| HISTORY |
| #1 |
Who were first to domesticate cats? |
The Egyptians |
| #2 |
Approximately when were cats first domesticated? |
4000 - 5000 years ago |
| #3 |
When did cats begin to regain their former place as companion? |
The 17th century |
| #4 |
Describe the two domestication theories |
1. People deliberately tamed cats through selective breeding for their vermin hunting ability. 2. Cats were tolerated be people and diverged from their wild relatives through natural selection. |
| #5 |
Name and describe the four periods of domestication |
1. The Period of Competition (prior to 7000 B.C.) – Characterized by wild cats competing with hunter-gatherer humans for birds and small mammals. 2. The Period of Commensality (7000 B.C. – 4000 B.C.) – Characterized by semi-domestic cats feeding on vermin around and within early villages. 3. The Period of Early Domestication (4000 B.C. – 3000 B.C.) – Characterized by the confinement of cats to cult status. 4. The Period of Full Domestication (3000 B.C. – Present) – The popularization of cats and the diffusion of cats from Egypt. |
| ANATOMY |
| #1 |
What is the loose area of skin at the back of the neck called? |
The scruff |
| #2 |
What is the typical weight of a cat? |
4 - 5 kg |
| #3 |
How many octaves can cats hear? |
Over 10 octaves |
| #4 |
What is the reflective layer of cells beneath the retina called and what does it do? |
The tapetum lucid reflects incoming light; thus allowing a cat to reuse the same light more than once |
| #5 |
Where are a cat's whiskers located? |
Around the nose, on the checks and lips, and above the eyebrows |
| BEHAVIOUR |
| #1 |
Are female cats more likely to fight than male cats? |
No, males are more likely to fight than females |
| #2 |
When are cats most active? |
From dawn — dusk |
| #3 |
What must a new cat do before it is accepted into a cat colony? |
Rub up against superior members of the group to mix scents |
| #4 |
What do ears lying flat against the head possibly indicate? |
Anxiety or fear |
| #5 |
Name and describe the three vocal pattern categories |
Murmur patterns indicating a calm, friendly state; vowel patterns indicating a need or desire for something (such as food); and loud, strained, intense sounds associated with aggression or mating |
| RANDOM |
| #1 |
Define 'idiosyncratic' sounds |
Idiosyncratic sounds are sounds particular to an individual cat |
| #2 |
How many odour sensitive cells are in a cat's nose? |
Over 200 million |
| #3 |
How does the tail help cats when hunting? |
As a result of cats being unable to see still objects, cats may swish their tail to mesmerize still prey. Moving the tail initiates the slightest movement of the prey, thus allowing the cat to see it |
| #4 |
Why are cats able to pass through any space where they can fit their heads? |
A cat’s forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floating clavicle bones |
| #5 |
Who denounced the admiration of cats as pagan worship and in defiance of god? |
Pope Innocent VIII |
