed to lynxes, to which it looks similar, but a number ofgenetic features allocated it to a separate genus. Despite this, the caracal stands closer to lynxes than other cats.Although outwardly the caracal looks like a lynx, morphologically it is closest to the puma. The caracal is also close to the Africanserval, with which it crosses well in captivity. Found in the savannas, deserts and foothills of Africa, in the deserts of the Arabianpeninsulas, Asia Minor and Central Asia. Not numerous in the CIS: found in the deserts of southern Turkmenistan, along the coastThe Caspian Sea reaches the Mangyshlak Peninsula, in the east it sometimes appears in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan.The caracal is active mainly at night, but in winter and spring it also appears during the day. Sheltered in rock crevices andburrows of porcupines and foxes; sometimes they are used for several years in a row. Its main food is rodents (gerbils,jerboas, ground squirrels), tolai hares, partly small antelopes, in Turkmenistan - gazelles. Sometimes it gets hedgehogs, porcupines,reptiles, insects, small predatory animals like foxes andmongoose, young ostriches. It can steal poultry, attack lambs and goats. Caracals are easily tamed. In Asia(India, Persia) with hand caracals hunted hares, pheasants, peacocks and small antelopes. In Africa, especially Southcaracal is quite common and is considered a pest. There is a special culture of caracal hunting: it is lured by instruments,imitating the cry of a wounded hare or mouse, and at night they shoot from under the headlights. In addition, in South Africa, caracals are used,to drive away birds (mainly guinea fowl) from the runways of military airfields.Asian subspecies of caracal are much rarer.

7. Leo


A species of carnivorous mammals, one of four representatives of the panther genus, belonging to the subfamily of big catswithin the cat family. It is the second largest living cat after the tiger -the weight of some males can reach 250 kg. The historical range of the lion was much wider than the modern one - even in the earlyin the Middle Ages, the lion was found throughout Africa, except for deserts and rainforests, and it could also be seenin the Middle East, Iran, and even in a number of places in southern Europe (for example, he lived in part of the territory of the modern south of Russia,rising to about the 45th parallel north). In North and Northwest India, the lion was a common predator. Howeverhuman persecution and habitat destruction have led to the fact that in Africa the lion survived only south ofSahara, its range is currently broken. In Asia, a small population exists in the Gir forest (in the Indian stateGujarat). Lions are considered vulnerable species due to the irreversible decline in their population. For the last twodecades, the number of lions in Africa has decreased by 30-50%. Populations are vulnerable outside protected areas.The reason for the decline is not fully understood, but the biggest threats are habitat loss and conflict. with a person.

6. Black Panther


The name of dark-colored individuals of a number of species of large cats, which are a genetic color variant - a manifestationmelanism caused by a gene mutation and is characteristic almost exclusively of females. An example of a strong spread of mutation,which leads to melanism, in the feline population, is the populationleopard in Malaysia, where about 50% of the animals are black in color.The black panther is not a separate species. Most often it is a leopard or a jaguar. The existence of melanistic cougarsnot confirmed. The word "panther" is often applied not only to individuals with a black color, but also to others with a normal color.(reddish or spotted), even white - the so-called "white panthers".

5. Jaguar

Big cats. The only representative of the genus in North and South America. The third largest in the world, and the mostlargest representative of the cat family in the New World. The range of the species extends from Mexico south to Paraguay and northArgentina. The main habitats of the jaguar are tropical rainforests and grasslands. The lifestyle of jaguars is solitary.The jaguar is a crepuscular predator. His most active hunting hours are after sunset and beforedawn. Its main prey is capybaras and ungulates like mazama deer, peccaries and tapirs, but it also attacks birds,monkeys, foxes, snakes, rodents. The jaguar also hunts turtles - its powerful jaws are able to bite through their shell. In contrastfrom the cougar, the jaguar willingly and often attacks livestock. The predator is an excellent swimmer and rarely misses the prey that is looking forrescue in the water. He also digs out of the sand on the ocean coastturtle eggs, sometimes throwing themselves at sleeping alligators or snatching fish from the water. Over much of its former rangethis species is almost or completely exterminated. The change by people of the natural habitats of jaguars, fishingfor the sake of a valuable skin, as well as shooting by cattle breeders who feared for the safety of their herds.The jaguar is listed in the international Red Book and is protected in many countries. Shooting jaguars in limited quantitiesallowed in Brazil, Mexico and some other countries. Hunting for trophies is allowed in Bolivia.

