The felid family comprises 3 subfamilies: the Nimravinae, now extinct, the Acinonychinae including the cheetahs, and the Felinae with 2 subgroups: the big cats (genus Panthera) and the small cats (genus Felis), from which the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is descended.
The ancestral type of the cat is the wildcat (Felis silvestris), which lived in the great forests of the Old World at the end of the second ice age. Three different types evolved: the European wildcat, the African wildcat and the Asiatic desert cat.
Our domesticated cat originated in Egypt from the African wildcat living in Libya or East Africa.
Egyptian civilisation gave it a place of honour among the gods. For example, under the 22nd dynasty, there was Bastet, the cat goddess of music, dance and motherhood. Later, the cat was introduced into Europe and greatly influenced the animal artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Common diseases
The cat can develop urinary problems, dental problems, parasites, and, with age, kidney failure or a thyroid disorder.
Urinary disorders are common, especially in the male. A cat that keeps returning to the litter box, that strains without managing to urinate or that urinates outside its litter box should be watched closely: a male that can no longer urinate at all is an emergency.
With age, the kidneys may work less well (kidney failure): the cat drinks and urinates a lot, eats less and loses weight. Another disorder of the older cat is an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism): the cat loses weight even though it eats a lot, and sometimes becomes restless.
Like the dog, the cat needs regular vaccinations and deworming, and can pick up parasites (fleas, worms). Dental problems (tartar, painful gums) are also common and often cause bad breath.
When to see a vet promptly it drinks and urinates a lot, it loses weight, it eats a lot without gaining weight, it has bad breath, or it keeps returning to the litter box.
When to see a vet urgently a cat (especially a male) that strains in its litter box without managing to urinate, that cries out or stays prostrate: being unable to urinate is a life-threatening emergency.
The veterinarian's advice keep vaccinations and deworming up to date, and monitor your cat's weight, thirst and the way it urinates, especially as it gets older.
Key points a cat that cannot urinate must never be made to wait. This information does not replace a consultation.