Animal Systems Cats

What is the most critical gene involved in albinism since it codes for the enzyme tyrosinase, central to the tyrosine to melanin pathway

"C" gene

When is it believed that cats began interacting with people?

8-10,000 years ago

Must have both parents and all ancestors registered int eh same breed; they began as landraces, which were basically isolated from other breeds as they developed

Natural

White cats with one or both eyes being blue are the least likely to be deaf. True or false?

False

Without eumelanin, the nose color is _______ and the iris of the eye is ____.

Pink; bue

Skin and hair are lacking pigment; many will be deaf b/c of the association of tyrosine and neurological issues

White

According to DNA evidence, the subfamily Felinae are the most recent and developed only within the last __ million years.

1

The domesticated cat is the most widespread feline in the world, topping __ billion in number

1

Domesticated pet cats are part of the group of __ cats in the currentl world that originated from ___ common ancestor.

41; 1

How many breeds does the CFA recognize?

42

What is an example of a cat that falls in the natural group?

American Shorthair

Only have two distinct colors in their coats

Bicolor

What are the six coat pattens?

Bicolor,tabby, tortoiseshell/calico, colorpoint,white, and smoke

The default color produced by melanocytes that provide pure eumelanin to the hair; common variations include brown, grey, and pale brown which are a result of the incomplete expression of the gene for eumelanin

Black

What is an example of a cat that falls under the hybrid or crossbreed group?

Bombay (cross of Burmese and American Shorthair)

What are the domestication requirements for cats (same as dogs)?

Breed, feeding, and general care are under human control; natural selection is superseded by human control of life and death, survival or not; and a distinct genetic shift(s) have occurred from the wild ancestor to the domesticated species

What is an example of a cat that falls in the established group?

Burmese

Coat has a significant amount of white with the red and black forming more of a patchwork

Calico

Cats are what kind of eaters? And what lifestyle to they prefer?

Carnivores; solitary life

The feline version of the American Kennel club

Cat Fanciers' Association

Human-animal bond is a dominant feature for cats in this area and their welfare is very important; cat may or may not have any purpose for the owner other than to live as a companion

Cats as pets

What are the four areas the cat "industry" can be divided into?

Cats as pets, cats as tools, cats in limbo, and cats on their own

Cat has a fairly specific activity or purpose, welfare is a component and there is still a milk to strong human-animal bond so that the cat could be at least somewhat of a companion too; includes cats in ads or movies, assitstnace animals that visit facilities, dairy and barn cats as well as other cats that are used for "vermin" control; "mascots" at veterinary clinics, etc.

Cats as tools

Don't have owners but they could; don't have a job or specific purpose but maybe did or could and they live in a situation with a variable timeline; includes cats housed in open or limited shelters, or in rescue facilities or foster care homes; about 3 million cats in shelter situations in the U.S.

Cats in limbo

Cats live alone or in loose colonies but with little human interaction, welfare is variable and the human-animal bond is weak or absent; includes strays or community cats especially in underdeveloped countries in Africa, Asia, and South America; these cats number in the millions around the world

Cats on their own

Classic breed associated with this is Siamese; face, ears, feet, and tail are the regions with the dark coat color and the rest of the body coat is a lighter version of the point color; results from a temperature sensitive mutation of one enzyme in the metabolic pathway from the amino acid tyrosine to the pigment melanin; as they get older their body temperature drops and they will look darker; may have neurological issues b/c the trypsin pathway produces neurotransmitters (most common is crossed eyes)

Colorpoint

What does DLH stand for?

Domestic long hair

What does DMH stand for?

Domestic medium hair

What does DSH stand for?

Domestic short hair

What culture revered cats to such an extent that if someone killed a cat they could also be punished by death? Or if one's cat died would shave off both eyebrows in mourning for one year?

Egyptians

Cat's parents and ancestors must also be from the same established breed; they are not "landrace" isolated breeds; relatively new breeds in here

Established

What also contributes to nose and eye color on top of hair?

