Mind Blowing: May 2013

This article is about the cat species that is commonly kept as a pet. For the cat family, see Felidae. For other uses, see Cat (disambiguation) and Cats (disambiguation).

Domestic cat^[1]

Conservation status
*Domesticated*
Scientific classification
*Kingdom:*	*Animalia*
*Phylum:*	*Chordata*
*Class:*	*Mammalia*
*Order:*	*Carnivora*
*Family:*	*Felidae*
*Genus:*	Felis
*Species:*	F. catus
Binomial name
Felis catus^[2] Linnaeus, 1758^[3]
Synonyms
Felis silvestris catus (subjective synonym)^[4] Felis catus domestica (invalid junior synonym)^[5]

The domestic cat^[1]^[2] (Felis catus^[2] or Felis silvestris catus^[4]) is a small, usually furry, domesticated, and carnivorous mammal. It is often called the housecat when kept as an indoor pet,^[6] or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish it from other felidsand felines. Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and their ability to hunt vermin and household pests.

Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular and predatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small game. They can see in near darkness. Like most other mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans