science education resource

Cat

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Felis silvestris catus
Cat

Other Names for Me

A female cat is called a queen or dam. A male cat is called a tom. A baby cat is called a kitten.

About Me

Cats are very skilled hunters. They are active in the early morning and late evening, often hunting. This is called crepuscular activity. They groom themselves regularly and lick their fur and paws to clean off dirt. Cats have what is called a "righting reflex." This means that when they fall from a high place, their body twists to allow them to land on their feet.

Body Traits

Cats are covered with fur. Different breeds have different hair lengths and colors. They can also vary in size from 5 to 25 pounds depending upon the breed and their lifestyle. Cats have long tails that help with jumping and balance, though there are some breeds that have short tails. Cats have sharp claws, but unlike dogs, they keep them pulled in (retracted) unless they need to use them.

Diet

Cats are carnivores, eating mostly meat products.

What I Provide for People

They are good hunters and keep mice and rats out of barns and homes. They also make interesting pets.

Cat

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School subscriptions can access more than 175 downloadable unit bundles in our store for free (a value of $1,500).

District subscriptions provide huge group discounts for their schools. Email for a quote: sheri@exploringnature.org.

Cat
Cat Coloring Page
Cat labeling Page

Animal's Call: Click on the link below. The call will download. Then click on the download arrow to hear the call.

Hear the cat meow!

Citing Research References

When you research information you must cite the reference. Citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. The style of citing shown here is from the MLA Style Citations (Modern Language Association).

When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows.
Author Last Name, First Name(s). "Title: Subtitle of Part of Web Page, if appropriate." Title: Subtitle: Section of Page if appropriate. Sponsoring/Publishing Agency, If Given. Additional significant descriptive information. Date of Electronic Publication or other Date, such as Last Updated. Day Month Year of access < URL >.

Here is an example of citing this page:

Amsel, Sheri. "Cat" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. April 5, 2024
< http://exploringnature.org/db/view/676 >

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