4. Leopard


In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the security documents of other countries. However, in many African countries, the relatively high number of leopards makes it possible to allocate an annual quota for their prey. The big cat, however, is much smaller than the tiger and lion. The range of the leopard is wider than the range of any other member of the cat family, with the exception of the domestic cat. The plasticity of the species is explained by the secretive way of life and its ability to hunt a wide variety of animals. By the middle of the 20th century, the range of the leopard in the Caucasus was catastrophically reduced, its numbers are negligible, and in fact this subspecies is on the verge of complete extinction. Inhabits forest, partially forest-steppe regions, savannahs and mountainous regions of Africa and the southern Front and southern half of East Asia. The leopard feeds mainly on ungulates: antelopes, deer, roe deer and others, and during the period of starvation - rodents, monkeys, birds, reptiles. Sometimes attacks domestic animals (sheep, horses). Like a tiger often kidnaps dogs; foxes and wolves suffer from it. It does not disdain carrion and steals prey from other predators, including other leopards. The number of leopards throughout the range is steadily declining. The main threat to it is associated with changes in natural habitats and a reduction in food supply. The main concern is the poaching of animals for the needs of oriental medicine.

3. Puma (mountain lion, cougar)


Type of cat family. The word puma comes from the Quechua language. The closest relatives of the cougar are the jaguarundi and the extinct North American genus Miracinonyx. The cougar is the second largest feline in America; only the jaguar is bigger than her. Historically, the range of the cougar was the most extensive among all land mammals in America. Even now, in terms of the breadth of distribution, the cougar is comparable (of the cats) only with the red lynx, forest cat and leopard. Initially, cougars were found almost everywhere from southern Patagonia to southeast Alaska; the area of ​​its distribution quite accurately coincided with the range of its main prey - various deer. Now in the United States and Canada, the cougar has survived mainly in the mountainous western regions. In the east of North America, the cougar was completely exterminated; the exception is a tiny population of the Puma concolor coryi subspecies in Florida. Cougars lead a strictly solitary lifestyle. Puma hunts mainly at night. Its diet consists mainly of ungulates: black-tailed, white-tailed, pampas deer, wapiti (American red deer), elk, caribou, bighorns and livestock. However, the cougar can eat a wide variety of animals - from mice, squirrels, opossums, rabbits, muskrats, porcupines, Canadian beavers, raccoons, skunks, armadillos to coyotes, bobcats and other cougars. They also eat birds, fish, and even snails and insects. Unlike tigers and leopards, the cougar does not distinguish between wild and domestic animals, attacking livestock, dogs, cats and birds when the opportunity arises. In doing so, she slaughters more animals than she can eat. Despite the fact that cougars serve as an object of hunting and their range is declining due to environmental destruction, most subspecies are quite numerous, since cougars easily adapt to life in different landscapes. It is also interesting to note that now some people have begun to tame cougars as their pets.

2. Snow leopard (irbis or snow leopard)


A large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in the mountain ranges of Central Asia.Weighs up to 55 kg. Due to the inaccessibility of the habitat and the low density of the species, manyaspects of its biology. At present, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small; in the 20th century, it was included in the Red BookIUCN, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the security documents of other countries. As of 2012, snow leopard hunting is prohibited.The range of the snow leopard in central and southern Asia covers the territory of mountainous regions with an area of ​​approximately 1,230,000 km² andextends through the territory of the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.The irbis is a characteristic representative of the fauna of the high rocky mountains of Central and Central Asia. Among the large catsthe irbis is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands. It mainly inhabits alpine meadows, treelesscliffs, rocky areas, rocky outcrops, precipitous gorges and is often found in the snow zone. Active at dusk, but sometimes during the day.The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass.The main prey of the snow leopard almost everywhere and all year round is ungulates. It should be noted that due to the constanthuman persecution, the number of snow leopards is continuously declining.

