The main Felidae characteristic is that wild cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need meat to survive. Many of the wild cat physical characteristics are adaptations to enable them to detect and hunt prey.
Carnivore Characteristics
Wild cats (Felidae) are members of the carnivore group (Carnivora) which all share the following characteristics:
- teeth and claws to catch and eat prey
- meat eaters (carnivores)
- carnassial (cutting) teeth to shear meat
- large and sharp canine teeth
Differences between Dog-like and Cat-like Carnivores
| Dog-like Families (Caniformia) | Cat-like Families (Feliformia) |
| Claws non-retractable | Claws retractable |
| Coats plain | Coats patterned |
| Diet omnivorous | Diet carnivorous |
| More teeth in elongated skull | Less teeth in shorter skull |
| Locomotion plantigrade (flat footed) | Locomotion digitigrade (on toes) |
Although these characteristics are widely applicable there are always exceptions. For example locomotion in the dog family Canidae is digitigrade and not plantigrade as in other dog-like families.
Felidae Family Characteristics
The main defining characteristics of the Felidae family are:
- obligate carnivores – need meat to survive (‘hypercarnivores’)
- mostly solitary, secretive and nocturnal
- many occupy forested habitats
- huge variation in size 2 kgs to 300 kgs
Many of the wild cat physical characteristics are adaptations to enable them to detect and hunt live prey in their preferred habitat:
- acute senses - hearing, smell, vision and touch
- powerful and flexible bodies
- sharp claws and teeth
- well padded toes
