#domestication of cats

[raincitygirl76]

The crazy cat lady genre of classic portraiture. Speaking as live-in domestic staff to two pampered rescue felines, these paintings make me so happy.

Intellectually I know humans have always kept pets. Long before PetSmart, veterinarians, and pet health insurance, people found smallish cute animals and kept them around to cuddle and play with. But it’s nice to see the evidence in portraiture.

Even our hunter-gatherer ancestors kept pets. Although that was gradually domesticating wolves over thousands of years into dogs. And yes, they were used for hunting, but they were also pets. Cat domestication dates to the earliest Neolithic. Purely nomadic hunter-gatherers had no need for wild cats. But once humans started collecting extra grain and storing it for the winter, they were at least starting to be farmers. Granaries attracted rodents, who ate the grain humans had toiled to collect, and endangered their ability to survive the winter.

Enter wild cats. They were attracted to granaries because they were infested with rodents. And as obligate carnivores, they had zero interest in the stored grain themselves. They just wanted to eat the mice and rats who the first farmers had already figured out were a serious problem. It was a win-win situation for early farmers and for wild cats.

So you stop your dogs from chasing the cats off when you see them slinking towards the granaries. Once in a while a cat who’s slightly braver than the average wild creature around humans will slink close out of curiosity, and you throw it a few scraps of meat. It starts hanging around in a semi-regular basis, and later brings its kittens to teach them how to hunt in the granaries.

And thousands of years later, we have beautiful portraits of people with their beloved pet cats.

im not even joking rn this fucking painting made me start uncontrollably sobbing. Do you know how long it took to paint? How expensive it was? The cat was content for hours and so loved that the girl held him there and paid for him to be painted with her. Imagine having such a bond… imagine being so loved and loving so much back…

[monakisss]

falin holding cat!izutsumi like jesus holding a lamb

[saritawolff]

Phew. This one took, uh… a bit longer than expected due to other projects both irl and art-wise, but it’s finally here. The long-awaited domestic animal infographic! Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough space to cover every single domestic animal (I’m so sorry, reindeer and koi, my beloveds) but I tried to include as many of the “major ones” as possible.

I made this chart in response to a lot of the misunderstandings I hear concerning domestic animals, so I hope it’s helpful!

Further information I didn’t have any room to add or expand on:

🐈 “Breed” and “species” are not synonyms! Breeds are specific to domesticated animals. A Bengal Tiger is a species of tiger. A Siamese is a breed of domestic cat.

🐀 Different colors are also not what makes a breed. A breed is determined by having genetics that are unique to that breed. So a “bluenose pitbull” is not a different breed from a “rednose pitbull”, but an American Pitbull Terrier is a different breed from an American Bully! Animals that have been domesticated for longer tend to have more seperate breeds as these differing genetics have had time to develop.

🐕 It takes hundreds of generations for an animal to become domesticated. While the “domesticated fox experiment” had interesting results, there were not enough generations involved for the foxes to become truly domesticated and their differences from wild foxes were more due to epigenetics (heritable traits that do not change the DNA sequence but rather activate or deactivate parts of it; owed to the specific circumstances of its parents’ behavior and environment.)

🐎 Wild animals that are raised in human care are not domesticated, but they can be considered “tamed.” This means that they still have all their wild instincts, but are less inclined to attack or be frightened of humans. A wild animal that lives in the wild but near human settlements and is less afraid of humans is considered “habituated.” Tamed and habituated animals are not any less dangerous than wild animals, and should still be treated with the same respect. Foxes, otters, raccoons, servals, caracals, bush babies, opossums, owls, monkeys, alligators, and other wild animals can be tamed or habituated, but they have not undergone hundreds of generations of domestication, so they are not domesticated animals.

🐄 Also, as seen above, these animals have all been domesticated for a reason, be it food, transport, pest control, or otherwise, at a time when less practical options existed. There is no benefit to domesticating other species in the modern day, so if you’ve got a hankering for keeping a wild animal as a pet, instead try to find the domestic equivalent of that wild animal! There are several dog breeds that look and behave like wolves or foxes, pigeons and chickens can make great pet birds and have hundreds of colorful fancy breeds, rats can be just as intelligent and social as a small monkey (and less expensive and dangerous to boot,) and ferrets are pretty darn close to minks and otters! There’s no need to keep a wolf in a house when our ancestors have already spent 20,000+ years to make them house-compatible.

