Cats walk or trot on their digits, often placing the hind foot in the track of the forefoot. They are agile climbers and good swimmers and have acute hearing and sight. Many are nocturnal, but some are active mainly during daylight. They shelter in trees, hollow logs, caves, crevices, abandoned burrows of other animals, or dense vegetation. They defend themselves with fang and claw, or flee, sometimes seeking refuge in trees.
Cats usually are solitary but sometimes are found in pairs or larger groups.
The females of most species are polyestrous and give birth once a year, some can have two litters annually, and those of the larger species sometimes breed only every 2-3 years. At birth the kittens are usually blind and helpless but are haired and often spotted. They remain with their mother until they can hunt for themselves. Potential longevity is probably at least 15 years for most species, and some individuals have lived over 30 years. Some of the larger species of cats have occasionally become a serious menace to human life in localized areas.