THE CAT FAMILY.
Our little house cat belongs to the same family as the lion, the tiger,
and the leopard. They are known as the old and powerful family of cats,
and though pussy is small, tame, and gentle, she is not unlike her
fierce cousins in many of her ways.
All cats have sharp claws which can be drawn back until quite out of
sight. They walk softly because their feet are padded with soft, elastic
cushions. Not only is a cat one of the most sure-footed animals in the
world, but she is also one of the most graceful.
Cats are restless creatures, and in a wild state they are prowling
about, day and night, with only short periods of rest. Yet, when they
are hunting for food, they will patiently lie in wait for hours.
It is the nature of all cats, big and little, to pounce upon their prey
and not to chase it.
No cat likes to run. She will hide from danger if she can, and she runs
only when she must.
The teeth of cats are sharp and pointed so that they can tear their food
in pieces. Their tongues are rough and are of great use in eating. The
surface is covered with little prickly points which also serve pussy in
the place of a brush and comb.
A cat's whiskers are very sensitive. Even to touch them lightly
sometimes hurts her, and to pull them is to make her suffer intense
pain.
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