1. Tiger



A species of carnivorous mammals of the cat family, one of the four representatives of the panther genus, which belongs to the subfamilybig cats. Among the representatives of this species are the largest animals of the cat family. The tiger is one ofthe largest land predators, yielding in mass only to the white and brown bears. Nine subspecies of the tiger have been identified.In the XX century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, in the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the security documents of other countries.As of 2012, tiger hunting is banned worldwide. The tiger is an exclusively Asian species. Historical range of the tiger(now strongly dissected into separate populations, sometimes very distant from one another) is located on the territory of the FarEastern Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and the countries of Southeast Asia, including the Sunda Archipelago(Indonesian islands). In the wild, tigers mainly feed on ungulates, sometimes they can hunt domestic animals,such as dogs, cows, horses and donkeys. Throughout its range, the tiger is at the top of the food pyramid and almostdoes not experience competition from other predators.

Felines are the most typical predators of the entire order; they occupy the tops of many food pyramids. The family includes 37 species (including domestic cats) living on five continents of the world. The domestication of cats began 4000-7000 thousand years ago in the Middle East, where people tolerated Libyan wild cats roaming around their settlements ( Felis silvestris libyca), as they often preyed on rodents that ravaged the granaries of local residents. The ancient Egyptians worshiped the cat as a deity; these predators first came to Europe about 2000 years ago.

The evolution of cats, which began in the early Eocene, is about 40 million years old. Modern cat species are descended from a single ancestor PSeudailurus; in the Oligocene (38-26 million years ago) and at later stages, large saber-toothed cats and wild cats that have survived to this day separated from this ancestral branch. Saber-toothed cats died out relatively recently, in the Pleistocene (20-10,000 years ago), during the last ice age.

All cats inherited from their common ancestor the same adaptive structural features, such as: a blunt flattened muzzle, large eyes, retractable claws and large, sensitive ears. Color variations of the basic reddish-brown color and patterns on cat skins play the role of camouflage, for three-quarters of all cats lead a solitary lifestyle, living in dense forests. Cats are characterized by a wide variety of patterned colors, which vary from stripes to small spots collected in rosettes.

All felids are listed by the IUCN and CITES as being more or less endangered by natural extinction. The survival of wild cats is affected by such factors as the reduction of ranges, extermination by hunters or poachers. Preventing the extinction of these magnificent animals is still one of the most important tasks of conservationists.

feline classification

Cats living today, along with hyenas, mongooses and civets, represent the so-called cat branch of the phylogenetic tree of the predatory order. The connection between these animals became apparent after scientists discovered an anatomical feature that unites them - a bony septum in the auditory tympan. This specific feature is absent in canines, which belong to another major branch of the carnivore order. To date, the fact of the historical divergence of these groups has received many scientific confirmations based on the study of the morphological and genetic characteristics of different species.

Analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA has given scientists a clearer picture of feline taxonomy at the subfamily level. Comparative genetic studies have made it possible to assign various types of cats to three main subfamilies, corresponding to ocelots (includes 7 species), domestic cats (7 species) and panthers (23 species). In addition, genetic analysis has shown that all felids can be divided into eight monophyletic groups. Two of them are represented by the families of ocelots and domestic cats, and the panther group is divided into six monophyletic groups: the panther genus, the lynx genus, the Asian leopard cat group, the caracal group, the Kalimantan cat group, and the cougar group (which includes cheetahs). Two species - the serval and the red-spotted cat - have not yet been assigned to either of these categories. Probably, the division of all Felidae into eight indicated groups reflects the generic classification of felids.

