The domestic cathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-MSW3fc-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-ITIS_F.c.-2 (Felis catushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-ITIS_F.c.-2 or Felis silvestris catushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-Driscoll-4) is a small, usually en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fur en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestication , and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal . It is often called the housecat when kept as an indoor pet, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-AHD-6or simply the cat when there is no need to distinguish it from other en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felinae . Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and their ability to hunt en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermin and household pests.Cats are similar in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_anatomy to the other felids, with strong, flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_senses fit a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular and predatory en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_niche . Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals. They can see in near darkness. Like most other mammals, cats have poorer en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_vision and a better en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfaction than humans.Despite being solitary hunters, cats are a social species, and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_communication includes the use of a variety of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_communication en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trill_consonant , hissing, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growling and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guttural ) as well ashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_pheromone and types of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_body_language.en.wikipedia.org/wik Cats have a rapid breeding rate. Under controlled breeding, they can be bred and shown as en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_registry pedigree pets, a hobby known as en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_fancy . Failure to control the breeding of pet cats byhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutering, and the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandoned_pets , has resulted in large numbers of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_cat worldwide, requiring en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_population_control.en.wikipedia Since cats were en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_in_ancient_Egypt , they were commonly believed to have been domesticated there, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-NYT-9 but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic from around 9500 years ago (7500 BC).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-ChinaDaily-10A genetic study in 2007 concluded that domestic cats are descended from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) c. 8000 BC, in the Near East.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-NYT-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-9500_years-11 According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_American , cats are the most popular pet in the world, and are now found almost every place where people live.