The cat of the felis lineage is a group of small cats, including domestic cats, feral cats, and hybrids. The Felis line includes the species Felis silvestris (the wild cat) and Felis catus (the domestic cat).
Other species in the Felis lineage include the Lynx, Leopard Cat, Sand Cat, Pallas’s Cat, Jungle Cat, and Black-footed Cat. Keep reading to learn more about the felis lineage of cats, including how they look, what they do, and how they live in this article.
Evolution of the felis lineage
The Felis lineage has been traced back over 10 million years to the Miocene epoch.
The Felidae family originated and diversified rapidly throughout the Miocene period. Small and tree-dwelling, the early cats had long, slender bodies and short tails. These early cats evolved into various forms, including the saber-toothed cats of the Pleistocene epoch.
The domestic cat is said to have descended from the wild ancestor Felis silvestris lybica, native to the Middle East and North Africa.
Humans domesticated this wild cat around 10,000 years ago, most likely due to its utility in controlling rodents near human settlements.The African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), sand cat (Felis margarita), and black-footed cat are all members of the Felis lineage. (Felis nigripes). These cats have adapted to various environments, from the Middle Eastern deserts to the woods of Europe and Asia.
Genetic studies of the Felidae cat family show that the Felis lineage (also called the Domestic Cat lineage) and the Leopard Cat lineage split off from a common ancestor about 6.2 million years ago in North America.
Taxonomically, the Felis lineage is part of the Felinae subfamily, which contains many other tiny and medium-sized cats. The larger Felidae family, which comprises all cats, big and tiny, is made up of the subfamily Felinae.
Studying how the Felis lineage has changed through time is vital if you want to learn about the history of cats and how they relate to humans.
Cats have been essential to humans for hundreds of years, and knowing where they came from and how they changed over time might help us appreciate these cherished creatures even more.
Studying how wild cats in the Felis lineage have changed can also help us learn how these animals have adapted to varied situations and how we can better protect them in the wild.
Felis lineage similarities and differences
One thing all Felis lineage cats have in common is their modest stature. These cats are often much smaller than their larger cousins, such as lions and tigers. Furthermore, all Felis lineage cats have retractable claws and powerful jaws for catching and killing prey.
The level of domestication distinguishes domestic cats from wild cats in the Felis lineage. Domestic cats have been intentionally bred to live alongside people for thousands of years, but wild cats in the Felis lineage remain untamed and dwell mostly in the wild.
Another distinction between Felis lineage cats is their habitat and geographic range. For example, the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is largely found in Europe, whereas the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is found throughout Africa and portions of the Middle East. The sand cat (Felis margarita) lives mostly in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East.
Another big distinction between cats in the Felis lineage is how their fur looks. Domestic cats, for example, have a wide range of coat patterns and colors, but wild cats in the felis lineage frequently develop more limited coat patterns that fit their habitats.
For example, the sand cat’s light, sandy-colored coat helps it blend in with its arid environment.
Even though each cat in the Felis lineage is different, they all have the same progenitor and belong to the same taxonomic subfamily, Felinae. Other tiny cat species, such as ocelots and lynx, are also in this subfamily.
Classifications of cats from the felis lineage?
In scientific taxonomy, the felids (cats) of the Felis lineage (small wild cats) are placed in the felid family Felidae and the felid subfamily Felinae. The hierarchy of this set is as follows:
- Kingdom: Animalia (animals)
- Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)
- Class: Mammalia (mammals)
- Order: Carnivora (carnivores)
- Suborder: Feliformia (cat-like)
- Family: Felidae (cats)
Felinae (small cats) Subfamily:
- Felis chaus (Jungle Cat)
- Felis bieti (Chinese Mountain Cat)
- Felis silvestris (European Wildcat)
- Felis lybica (Afro-Asiatic Wildcat)
- Felis margarita (Sand Cat)
- Felis nigripes (Black-footed Cat)
Felis Lineage Classification List
| Felis Lineage | Family | Subfamily | Genus | Species |
| Black-footed Cat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis nigripes |
| Sand Cat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis margarita |
| Afro-Asiatic Wildcat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis lybica |
| European Wildcat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis silvestris |
| Chinese Mountain Cat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis bieti |
| Jungle Cat | Felidae (cats) | Felinae (small cats) | Felis | Felis chaus |
