THE HOUSE CAT

In the early era of cat domestication (somewhere in ancient Egypt)
cats were employed to protect the granaries from rodents. They were so
important to the economy of the time that they were deified and had a
cat-goddess created in their honor.

All today’s domesticated cats belong to the same species and
can interbreed. And unlike dogs, domestic cats still have the same basic bone
structure of their ancestors. Modern dogs suffer some skeletal abnormalities
because they’ve been bred for such large variations in shape and height, a fate
not shared by domestic cats.

When kittens are just 6 weeks old they start learning the
art of predation. Mama cat brings meat to the kittens and pats the pieces,
teaching the kittens how to pounce.

Mock battles between littermates hone their hunting skills.
Mamma cat twitches her tail, encouraging the kittens to pounce.

I’ve heard anecdotally that if a mother cat doesn’t teach
her kittens to hunt live prey and then eat it, it’ll grow up able to hunt and
kill small animals but won’t consume them. I have seen this behavior, but don’t
know if that’s the actual reason.

My son and daughter-in-law’s cat, Throckmorton, is an
excellent huntress. She catches moles, birds, rats, squirrels and lizards. She
does not, unfortunately, eat any of her prey. She prefers to bring them inside,
still alive, creating entertaining pandemonium and wild chases by David and
Diana.(Who, more times than not, have been able to rescue the poor things.)

I’ve made a fair share of domestic cat jewelry, and have
lots of ideas for future cat designs, now just a twinkle in my “artist eye”.