Cat lifespan

Dog
Siamese cat
Cat videos

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End the Dog and Cat Meat Trade

#ProtectMillions

FOUR PAWS helps cats and many other animals under direct human influence

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FOUR PAWS employs a community-led approach to help strays

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Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years and have become an integral part of our families. Responsible cat owners understand the unique personalities of their cats and will take care of their natural needs and boundaries.
However, not all cats are fortunate enough to have a loving home. Hundreds of thousands of stray cats live on the streets, suffering from hunger and illnesses. It is crucial to treat all animals with kindness and compassion, and responsible cat ownership plays a significant role in reducing the number of stray cats.

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FOUR PAWS advocates the responsible treatment of cats and supports animal owners with advice and educational programmes. In addition, we help stray cats across the world.

Worldwide projects to help stray cats and dogs

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Domestic cat

Common Name:: Domestic Cat
Scientific Name:: Felis catus
Type:: Mammals
Diet:: Carnivore
Size:: 28 inches
Weight:: 5 to 20 pounds
Size relative to a 6-ft man:

IUCN Red List Status:: Not evaluated

Least Concern Extinct

Current Population Trend:: Unknown

Where do cats come from?

From ancient Egyptians to today’s internet users, people have always loved their cats.

In the U.S. alone, cats reign over about 45.3 million households. There are at least 45 domestic breeds, which differ widely in features such as coat color, tail length, hair texture, and temperament, according to the Cat Fancier’s Association.

The Maine Coon is the largest, with males reaching an average of 3.5 feet long. The smallest breed is the Singapura, native to Singapore, with adult females weighing as little as four pounds. One of the most unusual-looking cats is the Sphynx, a mostly hairless cat known for being robust and intelligent.

Like their big cat cousins, house cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have to eat meat to

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A Cat's Personality

Our house cat (Felis silvestris catus) belongs to the Felidae family, order Carnivora. They are descended from the African wild cat. For thousands of years, they served with the main function as rat and mouse hunters, but over time they become pets. Cats are now one of the most popular pets and their popularity is increasing: while in 2010 there were ~ 84.7 million cats in European households, in 2019 there were already ~ 106.4 million. Compared to dogs (87.5 million dogs in Europe) cats have taken the first place.

The “classic” house cat

is approx. 50cm long (head-torso length) and has an about 25-30 cm long tail.

The average weight

is 3.5 kg (cat) to 4.5 kg (tomcat). Depending on the climatic conditions, their weight can be lower (in warmer latitudes) or higher (in colder countries).

Most house cats

are short-haired, with the exception of the animals in the colder countries, where there are many long-haired animals. Coat colours are very divers with many different variations - solid, tabby, bicolour, tortoises