feline

Introduction
Natural history
Form and function
Evolution and classification

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) with tufted ears and spotted fur walking through snow in a winter landscape.

Jaguar (Panthera onca) with a spotted coat stands among green foliage, looking directly at the camera.

Observe a predatory lion pride in a typical day of grooming, playing, hunting, eating prey, and sleeping

A split image of a lion and an orange cat are shown against a vintage map.

A Leopardus tilcayo cat with a spotted coat walks alertly through leaf litter at the Senda Verde animal refuge in Bolivia, surrounded by blurred green foliage.

A woman with dark hair looks up at a small spotted wildcat, Leopardus tilcayo, inside a wire enclosure surrounded by dense greenery at an animal refuge in Bolivia.

A snow leopard (Panthera uncia) with thick spotted fur sits on a snowy slope, surrounded by falling snow and blurred wintry trees in the background.

At a Glance

cat summary

Quizzes

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

Ultimate Animals Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Related Questions

How are a cat’s canine teeth adapted for hunting?
How do bobcats hunt their prey?
How do carnassial teeth help cats eat meat?
How do powerful hind legs help cats capture prey?
How do the backward-facing spines on a cat’s tongue help it feed and groom?
How does a cat’s sense of smell compare with a dog’s?
How does the structure of a cat’s vocal cords produce purring?
How does the tapetum lucidum help cats see at night?
How is the bobcat different from the Canada lynx?
How long is the gestation period for large cats?
How long is the gestation period for small cats?
How many lions can live together in a pride?
How many toes do cats have on their front and rear feet?
What animals do most wild cats hunt?
What do bobcats eat?
Where did the Pantherinae lineage first emerge?
Where do bobcats live in North America?
Where do wild cats commonly hide their kittens?
Which cat species are especially skilled at climbing trees?
Which habitats can bobcats live in?
Which physical traits do most members of the cat family share?
Why are bobcats considered important predators in their ecosystems?
Why are cats better at short sprints than long-distance running?
Why do cat tracks usually show only four toes on each foot?
Why do cats groom themselves with rough tongues?
Why do cats have a short small intestine compared with their body length?
Why do cats have better night vision than many other mammals?
Why do cats swallow meat in chunks instead of chewing it thoroughly?
Why do cats usually bury their feces and urine?
Why do female cats usually raise kittens without help from males?
Why do larger cats sometimes store uneaten prey?
Why do lions live in prides while most cat species live alone?
Why do most cats have retractable claws?
What is a black panther?
What causes the black coat coloration in leopards and jaguars?
How common are melanistic leopards and jaguars?
Where do snow leopards live?
How do snow leopards reproduce?
What is the conservation status of snow leopards?
How big are pumas?
What do pumas eat?
What is a pride of lions?
What is the lineage of cats?

Science Mammals Cats & the Feline Family

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External Websites

National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Feline Genome and Clinical Implications
Animal Diversity Web - Cat
Natural History Museum - Fantastic felines: A world of wild cats
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine - Feline Health Topics

feline

mammal family

Also known as: Felidae, cat

Written by

Serge Lariviere

Director General, Cree Hunters and Trappers Income Security Board, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.

Serge LariviereAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Sep. 24, 2026 •History

feline, (family Felidae), any of 37 cat species that among others include the cheetah, puma, jaguar, leopard, lion, lynx, tiger, and domestic cat. Cats are native to almost every region on Earth, with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. They are carnivorous mammals that live in a wide variety of habitats, but they are typically woodland animals. Most cats are patterned with spots, stripes, or rosettes, but some, such as the puma (Puma concolor), jaguarundi...

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