

The
cat (
Felis catus), also known as the
domestic cat or
house cat to distinguish it from other
felines and
felids, is a small
predatory carnivorous species of
crepuscular mammal that is valued by
humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt
vermin,
snakes,
scorpions, and other unwanted household pests. It has been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years.
[5]
A skilled predator, the cat is known to hunt over 1,000
species for
food. It can be trained to obey simple commands. Individual cats have also been known to
learn on their own to
manipulate simple mechanisms, such as
doorknobs and
toilet handles.
[6] Cats use a variety of
vocalizations and types of
body language for
communication, including
meowing,
purring, "trilling",
hissing,
growling, squeaking,
chirping,
clicking, and grunting.
[7] Cats may be the most popular
pet in the world, with over 600 million in homes all over the world.
[8] They are also bred and shown as
registered pedigree pets. This hobby is known as "
cat fancy".
Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in
ancient Egypt, where it was a
cult animal.
[9] However, in 2004, the earliest known location of cat domestication was discovered to be ancient
Cyprus, and a subsequent study in 2007 found that the lines of descent of all house cats probably run through as few as five
self-domesticating African