Eumelanin

Two foundation pigments are:

Eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red)

Pet cares are the majority worldwide, with free-living, vermin-hunting cats making up the minority of cats living near or with humans. True or false?

False

The two subfamilies Felinae and Pantherinae make up the biological family called:

Felidae

Cats are felines in the subfamily of __________, along with puma, bobcat, lynx, ocelot, serval, fishing cat, and cheetah.

Felinae

Domestic cats belong to the genus ________ and the species ________.

Felis; catus

Once owned, are domesticated cats from domesticated cat parents but have reverted to wild behaviors and due to their strong HAB, are unlikely to ever be able to be re-homed with people; may live another 3-5 years in their new environment; often have been spayed/neutered and some may have been declawed

Feral cats

What about reproduction changed in cats in order for them to be domesticated?

Larger litters; more kittens survive under human control; owners prize neotony (retention of kitten-like or infantile appearance)

What is another example of a cat that falls in the natural group?

Maine Coon Cat

Cells in the hair follicles that add pigment to hair as it grows

Melanocytes

Also a category called "_______" in the CFA groups which includes cats that so closely resemble another breed that differences are not definite or consistent

Mimic

Each of the cat breeds in this group were created on purpose or by accident to achieve a specific look that distinguished it from the natural and other breeds already recognized; for example: short or missing tail, short front legs; folded ears; hairlessness

Mutation

What are the four established groups for cat breeds made up by the CFA?

Natural, established, hybrid/crossbreed, and mutation

What were two very critical elements that led to cat's domestication? (Same as dog)

Need for resources to thrive and breed and fear of humans

Modern house cat is descended from a group of small cats from:

Norther Africa and the Near East part of the world

What is another example of a cat that falls under the hybrid or crossbreed group?

Ocicat (cross of the grey ocicat and the Abyssinian cat)

Cat groups are defined by _____________ (who are the parents and the ancestors), and each breed is defined first by appearance of specific features and then by personality.

Pedigree

What is another example of a cat that falls in the established group?

Ragdoll

Default color produced by the melanocytes that provide pure phaeomelanin to the hair; common variations include orange, cream, and tan

Red

29 most common breeds of domestic house cat in the world today

Reference breeds

What were the two domestication changes for cats?

Reproduction and behavior

What did early cats eat? And where did they find a lot of it?

Rodents, birds, insects, and other live prey; human food waste piles

What is an example of a cat that falls under the mutation group?

Scottish fold

Solid color except for the bottom 1/8th which is white or creamy-white; look like their hair coat is a solid color until they move and the lighter undercoat is visible; linked to a dominant color inhibitor gene and is found especially in long haired cats

Smoke

What is another example of a cat that falls under the mutation group?

Sphynx

Stripes are interrupted or broken up in several areas on a tabby cat

Spotted tabby

Once owned, have domesticated cat parents, often just living in colonies or close to people to survive; could probably be re-home fairly easily; hunting and survival skills may be non-existent, so they often have a very short life span

Stray cats

Always has stripes which can come in a variety of patterns; patterns can look like butterflies, bullseyes, or vertical stripes;

Tabby

What changed in a cat's behavior when they were domesticated?

The HAB (hazard avoidance behavior) switched on a little later allowing the kittens to socialize and become familiar with humans

What characteristics did cats have that resulted in some human distrust and fear?

They are more skittish and less trusting and can move about very quietly

Have hair coat patters that are mottled with red and black along with a possible small bit of white

Tortoiseshell

Generally black or red with a white chest and some have white markings on their face and legs, maybe the feet

Tuxedo

2nd color only in the top of the head (maybe ears) and tail

Van

The result of no pigment added to the hair as it grows

White

Cats born in the wild, have wile parents, are not spayed or neutered and maintain their wild behaviors including fear of human interaction/ lifespan is about 3-5 years; 50-75% of kittens will not survive their first year b/c of disease, starvation, or being killed by predators

Wild cats