Meat Eaters - The Cat Family

  There are 36 members of the cat family. They range from the South American oncilla, which is half as big as a domestic cat, to the Siberian tiger, which grows to 12 ft. (3.7m) long, but they have many features in common. All are hunters, most species eat nothing but meat, most are shy and live alone , and many are nocturnal. Cats hunt in similar ways - stalking their prey silently then attacking in sudden rush, wrestling their prey to the ground and killing it with a bite to the neck or throat. Most cats use their razor-sharp claws to hold prey, and all except cheetahs pull in their claws so they do not become blunt. Cats have tiny muscles in their tongue so they can change its surface. They groom themselves or their young with the smooth tongue and scrape the skin of their prey with a rough tongue. 16 species of cat are endangered, and humans are the biggest threat to their survival.

Pride Of The Plains
Most cats live alone. But lions are social and live in a family group called a pride, which include up to 30 animals. Most of these are females (there can be 3 generations of lionesses in one pride) and their cubs. There are often 2 dominant males, and they are usually brothers. Young males lead a solitary life until they are older and stronger. Then they challenge the dominant males for control of the pride.

Adapted from: Incredible Creatures

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