All domestic cats are descendants of the wild cat (Felis silvestris libyca) which originated in Africa and southwestern Asia. The earliest known record of cat domestication was in 1500 BC in ancient Egypt, where cats were kept to protect granaries from rodents. Domestic cats appeared in British records in 936 AD, when a law protecting them was passed in Wales.

Although cats are generally solitary animals, domestic cats seem to form hierarchies or take part in some kind of social organization.

Cats have compact, powerful bodies with rounded heads and triangular ears. They average 8 to 10 inches at the shoulders and weigh 8 to 26 pounds. All but two of the 30 existing breeds have long tails that are used for balance. Well-developed senses of smell and hearing and specialized teeth (canines for stabbing and holding, molars for cutting) make domestic cats successful predators. All cats are primarily carnivores. Cats kept as pets are often fed commercial food, but they may supplement their diets with rodents, birds, and other small animals.

Contrary to popular belief, cats' eyesight probably does not exceed that of humans. The range of colors cats see is smaller than that of humans, and their eyes are adapted for the dim light of just after dusk or before dawn.

Female cats may have as many as four litters of one to six kittens each year. The gestation period is 63 days. Born blind and deaf, kittens become fully self-sufficient after about eight weeks. The average age of sexual maturity is 7 to 12 months for females and 10 months for males. The average life span is 12 to 15 years.