Читать книгу The Cat Handbook - Karen Leigh Davis - Страница 9

Charming and intelligent, cats have been humankind’s companions for centuries, long before feline enthusiasts began to selectively breed and develop purebred bloodlines. All domestic cats, from the fanciest purebred seen in show halls to the random-bred alley cat, have common origins, descending from just a few wild progenitors. Most experts agree that the modern cat, Felis catus, likely descends from a shorthaired wildcat, called Felis lybica, that roamed the plains of ancient Africa and western Asia. Many of today’s tabbies still retain the distinctive striped markings, and the lithe, muscular body of this wild ancestor.