Cat and Kitten Origin and History of Cat Information

Curious, to know the origin of the word cat, then here is a brief history, which will help people to understand as how the word 'cat' originated. The English word cat was not into usage until 300 AD. It is very remarkable that, in numerous languages around the world, cat owners call this domesticated animal by the term (name), which is very alike the English word of cat or may be puss.

People consider that the name puss is originated from the Pasht, the ancient Egyptian Goddess. This Goddess had the head of cat. People looked on her as a darker reflection of Bast or Bastet, who was the creator or the mother of all felines in the universe. The Goddess sent all the cats to all corners of the Egypt. Hence, it led to the origination of the word puss.

Kittens Cats

Some tribes in Egypt called this goddess as Mau, which means the one who can see everything. Perhaps, this word also has much to do with the imitative reference to meowing of the cats. This typical voice matches up to the phonetic transcription of hieroglyph (primitive writing) of cats.

Cat and Kitten Origin and History of Cat Information

Detailed History:

In later years, Copts, the high priests of the church popularized the word chau. Therefore, people in the ancient Egypt later referred to cat as chau. Moreover, the term tomcat has very interesting etymology. Egyptians worshiped atoum, the sun god, which they compared to feline. Thus, it led to the formation of new term tomcat.

Studies reveal that another Greek tribe called cats as ailuros. This word was the combination of the terms aiol as well as ouros, which means wagging tail. People in Latin America referred wild cats as felis. People started domesticating the cats to get rid of rodents. The word felis got wide recognition around the world.

In later period, when people in Rome domesticated cats of orient breed, they used the word cattus instead of felis. In fourteenth century, when the agronomy treaty was signed in Palladius, commonly referred as De re rustica, the officials coined the word cattus for cats in scientific context. This word also appears in the Bible, but then they used this word for night bird. According to the Isidore of the great Seville, the word cattus originates form capture, which means to take or probably from cattare, means piercing look.

In seventeenth century, people called cats as murices, musio or murilegus, which means the one who catches the mice.

Cats In Other Languages:

Although, the word catus was in usage for long years, the originations of new languages lead to newer names for cats. In Portuguese and Spain, people call cats as gato, whereas in Italian languages people call cat as gatto.

In Slavic languages such as in Russian, people call cat as kochka. People refer cat as katze in Germany, cat in English, Chat in French, Cath in Welsh, Kitt in Arabic, Kot in Polish, Puccha in Sanskrit, Pushak in Persia, Puize in Lithuanian and Pus in Irish. Thus, this is all about the etymology of the word cat.

Cat and Kitten Origin and History of Cat Information

Information Regarding Asian Golden Cat

Asian Golden Cat (Pardofelis Temminckii) is a wild cat of medium body size. Weighing approximately thirty pounds, the cat roughly equals a small dog in size, with an average length of four feet including the tail. Long considered to be closely related to its African cousin, the Asian Golden Cat is a resident mainly of Southeast Asia.

The coat is usually plain and coarse with the color ranging from red to golden in shades. Melanistic specimens are often seen as well. Spots are seen on its trunk in certain parts of the geographical range whereas the belly and under parts are usually light in coloration. White lines run across its cheeks and from the inner corners of eyes to head. The tail also has a white line on the under surface near its tip, which is also white. In northern parts of its range, the cat often has dark markings including rosettes and stripes, bearing close resemblance at times to the leopard cat.

Kittens Cats

A secretive and solitary predator, the Asian Golden Cat is believed to hunt mainly at night. Birds, lizards, rodents and small ungulates are reputedly taken. Scavenging has also been recorded for this particular feline, though larger animals including wild boar and young buffalo calves are also reputedly hunted at times - the felines operating in pairs to bring them down.

Information Regarding Asian Golden Cat

The cat appears to prefer dense forests in tropics for its habitat. It resides in a number of countries at varying altitudes including Nepal, Tibet, India, China, Sumatra and Malaysia. Three distinct subspecies are recognized based on regional differences:

Pardofelis Temminckii Temminckii - Himalayas to Sumatra

Pardofelis Temminckii Tristis - Southwest China

Pardofelis Temminckii Dominicanorum - Southeast China

Not much is known about the behavior and reproductive profile of the Asiatic Golden Cat, though it is believed that males participate in rearing of the young. Mostly one kitten is born after a pregnancy lasting around eighty days. Maturity is reached at at between one and a half to two years of age. Life span in captivity is known to be up to twenty years.

Information Regarding Asian Golden Cat