The Similarities Between Wild Cats And Domestic Cats
It is said that dogs are descended from wolves and cats are descended from tigers and other big cats of the savannah. Will it really be like this? What is certain is that there are some similarities between wild felines and domestic cats.
If you want to know them, read this article, in which we will explain the similarities between wild felines and domestic cats.
The similarities between wild felines and domestic cats
They are hunters
While domestic cats are sure to get food every day, their hunting instincts are evident when they jump to catch prey. Even if it is a simple toy or a fly, we can see how our cat gets into an attack position, with a stealthy attitude, ready to chase.
It is precisely in these moments that we can realize that our cat looks like a tiger or a puma in miniature. These attitudes make us think that there is a close relationship between feral felines and domestic cats.
The moment of rest
If we analyze the behavior of wild cats, we can see that they sleep the same amount of hours as domestic cats and that, moreover, they are active at night, when the prey are powerless and therefore easier to capture.
Catnip
We have already told you about the effects of catnip, which gets its name from the effects it causes in these felines. Well, catnip has been shown to exert a great influence on tigers, lions and other wild cats as well.
This shows that both species, the big wild cats and the domestic cats, share the same genes.
The Tigers
It is believed that the wild feline that most resembles the cat is the tiger, because they share many more similarities than, for example, with the lion. The tiger won’t purr like your cat, but a cat can’t roar like the king of the jungle.
The wild cat
The wild cat is a wild feline that we may not think of when we mention this species. Yet it possesses the same number of chromosomes as a domestic cat, which shows that its descendants could be the cats we have at home as pets.
Although cats have adapted to domestic life and are happy by our side, their natural instincts are not repressed by domestication. We are sure that if they lived in the natural habitat of felines, they could easily survive.
Differences between feral cats and domestic cats
However, many people do not believe this theory, because even though there are many similarities between feral cats and domestic cats, there are also marked differences. Here are some of them:
The genes
Several studies have shown that cats living with humans, compared to big cats or wild cats, undergo mutations in their genomes, especially those that are related to aggression and loyalty.
These studies state that a feral cat will not rest on your lap, but will attack you at the slightest opportunity. A domestic cat, on the other hand, will always be by your side.
Undoubtedly, after various investigations it emerged that, with the passage of time, domestic cats have acquired certain habits and eradicated other behaviors, which have been transmitted to other generations, to the point of determining a clear difference between wild cats and domestic cats.
Even so, the similarities between feral cats and domestic cats are greater than the differences. So, although many reject this theory, domestic cats undoubtedly come from feral cats.
