the alliance between humans and felines is perhaps the most unlikely on earth
proud and self-reliant cats come and go
proud and self-reliant cats come and go on their terms
they flourish as scavengers in big
they flourish as scavengers in big cities and gypsies in rural outposts
over 600 million claim residents in
over 600 million claim residents in households across six continents and now
households across six continents and now
households across six continents and now they may have dethroned the dog as a
they may have dethroned the dog as a
they may have dethroned the dog as a most popular pet on earth so where did
most popular pet on earth so where did
most popular pet on earth so where did it come from
in Portugal a team of graduate students
in Portugal a team of graduate students from the University of Porto may be
from the University of Porto may be
from the University of Porto may be witnessing in real time how the cat
witnessing in real time how the cat
witnessing in real time how the cat became domesticated
they track the Wildcat it may appear to
they track the Wildcat it may appear to be a common house cat
be a common house cat
be a common house cat but this wild cat is its own species
but this wild cat is its own species
but this wild cat is its own species felis Silvestri’s this is the species
felis Silvestri’s this is the species
felis Silvestri’s this is the species from which domesticated cats descended
from which domesticated cats descended
from which domesticated cats descended thousands of years ago normal well cats
thousands of years ago normal well cats
thousands of years ago normal well cats are solitary animals they are
are solitary animals they are
are solitary animals they are territorial and very hostile to other
territorial and very hostile to other
territorial and very hostile to other wild cats that come into their
wild cats that come into their
wild cats that come into their territories and generally they keep away
territories and generally they keep away
territories and generally they keep away from humans but sometimes the elusive
from humans but sometimes the elusive
from humans but sometimes the elusive felines are spotted surprisingly close
felines are spotted surprisingly close
felines are spotted surprisingly close to local villages
the team searches the country seeking
the team searches the country seeking clues to help them understand the cats
clues to help them understand the cats
clues to help them understand the cats changing range they deploy traps in
changing range they deploy traps in
changing range they deploy traps in order to capture and radio collar their
order to capture and radio collar their
order to capture and radio collar their quarry if we find a wildcat here we’ll
quarry if we find a wildcat here we’ll
quarry if we find a wildcat here we’ll just put a collar with a transmitter and
just put a collar with a transmitter and
just put a collar with a transmitter and just follow him for one year or so and
just follow him for one year or so and
just follow him for one year or so and try to determine its home range resting
try to determine its home range resting
try to determine its home range resting sites habitat selection one of the teams
sites habitat selection one of the teams
sites habitat selection one of the teams Wildcats returns enlightening data of
Wildcats returns enlightening data of
Wildcats returns enlightening data of male Wildcats an adult after leaving its
male Wildcats an adult after leaving its
male Wildcats an adult after leaving its rest site he came very close to farm so
rest site he came very close to farm so
rest site he came very close to farm so he approached the house and stay there
he approached the house and stay there
he approached the house and stay there for over two hours
bold behavior by a notoriously shy
bold behavior by a notoriously shy creature why did this Wildcats four
creature why did this Wildcats four
creature why did this Wildcats four square mile range include a human
square mile range include a human
square mile range include a human dwelling one theory the feline is being
dwelling one theory the feline is being
dwelling one theory the feline is being drawn in by an overabundance of vermin
drawn in by an overabundance of vermin
drawn in by an overabundance of vermin in villages
it would be risky for the Wildcat to
it would be risky for the Wildcat to leave familiar woods and venture close
leave familiar woods and venture close
leave familiar woods and venture close to people but for easy pickings it may
to people but for easy pickings it may
to people but for easy pickings it may be worth it or could it be that man is
be worth it or could it be that man is
be worth it or could it be that man is encroaching onto the cat’s habitat
encroaching onto the cat’s habitat
encroaching onto the cat’s habitat causing it to change its feeding
causing it to change its feeding
causing it to change its feeding behavior this may be what happened
behavior this may be what happened
behavior this may be what happened thousands of years ago as humankind
thousands of years ago as humankind
thousands of years ago as humankind began to settle into farming communities
began to settle into farming communities
began to settle into farming communities what is certain is that there was a
what is certain is that there was a
what is certain is that there was a coevolution where these small wild
coevolution where these small wild
coevolution where these small wild fielitz a certain group of them became
fielitz a certain group of them became
fielitz a certain group of them became more and more attached to people to get
more and more attached to people to get
more and more attached to people to get near the rodents
Wildcats helped to keep food stores
Wildcats helped to keep food stores rodent free and humans rewarded them
rodent free and humans rewarded them
rodent free and humans rewarded them with sustenance and sheltered these cats
with sustenance and sheltered these cats
with sustenance and sheltered these cats became habituated and eventually evolved
became habituated and eventually evolved
became habituated and eventually evolved into a new species what we now know
into a new species what we now know
into a new species what we now know today to be felis catus
today to be felis catus
today to be felis catus the domesticated cat it’s one of the
the domesticated cat it’s one of the
the domesticated cat it’s one of the only animals to domesticate itself
only animals to domesticate itself
only animals to domesticate itself it chose man and to this day the cat
it chose man and to this day the cat
it chose man and to this day the cat remains only partially tame
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