Are cats origanally desert creatures?

Question

I heard this more than once BUT others don't agree!!

Answer 1

Hi there...biologists believe that the domestic cats are descendents or have evolved from the African Wild Cat (Felis Silvestris Lybica) because of its tabby markings, which is a desert cat.

Here's more documentation to substantiate this finding:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_wild_cat
http://www.messybeast.com/hybrids.htm
http://www.catsinfo.com/history.html

Answer 2

Yes they are.

The domestic cat, Felis sylvestris cattus, is directly descended from felis sylvestris libicus, the north African wild cat.

Feline physiology retains the adaptations that F.s.libicus developed for desert survival. For example, domestic cats are designed to get their moisture from their food, and since wet food contains about the same amount of water as freshly killed prey (80%), cats fed a proper wet diet often drink no water at all.

The flip side is that, as desert creatures who are designed to get their water from their food, cats have a very poorly developed thirst drive. This is why cats fed a (very species-inappropriate!) dry diet, even though they will drink water, won't drink enough to make up for what they don't get in their food. This is why cats fed a diet of dry food tend to develop chronic renal failure as they age. Before the introduction of dry cat food, chronic renal failure was almost unheard of in cats; now it's so common that many vets think it's a normal part of the aging process. What it really is, is the cats' nature as a desert creature responding to a diet that fails to take that into account.

Answer 3

I doubt they are desert animals. house cats are just a smaller and domisticated compared to the big cats. I do not know of any (actually I think there is one) big cats that are native to the desert. given their lifestyles and how they are put together, I would say they were originally woods/forest/jungle creatures.

Answer 4

In some countries in Asia they're Dessert creatures lolol. Seriously..Do you think that with all that fur they could stand that heat?? My cat sleeps all day and drinks like a Camel..so maybe he's an exception lol.

Answer 5

Cat were originally domesticated 6000 years ago in Egypt. So your right they weren't desert creatures, thats just where they were first tamed as pets. Good question!

Answer 6

i sertainly dont agree cats go back to the dino times the sabor tooth lived in jungle like places in africa big cats may live on the plains but not on a desert! the forests mountain lions and bob cats live in mountain type areas and finally your common house cat may live in your house or may live in the woods.

Answer 7

if your dad and mom do no longer budge then please do no longer attempt and unload him off everywhere returned! He ought to get hit through a automobile and being outdoors ought to offer him ailments if he has to devour out of garbages when you consider that he won't have a house. a minimum of deliver him to a shelter or positioned it in the newspaper or freetrader which you have a cat that needs a sparkling abode. and that i do no longer very comparable on your dad and mom. >>

Answer 8

I don't know, but it makes sense. I mean, when they mess, they expect the ground to cover it easily.

"The majority of specialists keep to the point that domestication of cats took place in the Valley of Nile in Ancient Egypt nearly 4 thousand years BC"
~http://www.shvaika.ic.ck.ua/history/historycatengl.html

Cats have figured in the history of many nations, are the subject of legend and are a favourite subject of artists and writers.
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cats

Looks like they were domesticated first in Egypt, but I find nothing that says that they were originally desert creatures.

Answer 9

cats and lions are of the same family in taxonomy. they're both felines. don't know about that desert thing.

Answer 10

by desert you mean treats. then yes. i would agree. my cat loves them. when i cant find her, i can just rattle the bottle that holds her treats, and she will come running. soooo, i agree.