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Physical
Cats typically weigh
between 2.5 and 7 kg (5.5–16 lb); however, some
breeds, such as the Maine Coon can exceed 11.3 kg
(25 pounds). Some have been known to reach up to
23 kg (50 lb), due to overfeeding. This is very
unhealthy for the cat, and should be prevented
through exercise (playing) and diet, especially
for cats living exclusively indoors.
In captivity, cats typically live 15 to 20 years,
though the oldest-known cat lived to age 36.[2]
Domestic cats tend to live longer if they are not
permitted to go outdoors (reducing the risk of
injury from fights or accidents) and if they are
spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering a cat
also decreases the risk of testicular and ovarian
cancer, and female cats spayed before their first
heat or litter benefit from reduced risk of
mammary cancer.[3] Feral cats living in modern
urban environments often live only two years, or
less. Feral cats in maintained colonies can live
much longer; the British Cat Action Trust reported
a
19-year-old feral female. The oldest feral cat was
Mark who was maintained by the British charity
Cats Protection and who reached 26 years of age.
Thirty-two individual muscles in the ear allow for
a manner of directional hearing; [4] the cat can
move each ear independently of the other. Thus a
cat can move its body in one direction and point
its ears in quite another direction (such as
pointing backward toward its owner). Most cats
have straight ears pointing upward. Unlike dogs,
flap-eared breeds are extremely rare. (Scottish
Folds are one such exceptional genetic mutation.)
When angry or frightened, a cat will lay its ears
back, to accompany the growling or hissing sounds
it makes. Cats conserve energy by sleeping more
than most animals, especially as they grow older.
Daily durations of sleep are various, usually
12–16 hours, with 13–14 being the average. Some
cats can sleep as much as 20 hours in a 24-hour
period. The term cat nap refers to the cat's
ability to fall asleep for a brief period; someone
who nods off for a few minutes is said to be
"taking a cat nap".
A cat's temperament can vary depending on the
breed and socialization. Shorter haired cats tend
to be skinnier and more active, while cats with
longer hair tend to be heavier and less active.
The normal body temperature of a cat is between 38
and 39 °C (101 and 102.2 °F).[5] A cat is
considered febrile if it has a temperature of 103
°F or greater, or hypothermic if less than 100 °F.
Comparatively, humans have a normal temperature of
approximately 37 °C (97 to 100 °F). A domestic
cat's normal heart rate ranges from 140 to 220
beats per minute, and is largely dependent on how
excited the cat is. For a cat at rest, the average
heart rate should be between 150 and 180 bpm,
depending upon level of activity.
A popular belief holds that cats always land on
their feet. They do usually, but not always.
During a fall, a cat can reflexively twist its
body and right itself using its acute sense of
balance and flexibility. [6] It always rights
itself in the same way, provided it has the time
to do so during a fall. Certain breeds that don't
have a tail are a notable exception, since a cat
moves its tail and relies on conservation of
angular momentum to set up for landing.
Cats, like dogs, are digitigrades: they walk
directly on their toes, the bones of their feet
making up the lower part of the visible leg. They
are capable of walking very precisely, placing
each hind paw directly in the print of the
corresponding forepaw, minimising noise and
visible tracks. |
