Felines Honor - advanced

Nature Study

Requirements

1. Have the Felines Honor.

   Answer: To begin the Felines Honor - advanced, you first need to have completed the Felines Honor. The Felines Honor is the prerequisite (foundation): it presents the Felidae family in general (lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, cat, etc.), and the advanced version deepens the study, requiring more detailed knowledge and practice. That is why the basic one must be completed first. — The path goes from the GENERAL (the entire Felidae family) to the SPECIFIC (Felis catus). Studying the whole group first provides evolutionary and behavioral context before focusing on the domestic cat.

2. What is the scientific name of the domestic cat?

   Answer: The scientific name of the domestic cat is Felis catus. It was classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, although some scientists still use Felis silvestris catus, treating the domestic cat as a subspecies of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris). — Binomial nomenclature (genus + species) was created by Linnaeus in 1758 — the year he published the 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Felis catus is the name accepted by the ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature) since 2003.

3. Keep a cat for at least 6 months and do one of the following options:
   • If you currently have a cat, keep a record of your cat's care for 1 month. Include in your records when you give it water and food, and how often and with what supplies you take care of the litter box. Why should you not allow your cat to roam freely around the neighborhood?
   • If you do not currently have a cat but have had one in the past for at least 6 months, take care of someone's cat for at least 1 week. Record the care that was needed and explain the relationship of domestic cats to the environment and why it is best not to allow them to become feral.
   • Participate in a project of your choice related to cats on behalf of a humane society or similar organization.

   Answer: You have three options: (1) if you already have a cat for 6 months, keep a monthly record of care (water, food, litter box); (2) if you don't have one but used to, care for someone else's cat for 1 week and record everything. — Cats roaming a neighborhood threaten local wildlife (they kill ~2 billion birds/year in the US according to Smithsonian studies) and are exposed to diseases, roadkill, and fights. Keeping a cat indoors is better for the cat and for the environment.

4. What are the main diseases of cats and which ones are easily transmissible to humans? How can we prevent them?

   Answer: Main cat diseases: FIV (immunodeficiency/'feline AIDS'), FeLV (feline leukemia), FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), panleukopenia ('feline distemper'), rhinotracheitis, and calicivirus. Diseases easily transmissible to humans (zoonoses): toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii parasite), rabies, sporotrichosis (fungus), bartonellosis ('cat-scratch disease'), ringworm/dermatophytoses, and larva migrans from worms. How to prevent them: keep vaccination and deworming up to date, take the cat to the vet regularly, clean the litter box daily using gloves (important for pregnant women, because of toxoplasmosis), wash your hands well after contact, avoid contact with sick or stray cats, do not let the cat hunt/eat raw meat, keep the environment clean and ventilated, and treat scratch or bite wounds. — Toxoplasmosis is the best-known feline zoonosis — dangerous for pregnant women (causes fetal malformation). Sporotrichosis became an urban epidemic in Rio de Janeiro starting in 2000. Annual vaccination + hygiene prevents most transmissions.

5. Compared to the dog, what can we expect from a cat, as a pet, with regard to its behavior?

   Answer: The cat is INDEPENDENT (it chooses when to interact, sleeps 12-16h a day), TERRITORIAL (marks its space with pheromones), LESS DEMONSTRATIVE affectionately (affection on its terms, not the owner's), AN INSTINCTIVE HUNTER (even when well fed it hunts prey), HARD TO TRAIN (does not obey commands like a dog). — The behavioral difference comes from evolution: dogs have lived in packs for 30,000 years (social by nature), while cats descended from solitary felines (individual nocturnal hunters). Cats were "semi-domesticated" — studies show behavior very similar to the wild ancestor.

6. Identify, from photographs/illustrations or in real life, 8 breeds of domestic cats. Describe the temperament of each one.

   Answer: 8 common breeds: Persian (calm, docile, requires daily brushing), Siamese (vocal, active, attached), Maine Coon (giant, sociable, playful), Sphynx (hairless, affectionate, requires skin care), Bengal (energetic, looks like a leopard), Ragdoll (relaxed, affectionate, goes limp in your lap), Turkish Angora (elegant, active), British Shorthair (independent, calm). — There are ~70 breeds recognized by international cat clubs (CFA, TICA). Each breed has a characteristic temperament — choosing by the personality that matches your lifestyle is more important than appearance.

7. Give the common name of 4 felines common in your region or country.

   Answer: In Brazil, 4 common felines: Jaguar (Panthera onca, the largest feline in the Americas), Cougar/puma (Puma concolor), Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), Wildcat (Leopardus tigrinus or Leopardus geoffroyi). — Brazil has 9 native feline species cataloged by ICMBio. The 4 listed are the best known. The jaguar is a national symbol of the Pantanal and the Amazon. All are in some category of threat according to the IUCN.

8. Discuss the main causes of the worldwide decline in the feline population. Cite 3 species at risk of extinction, preferably from your region, and the reasons that place them in this condition.

   Answer: Main causes of the worldwide decline of felines: 1) destruction and fragmentation of habitat through deforestation and urban/agricultural expansion; 2) illegal hunting for fur, trophies, or body parts; 3) reduction of natural prey through human hunting; 4) conflict with humans (killed for attacking livestock); 5) roadkill and disease. Three threatened Brazilian species: a) Jaguar (Panthera onca) — threatened by deforestation (loss of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) and persecution by farmers; b) Cougar/puma (Puma concolor) — roadkill, habitat loss, and conflict with ranchers; c) Oncilla/little spotted cat (Leopardus tigrinus) — habitat destruction, roadkill, and crossbreeding/competition with other species. (Also threatened: ocelot and margay.) — The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) records that 60% of the world's wild felines are in some category of threat. Tiger, leopard, and jaguar are the most critical. Recovery requires habitat preservation — reducing hunting alone is not enough.