Felidae

**Felidae** is a family of mammals, in the order Carnivora. Animals that belong to Felidae are called _felids_.

The cat family is of quite recent origin: the first fossils are from the Oligocene, 25 million years ago (mya). There are 41 living species, including the domestic cat, and they are monophyletic: all descended from the same ancestor.

## Characteristics

Felids tend to have lithe and flexible bodies with muscular limbs. In most species, the tail is a third or a half the length of the body, with some exceptions (the bobcat and margay). The limbs are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes. The paws have three soft toe pads and retractible claws (usually). The tongue of felids is covered with horny papillae, which rasp meat from prey and aid in grooming.

## Classification

The Felidae has three subfamilies:
- †Machairodontinae: sabre-toothed cats.
- Pantherinae: large cats tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard
- Felinae: cougar, cheetah and smaller cats

More examples of felines are the big cats – the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, puma, and cheetah - and other wild cats, for example the lynx, caracal, and bobcat. All felines, also the small pet cat, are predators that can hunt many animals.

## Evolution

The felids evolved in Asia and spread across continents by crossing land bridges. DNA sequence analysis shows that ancient cats evolved into eight main lines. There were at least 10 migrations (in both directions) from continent to continent via the Bering land bridge and Isthmus of Panama. The _Panthera_ genus is the oldest and the _Felis_ genus is the youngest. 60 percent of the modern species of cats developed within the last million years.

The felids' closest relatives are the linsangs, and at one remove the group of civets, hyenas, mongooses, and Madagascar carnivores, with whom they share the Suborder Feliformia. All felid species share a genetic anomaly that prevents them from tasting sweetness.

### Genetic classification

Genetic research has provided a basis for a more concise classification for the living members of the cat family based on genotypical groupings.  Specifically, eight genetic lineages have been identified:
- Lineage 1: _Panthera_, _Uncia_, _Neofelis_
- Lineage 2: _Pardofelis_, _Catopuma_
- Lineage 3: _Leptailurus_, _Caracal_, _Profelis_
- Lineage 4: _Leopardus_
- Lineage 5: _Lynx_
- Lineage 6: _Puma_, _Acinonyx_
- Lineage 7: _Prionailurus_, _Otocolobus_
- Lineage 8: _Felis_

The last four lineages (5, 6, 7, 8) are more related to each other than to any of the first four (1, 2, 3, 4), and so form a clade within the Felinae subfamily of family Felidae.

## Taxonomy

- **Subfamily Felinae**
    - Genus _Acinonyx_
        - Cheetah, _Acinonyx jubatus_
    - Genus _Caracal_
        - Caracal, _Caracal caracal_
    - Genus _Catopuma_
        - Bay cat, _Catopuma badia_
        - Asian golden cat, _Catopuma temminckii_
    - Genus _Felis_
        - Chinese mountain cat, _Felis bieti_
        - Jungle cat, _Felis chaus_
        - Pallas' cat / Manul, _Felis manul_
        - Sand cat, _Felis margarita_
        - Black-footed cat, _Felis nigripes_
        - Wildcat, _Felis silvestris_
            - Domestic cat, _Felis silvestris catus_
    - Genus _Leopardus_
        - Pantanal cat, _Leopardus braccatus_
        - Colocolo, _Leopardus colocolo_
        - Pampas cat, _Leopardus pajeros_
        - Geoffroy's cat, _Leopardus geoffroyi_
        - Kodkod, _Leopardus guigna_
        - Andean mountain cat, _Leopardus jacobitus_
        - Ocelot, _Leopardus pardalis_
        - Oncilla, _Leopardus tigrinus_
        - Margay, _Leopardus wiedii_
    - Genus _Leptailurus_
        - Serval, _Leptailurus serval_
    - Genus _Lynx_
        - Canada lynx, _Lynx canadensis_
        - Eurasian lynx, _Lynx lynx_
        - Iberian lynx, _Lynx pardinus_
        - Bobcat, _Lynx rufus_
    - Genus _Pardofelis_
        - Marbled cat, _Pardofelis marmorata_
    - Genus _Prionailurus_
        - Leopard cat, _Prionailurus bengalensis_
        - Iriomote cat, _Prionailurus iriomotensis_
        - Flat-headed cat, _Prionailurus planiceps_
        - Rusty-spotted cat, _Prionailurus rubiginosus_
        - Fishing cat, _Prionailurus viverrinus_
    - Genus _Profelis_
        - African golden cat, _Profelis aurata_
    - Genus _Puma_
        - Puma, _Puma concolor_
- **Subfamily Pantherinae**
    - Genus _Neofelis_
        - Clouded leopard, _Neofelis nebulosa_
        - Sunda clouded leopard, _Neofelis diardi_
    - Genus _Panthera_
        - Lion, _Panthera leo_
        - Jaguar, _Panthera onca_
        - Leopard, _Panthera pardus_
        - Tiger, _Panthera tigris_
    - Genus _Uncia_
        - Snow leopard, _Uncia uncia_

## Related pages

- _Smilodon_