For thousands of years cats have proven a trusted and loyal companion to humans. Their solemn nature and heartwarming looks have placed them in households across the world. They are a large and diverse species, which man domesticated a long time ago, and come in numerous colors and sizes as well. From the small and average house cat to the king of the jungle, the lion, our feline friends inhabit the entire world. They can be as fierce as a tiger or as cuddly as a kitten, but nonetheless, we will always love them.
Cats truly came onto the scene way back in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians worshiped felines as gods and even created massive shrines for their feline divine, the Sphinx for example. They were also the first to fully domesticate the small animals of which the modern housecat you see today is a direct result. In fact, the Egyptian love of cats is what really started our love.
Today, these little critters can be found in more than 32% of the nation’s homes, amounting to about 37 million cat-owning households. Each of these households averages a little more than two cats each, so it is estimated that there are just more than 81 million cats in the United States as of now. That number is slightly less than dogs, but is more than birds, horses and many other companion animals combined, making the cat just as hot a commodity today as they have ever been.
Man’s obsession with this small four-legged critter has also brought us many new kinds of cats as breeders intertwine traits and species. In fact, it is nearly impossible to grasp just how diverse they have become. Some of our feline friends can grow to rival the size of our canine friends, dogs, for example. Others still, will grow up to be quite small and subtle. Some can be bred to hunt and defend, just as with dogs, while others are meant to purely amuse. In all, whatever your lifestyle may be, there is surely a feline out there to match.
While our feline friends have stolen the hearts of America and the world, they are also in heavy competition. This clash is one of the oldest rivalries in history, the cat and the dog. Ever since the ancient Egyptians, felines and canines have always fought for the hearts of the people. Both are gentle and loving creatures that prove excellent companions, but it seems some people are more inclined to a canine companion than a feline one while others still are the opposite. It is the way it has always been and will probably always be.
In all, the cat found its place in the hearts of humans thousands of years ago. It has stayed there ever since and today proves a companion to millions across the nation. They can be cute and cuddly or big and fierce, but they all share on thing, a love of humans. That love, that connection, is something that cannot be explained, but it will always be true that, as long as there are humans, there will be cats along side.
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