🐖 This was stated in the infographic, but I feel like I must again reiterate that domestic animals do not belong in the wild, and often become invasive when feral. Their genetics have been specifically altered in such a way that they depend on humans for optimal health. We are their habitat. This is why you only really see feral pigeons in cities, and feral cats around settlements. They are specifically adapted to live with humans, so they stay even when unwanted. However, this does not mean they should live in a way that doesn’t put their health and comfort as a top priority! If we are their world, it is our duty to make it as good as possible. Please research any pet you get before bringing them home!

[donutdrawsthings]

Can we talk about this? I feel like not enough people talk about this happening in the movie

[not-really-all-that-human]

Sometimes being a therian is "I'm a lil kitty haha :3" and sometimes it's "My bones are wrong. My muscles wrap around them the wrong way. My eyes can't see in the dark the way they should. My hind legs are too long. My fur is gone. My fangs have been stolen from me. My joints ache when I place them the way they should be. I curse whatever deity or being has placed me in this form." And then it's like "haha I'm a deer UwU."

[brainrotcharacters]

TW: Wolverine Badonkas

I laughed rewatching because like

[dmitriene]

simon riley that eventually gets his cat hybrid darling pregnant, it makes you all sleepy and lazy, carrying his offspring inside of you, and you both don't even know if they're going to be hybrids or just regular humans, but they give you a rather hard time, even without yet being born.

you're sleeping almost whole day, supple and round form curled in your shared bed with your fluffy tail encircling you, nuzzling against simon's pillow to breath in his scent, feeling content knowing that you reek of him, and he is as well.

when you awake, you either just padding around in sleepy haze, or nuzzling against simon all clingy and giddy, your hands encircling your round baby bump softly, little smile gracing your lips, as you purr in delight, so happy with the knowledge that you finally got pregnant by simon.

and he's caring about you, much more sweeter, putting all the teasing he had for you before aside, constantly lingering against your side, stroking behind your fluffy ears and at your growing bump, soft kisses and sugary words of adoration sent your way.

simon is nice even when you go all whiny and horny, rubbing your exposed, slick pussy all over his cock needily, needing him to just take you, and he gives you the most careful, tender sex, meaty cock stretching your pussy carefully, ramming into you shallowly, but enough for you to go brainless.

babble about how you want to be full forever, making it hard for him to hold back so he wouldn't rearrange your cunt completely, instead he hushes you with soft kisses against your drool coated lips, promising that he would give you more later, because you're already full with little ones.

main masterlist. quidelines.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

A study that just came out demonstrates that outdoor cats are known to prey on over two thousands species of wild animal, from mammals to birds to insects. That includes 347 species that are endangered, threatened or otherwise of concern, and they've been a key factor of the permanent extinction of over 60 species. And while cats may not always bring home what they catch, chances are if your cat is allowed to roam unsupervised outside, they're killing your local wildlife.

Why is this so important? Worldwide, wild animal populations have decreased in number by 69% in the past fifty years; that means that in my lifetime (born in 1978), the sheer number of wild animals in the world has been decreased by over half. Even "common" wild species are less numerous than before. While habitat population is the single biggest cause of species endangerment and extinction overall, outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats are a significant cause as well. In fact, they are the single biggest cause of human-caused mortality in wild birds.

Most importantly, it's very, very simple to fix this problem: keep your cats indoors, and spay and neuter them. If your cat is bored, they need more enrichment, and there are plenty of ways to make your home more exciting for them, from bringing home cardboard boxes for them to explore, to playing with them more often. If you want your cat to get some outdoor enrichment, leash train them (yes, it can be done!) If you have the space and resources, build them a catio where they can be safe from outdoor dangers like predators and cars, while also keeping local wildlife safe from them.