Sense organs and instincts

All cats have large eyes and color binocular vision. During the day, they see no worse than people, and with a decrease in illumination, their visual acuity increases six times. The cat's eye quickly adapts to sudden darkness, as the muscles of the iris respond effectively to any change in light. The image of the object becomes even more clear due to the reflective layer (tapetum lucidum), located in the depths of the eye, behind the receptor layer of the retina. Light passes through the receptor layer and reactivates its receptors after reflection from the tapetum lucidum.

Cats also have exceptionally acute hearing, which is ensured by the large size of their auricle, which is good at directing sound waves to the inner ear.

The ability of cats to land on their paws in any situation is well known. When falling, the vestibular system of the inner ear, which perceives signals about the position and posture of the cat, interacts with vision and provides the animal with information about their spatial orientation. The neck muscles turn the head so that it is in a natural horizontal position, and the cat's body quickly orients itself in the same direction.

The structure of the skull and dental system

The skulls of cats are small and characterized by a short face; this feature is due to the reduction of the nasal cavity and jaws. Dental formula of cats: I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/2, M1/1 = 30. The exceptions are lynxes and manuls, which lack the first upper premolars, as a result of which the total number of teeth is reduced to 28. Molars and premolars are perfectly adapted for squeezing and tearing prey. The upper predatory tooth performs two functions: its sharp edge allows you to cut dense tissues, and with the help of a fairly wide anterior tubercle, animals can gnaw bones. The fangs of cats (especially clouded leopards) are very large - predators grab and kill their prey with them, the jaws can only move in a vertical direction; they are equipped with powerful chewing muscles that provide a strong grip on cats. The lack of chewing molars compensates for the tongue, which is covered with sharp papillae, thanks to which cats can hold and grind food, as well as strip meat from dead animals. Each subfamily has its own specific arrangement of papillae.

Do you know that there are currently 41 cat species in the world? They are all wild. Absolutely all predatory. Many of the species and subspecies are on the verge of extinction. In this article I would like to show all the diversity and beauty of the cat family. But first, I would like you not to get confused in terms.

So, all cats belong to the order of predators, and then this order is divided into two suborders: canines and felines. Cats include hyenas, mongooses, viverrids, and felids. They are all very distant relatives, but cats are only those who are part of the cat family!

The whole cat family is divided into subfamilies: small cats and big cats.

Each subfamily is in turn divided into genera. Especially a lot of them in the subfamily of small cats:

Genus Cheetahs (Acinonyx)
- genus Caracals (Caracal)
- catopuma genus (Catopuma)
- genus Cats (Felis)
- genus Tiger cats (Leopardus)
- genus Servals (Leptailurus)
- genus Lynx (Lynx)
- genus Marble cats (Pardofelis)
- genus Asiatic cats (Prionailurus)
- genus Golden cats (Profelis)
- genus Puma (Puma)

In the subfamily of big cats, everything is simpler:

- genus Clouded leopards (Neofelis)
- genus Panther (Panther)

Now that we have determined which family cats belong to and divided them into subfamilies and genera, it remains to divide them into species! And just these species are 41 pieces. Each type is shown below.
Most likely, you will try to find among all the species below your domestic cat breed or, for example, the Far Eastern leopard. And you won't find them. Why? Because your domestic cat, like the Far Eastern leopard, are subspecies.

To make it easier for you to understand what a subspecies means, I will show you with an example where your domestic cat is in the chain:

Family - felines / subfamily - small cats / genus - cats (felis) / species - forest cat / subspecies - your breed of domestic cat

And the Far Eastern leopard is here:

Family - felines / subfamily - big cats / genus - panther (Panthera) / species - leopards / subspecies - Far Eastern leopard.

I will describe the subspecies separately, otherwise this article will turn into such a long one that only a cat maniac like me can read it at once!

