The NY Times has an interesting piece up on the evolution of our beloved cats:
About nine million years ago – two million years after the cat family first appeared in Asia – these successful predators invaded North America by crossing the Beringian land bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska, a team of geneticists writes in the journal Science today.
Later, several American cat lineages returned to Asia. With each migration, evolutionary forces morphed the pantherlike patriarch of all cats into a rainbow of species, from ocelots and lynxes to leopards, lions and the lineage that led to the most successful cat of all, even though it has mostly forsaken its predatory heritage: the cat that has induced people to pay for its board and lodging in return for frugal displays of affection.
What on earth are they talking about? Perhaps commenter Jane’s furry little friends:
Phil (orange and white), who is the namesake of Tennessee football coach Phil Fullmer, and Izzy.
Or this sweet looking mug on Chelsea, who is owned by my friend Tammy (who lurks here but does not comment):
Don’t be fooled by the misleading cuteness in this picture. The stories I could tell about this cat. If I could figure out how to put sound files up, I would put some of the truly horrifying sounds this girl makes up for you to listen to. The stories I could tell- but I will let Chelsea have her moment.
Or Tammy’s other handsome fellow, Baxter:
This cat is actually ginormous, and the picture does not do his size justice. And I don’t mean fat- I mean just big- he has shoulders like a panther.
Perhaps Tammy will send some pictures of her other cats another day.
And if your furry friends have not been featured yet, don’t worry, as I have about eight commenters pets in the queue and they will be featured shortly. If you haven’t already, make sure you get your pics in so I can put them up. This is not limited to cats or dogs.
*** Update ***
moerex
My favorite thing about that article: if you eschew the article and just look at the accompanying photo and read its caption, you might deduce that domestic cats apparently found a way to migrate between continents in metallic capsules that looked not much unlike modern clothes dryers. Now that would be amazing!
Krista
Oh my god, those cats are gorgeous!
Baxter looks like he should be in ads for platinum and diamond jewellery. Chelsea’s got the Queen-of-the-Jungle thing going on. And Phil and Izzy look like soft, fluffy, snuggly plush toys.
Gorgeous beasties, all.
Cyrus
Wow, Phil and Izzy are big. Looks like it’s mostly hair, though.
I have a couple cats I mean to send in pictures of… and a geriatric pug too. Getting pics of all of them would be tough, but I can probably force them to pose for a second.
Rooney
I had a Turkish Van years ago who was all too happy to bring his kills into the kitchen. Several times, he was offering them to me, i.e., he once brought in a snake he killed and laid it at my feet and once he jumped up on the counter with a squirrel, tail slightly twitching. Not sure if he wanted a teriyaki saute with the latter but, in any event, it was quite interesting and quite a departure from other felines in my family’s history.
srv
You do know the theory that cats are the basis for civilization? It’s all a deranged human trait to make them comfortable.
Cyrus
In addition to Rooney’s story of the cat who tries to participate in pot luck dinners, I have to disagree with this too. Specifically, the “frugal displays of affection” part. Of course, there can be too much of a good thing… Grey, our old adopted stray that we actually had to put down a couple weeks ago, was friendly. When he wanted attention and he felt he wasn’t getting it, he’d walk up to you and paw you. Claws out. Once you started petting him, the purring would start, but if you stopped, out would come the claws again.
He’s gone now, but unfortunately, he taught this trick to Felix, another our cats.
MattM
Cats did not evolve. They were malevolently designed.