Sweet cat in house

They are one of the most popular pets in the world. They are kept by humans for hunting rodents and as companions.

There are also farm cats, which are kept on farms to keep rodents away; and feral cats, which are domestic cats that live away from humans.

A cat is sometimes called a kitty. A young cat is called a kitten. A female cat that has not had its sex organs removed is called a queen. A male cat that has not had its sex organs removed is called a tom.

There are about 60 breeds of cat. Domestic cats are found in shorthair, longhair, and hairless breeds. Cats which are not specific breeds can be referred to as 'domestic shorthair' (DSH) or 'domestic longhair' (DLH).

The word 'cat' is also used for other felines. Felines are usually called either big cats or small cats. The big, wild cats are well known: lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, pumas, and cheetahs. There are small, wild cats in most parts of the world, such as the lynx in northern Europe. The big cats and wild cats are not tame, and can be very dangerous.