Well, now let's finally get acquainted with all types of cats and admire them:

Subfamily - Small cats (Felinae)

genus - Cheetahs (Acinonyx)

species - cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus):

genus - Caracals (Caracal)

view - :


genus - catopums (Catopuma)

view - Kalimantan cat (Catopuma bada):


view - Asian golden cat (Temminka cat) (Catopuma temmincki):


genus - Cats (Felis)

view - Chinese cat (Gobian gray cat) (Felis bieti):


view - reed cat (House) (Felis chaus):


view - ):


view - (Felis margarita):


view - :


view - forest cat (Felis silvestris). This is just the subspecies of the forest cat - your domestic cat:


view - steppe cat (Felis libyca):


genus - Tiger cats (Leopardus)(not to be confused with leopards!)

view - :


view - pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo):




view - Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi):


view - Chilean cat (kodkod) (Leopardus guigna):


view - Andean cat (Leopardus jacobitus):


view - ocelot (Leopardus pardalis):


view - oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus):


view - long-tailed cat (margay, margay) (Leopardus wiedii):


genus - Servals (Leptailurus)

view - :


genus - Lynx (Lynx)

view - Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis):


view - common lynx (Lynx lynx):


view - :


view - red lynx (Lynx rufus):


genus - Marble cats (Pardofelis)

- Marble cat (Pardofelis marmorata):


genus - Asian cats (Prionailurus)

- Bengal cat (Prionailurus bengalensis):


view - Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis):


view - Far Eastern forest cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus):


view - Sumatran cat (Prionailurus planiceps):


view - spotted red cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus):


view - fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus):


genus - Golden cats (Profelis)

view - :


genus - Cougars (Puma)

view - puma (Puma concolor):


The foot seems very short and rounded in cats, due to the fact that the last joint of the fingers is raised upwards; thus, when walking, the last joints of the fingers do not touch the ground and thereby protect against blunting, sickle-shaped large and very sharp claws sitting on them. In a state of anger and excitement, a strong muscle, the tendon of which is attached to the underside of the finger joints, lowers it, lengthens the foot and turns it into a terrible tool, hardly found in other mammals. This structure of the legs is the reason why the print of the claws is never noticeable on the tracks of cats. They all walk quickly, but carefully and almost inaudibly. Cats run fast and can make big jumps, the length of which is several times the length of their body. Only a minority of the large species cannot climb trees, while the majority does it very skillfully. Although cats do not like water, they swim well if necessary.

Among the senses in cats, hearing and vision are best developed. Hearing, without any doubt, plays the most important role during hunting. They hear the slightest noise at a great distance: the careful steps of prey and the quiet rustling of sand under the feet of the victim do not escape the cat's attention. Cats are able to hear very high sounds - with a frequency of up to 50,000 Hertz, which is more than twice the capabilities of the human ear. Vision is not so well developed, they see better up close. The pupil of most species is round and glows in the dark. It used to be thought that they lacked color vision, but according to a number of studies, at least domestic cats can distinguish some colors. It is necessary to mention touch. For these purposes, the long whiskers located on the sides of the mouth and above the eyes serve mainly. Without whiskers, cats lose their orientation in space, but fortunately they grow back quickly. The paws are also well adapted for touch. Felines are very sensitive to all external stimuli. The sense of taste is slightly better developed than the sense of smell. Most cats are very sensitive to taste and are most fond of slightly sweet substances, such as milk and blood. Some cats are addicted to strong-smelling plants, such as valerian and catnip.

They are found in all parts of America, Asia and Europe, they are not found in Australia, except for feral domestic cats. Cats are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Interestingly, before the advent of man, they were not in Madagascar, despite its proximity to Africa. The first cats appeared at the end of the Eocene, approximately 38 million years ago, in North America and Eurasia. They descended from primitive predators of the miacid family, similar to martens, or viverrids. Cats live on the plains and in the mountains, in dry sandy and damp lowlands, both in forests and in fields. Some climb high into the mountains and are found there at a considerable height, others live in open steppes and deserts overgrown with shrubs, others prefer damp places on the banks of rivers and lakes overgrown with reeds. Trees provide them with everything they need for life; first of all, felines find convenient shelters there, in which they can hide in order to attack the victim and hide from enemies. Small cats prefer hollow trees, cracks in rocks, and other mammals' lairs as shelters. Only very few hunt during the day, mostly cats are nocturnal animals.

