Answer to Question 1Short-haired breeds and long-haired breeds are the two major groups of domesticated cats.
Answer to Question 2Cats are descendants of the same carnivorous, tree-climbing mammal Miacis from which dogs descended.
Cats, like dogs, trace their lineage through Cynodictis. Proailueus, the first normal or feline cat, appeared
about 35 million years ago. The exact evolution of the cat from that time forward is not known, but modern
cat types, such as Felis and related genus groups with normal canine teeth, appeared about 7 million
years ago.
It is believed that domestication of the cat began around 4,000 years ago, although there is no clear documentation
until around 2500 b.c. Early Egyptian paintings and inscriptions suggest that the cat was kept in
captivity, tamed, and eventually revered and protected. The cat was used in religious ceremonies, and many
mummified cats have been found in Egyptian tombs.
As civilization spread from Egypt and the Middle East, domestication of the cat spread also. The Romans
introduced the cat into Europe, and European explorers, travelers, and traders carried the cat to all parts of
the world. Today, the domesticated cat can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
It is believed that the domesticated cat of today originated from the African Wild Cat (Felis libyca). This
cat was common to all areas of Asia and North Africa. Two other cat species were the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus)
and the European Wild Cat (Felis silvestis).
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