Cat Facts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cats are mammals in the order of Carnivora, but in the family of Felidae. Cats were first domesticated by the Egyptians, 4,000 years ago. Cats can be found everywhere in the world, but Australia, Antartica, Madagascar, and Greenland. Out of all the cats on the planet, lions and tigers are the biggest. Lions used to be far from extinction, about 12,000 years ago. Lions live in functional groups called prides. The females bring home the food, while the dominant males stay home and look out for everyone, and keeps outsiders out.

As for tigers, only six of the nine tiger species is not extinct. There are less than 50 South Chinese tigers left in the world. The most numerous species of tigers in the world, is the Bengal Tiger. The largest species of tiger is the Siberian Tiger. Tigers are a very popular symbol as well, serving as the symbol on many of Asia's flags, and serving as a mascot for several different schools.

Another species of cat tis the Puma. The Puma could refer to two different types of cats. They are the Cougar and the Jaguarundi.Cougars are the most territorial cats next to lions they. They also cover the most ground, ranging from Yukon, Canada to South America. The cougar also played a role in ancient histrory. It is said that the ancient Inca city of Cusco was designed in the shape of a cougar. On the other hand, the Jaguarundi does not have the same amount of space as the cougar. It ranges from Texas to South America, which is on the border of Texas. They are sometimes reffered to as the, "otter cats", becasue they look like a bigger version of an otter. The Jaguargundi is unlike anyother cat though, because it has two color phases. The color phases are grey and red.

The next species of cat is the cheetah. Not only being one of the most well known cats of the cat family, it is the fastest land mammal on the face of the earth. It can reach speeds up to 64 mph in 3 seconds. The only downside is that it can only sustaint that type of speed for a little over a 1,500 feet. Not much when your main diet is a Thompson Gazelle, who can run just as fast if not faster. In ancient histroy, cheetahs were tamed and offered as royal presents to kings and queens.