Cats feed mainly on the meat of a wide variety of animals, but undoubtedly prefer mammals. Some species hunt birds most of all, others, although few, eat the meat of reptiles, such as turtles; Finally, there are those who are engaged in fishing. All cats feed mainly on the prey that they themselves have killed, and only some eat carrion, and then only when it remains from their own prey.

By the method of hunting, almost all cats are similar to each other. In search of a prey, they usually sneak with careful inaudible steps, carefully looking around and sensitively listening to everything around them; the slightest rustle sharpens their attention. In a bent position, or even crawling, they approach the animal, trying to keep under the wind, and finally, in one or several jumps, they overtake their prey, grab it with their strong paws by the sides or by the back of the head, knock it to the ground and sink their teeth into it several times; then they open their jaws a little, but so that the caught prey cannot escape, they carefully look at the prey and bite again. The lion, the tiger and the cheetah are at first afraid of man and cowardly leave him, but when they see how weak and helpless he is, they become his terrible enemies. Although almost all of them are excellent runners, cats usually refrain from pursuing a prey for a long time if their first attack was unsuccessful. Felines eat their prey in the place where they caught it, only when they feel completely safe; usually they drag a dead or mortally wounded animal to a secluded place and devour it there. Cats usually eat only the best parts of the prey, the rest goes to smaller predators living nearby.

Females give birth, as a rule, to several kittens and only rarely one; in most cases there are no more than six. The mother brings up the kids, and the father takes care of them only in rare cases. The female with kittens is an extremely attractive picture; maternal tenderness and love are visible in her every movement and in every sound of her voice, which becomes unusually soft and affectionate. In the family lair, the naturalist is struck by the cleanliness to which the cat accustoms her young from the earliest age; she constantly strokes them, licks them, cleans them, puts the lair in order. She defends the kittens from enemies with complete selflessness, and large cats at this time become extremely dangerous. In many species, the mother-cat must also protect her young from the father, who often kills them, especially while they are still blind; this is probably why all females take pains to hide their lair as much as possible. When the cubs grow up a little and become like real cats, the male no longer touches them, and then the merry life of kittens begins, which have a clear inclination for fun and various games. The natural ability of felines is clearly seen in every movement of kittens: their childhood games consist mainly in preparatory exercises for the serious hunting that they will engage in when they become adults. Everything that moves attracts their attention, at the slightest noise the kittens prick up their ears. At first, kittens play with their mother's tail most of all, with age the games become more serious. The cat then brings them small animals, half-dead or completely alive, and releases them for the amusement of the kittens, who zealously and patiently pursue them. Finally, the mother takes them hunting with her. Only when the cubs have learned everything and become completely independent, do they separate from their mother and then lead a lonely, wandering life for quite some time.

Felids are most often divided into 37 modern species, included in 4 genera: Felis, Panthera, Uncia and Acinonyx. The genus Felis (cats) traditionally includes small animals with 30 teeth. Usually lynxes, which have 28 teeth, are usually assigned to the same genus, but sometimes they are isolated in a special genus Lynx. The genus Panthera (big cats, panthers) unites large animals that are capable of roaring. This ability is associated with the characteristics of their hyoid apparatus and vocal cords. The sublingual apparatus is a structure that sits between the tongue and the larynx, supporting them both. In panthers, the hyoid apparatus is not completely ossified - in place of one of the bones in it there is a flexible ligament that allows the larynx to swell. In addition, their vocal cords are undivided and form a tubular structure that functions as a very efficient sound-producing device. The snow leopard (irbis) has a different type of vocal cords and squeals rather than roars, and is therefore often classified as a separate genus Uncia.