If you just give into their whining and pawing at the door, then they know that that's what they have to do to get their way; I know it's a tough transition, but it's worth it in the end for everyone involved. Cats are domesticated, which means they are not native anywhere in the world; there are exactly zero ecosystems in which they belong, save for the safety of your home. It is your responsibility to give them an enriching environment without taking the shortcut of letting them go wreak havoc outside.

[lazylittledragon]

nomad boyfriend comes back for a visit

obviously there are some extras for the patr0ns <3

[actuallyvalerie]

He just wanted back scratches, not exactly these ones but still 👀

Still sudying back and I fell in love with this watercolor art style. AU fighter Sukuna next~

[lindamarieansonsnaps]

[naamahdarling]

ID: Two beautiful young cats mill about on the floor, orbiting an empty bowl.

"Are you hungry?" asks a human.

Two piteous lamentations rend the air. Jasper, white with dark points, has huge round eyes that look like they have beheld the end of time, where no food exists.

"Jasper?!"

He emits a long howl, his mouth wide, showing little white teeth.

"Whoa! So you're hungry."

He cries again. The other, Junie, a little white cat with gray points, puts her perfect face in front of the camera and emits a sad, soft, weird little sound, like a very very small sheep that is some distance away, or perhaps some sort of strange radio transmisson. She looks worried.

Jasper cries some more.

"Really? Jaspercat?"

Junie meows but it is lost when Jasper rears and shoves his face in the camera and YOWLS, the screen for just a moment totally consumed by his little yelling mouth.

The human gives him a piece of kibble as a treat.

"Good boy." /End

[overdoso]

gatos 😹

[critter-creature-or-beast]

Submitted for classification by @evil-gang

[ew-selfish-art]

Dpxdc AU: Damian decides that it’s time to go collect his brother from his assignment. Danny is starting to sniff out some non-ghostly bullshit for once.

Damian knew his twin had been exiled from the age of seven, banished to travel and observe how scientists around the world engaged with Lazarus water. The only word that Damian received that his spare was still alive were the letters of lab reports and findings that were sent back to base. As the Heir, he’s pushed to be better lest he himself be exiled or simply executed. Danny becomes a fleeting thought and then once Damian arrived in Gotham, a none existent thought.

They weren’t raised to be friends or even friendly. The were not taught codependency or allotted time to bond. The could have been perfect strangers if not for their appearance and the stories of Danny’s shortcomings becoming Damian’s praise.

It’s only once Tim informs him of an intercepted letter, one sent and saved from years prior, that Damian recalls Danny enough to care. Tim prompts him to share more, especially given the coup recently committed by Deathstroke (Slade) and Talia gone into hiding with her zealots.

At family dinner that night Damian supplies: “I suppose I should be the one to bereave my twin of his assignment. His reports will certainly go unread.”

Chaos in the Batfam ensues- meanwhile across the country- Danny sneezes and finishes writing his yearly report: “No major discoveries aside from public record patents (attached), No assistance required. -Spare”. He doesn’t know why he bothers, he hasn’t received any contact from his mother or grandfather since he was 10ish and certainly hasnt thought about his twin. But, if there’s a chance (even an itty bitty one) that his reports are being read and are holding off his reassignment, he’d rather keep assassins out of Amity Park.

Little does he know that this letter is about to be intercepted by Pru, former assassin and friend of Tim Drake. He hadn’t expected his twin to suddenly arrive and tell him that his job was done. And certainly, seeing a plane filled with an uncomfortable looking ‘family’ that requested he join them and get to know Gotham and his birth father, was not on his bingo list.

Danny does his best to let them down gently- and they seem to be accepting that he’s acclimated to this weird little town and will leave him be- when Danny suddenly has to transform into Phantom in front of them to handle a rocket sent by Skulker.

They are less willing to accept his appeal to be left alone after that… Damian is trying to “bond” with him and all the others are trying to “help” in their own way.

Sam and Tucker howl with laughter at Danny’s suddenly very large family- all while secretly working with the Wayne’s to get Danny the fuck away from the Fentons before the scientists do something they can’t undo.

[brainrotcharacters]

Mothers and fuckers of the ketchup and mustard household (I'm going even more insane than usual)