Felis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Felis |
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| A Wildcat, Felis silvestris | |
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Felis
Linnaeus, 1758
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| The areas where Felis cats live | |
Felis is a group of small cats in the Felidae family. This group includes the familiar domestic cat that many people have as pets. It also includes their wild relatives. These wild cats live in Europe, southern and central Asia, and Africa. Our domestic cat, which might have come from North Africa, can now be found all over the world!
Cats in the Felis group are all small. They look quite a lot like the domestic cat. The smallest species is the sand cat, which can be less than 40 centimeters (16 inches) long. The largest is the jungle cat, which can grow up to 94 centimeters (37 inches). These cats live in many different places. You can find them in forests, grasslands, swamps, and even deserts. They mostly eat small rodents. They also hunt birds and other small animals, depending on where they live.
Scientists believe the Felis group first appeared about eight to ten million years ago. This likely happened in the Mediterranean region.
Meet the Felis Species
The Felis group currently has six living species. The domestic cat and the Chinese mountain cat are sometimes seen as types of F. silvestris.
- Felis chaus – This cat lives in Asia.
- Felis margarita – This small cat lives in sandy deserts.
- Felis nigripes – This tiny cat lives in southern Africa.
- Felis silvestris – This wild cat lives in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- Felis catus – This is our common domestic cat.
- Felis bieti – This cat lives in the mountains of China.
There are also two species that are now extinct (meaning they no longer exist):
- Felis attica
- Felis lunensis – Also known as Martelli's cat.
Other Small Cats
There are many other small cats in the world. These cats are smaller than a cheetah. They belong to different groups (genera) than Felis. Here are some examples:
- Caracal: These cats live in western and southern Asia and Africa.
- Leopardus: This group includes small cats from the Americas, like the Margay and the Ocelot.
- Leptailurus: This group includes the Serval, found in southern Africa.
- Lynx: These cats live in Europe and Asia.
- Pardofelis: This cat lives in southeast Asia.
- Prionailurus: This group of cats lives in Asia.
- Profelis: This cat lives only in African rainforests.
Images for kids
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Map showing where the European Wildcat lives.
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Map showing where the Jungle Cat lives.
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Map showing where the African Wildcat lives.
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Map showing where the Black-footed Cat lives.
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Map showing where the Sand Cat lives.
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Map showing where the Chinese Mountain Cat lives.
See also
In Spanish: Felis para niños
