#MyCatDoesThat

Your ordinary house cat might be closer to its wild ancestors than you realize. Despite thousands of years of domestication, domestic cats still exhibit many behaviors akin to their wild counterparts. Panthera’s #MyCatDoesThat aims to capture these moments, showcasing the uncanny similarities between our beloved house cats and their wild relatives. 

Fun Feline Facts: Did you know?

  • House cats and tigers share almost 95 percent of the same DNA.
  • African wildcats and domestic cats diverged as recently as 4,000 years ago.
  • Cheetahs and pumas purr like domestic cats.
  • The first house cats were domesticated 9,000 to 10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia to help humans control rodent populations.
  • Wild cats and your house cat share similar behaviors: they like to hunt and are mainly solitary creatures.

Cat Hall of Fame

August 2024: @jackiecdowney
"Two cats being affectionate to one another"
© sebastian kennerknecht and @jackiecdowney
September 2024: @VerySouthWest
Kittens peeking
© Nick Garbutt & @VerysouthWest

 

Wild Cat Behaviors

Playful Cats

Does this tiger remind you of your cat playing?

Playful cats
©KARIN SAUCEDO AND ANGELA AMBROSINI
Sleeping Felines

Does this sleepy leopard remind you of your snoozing cat?

Cats sleeping
©NICK GARBUTT AND ELLE CLARKE
In a Grumpy Mood 

Does this grumpy lion remind you of your cat after visiting the vet?

Snarling cats
©SEBASTIAN KENNERKNECHT AND COLE AND MARMALADE

Brotherly Love

Do these cats showing affection by grooming each other remind you of your loving pets?

Lions and cats
©NICK GARBUTT AND JOE BOCCAGNO
Sleepy Sprinter

Does this yawning cheetah remind you of your cat during a moment of respite?

Cheetah and cat yawning
©Sergio Pitamitz/National Geographic Image Collection and rana bayrakcismith
Paws for a Pose

Does this puma remind you of a time your cat was caught it in the act?

Shocked cats
©PanTHERA//UB/ERI/BAS and JOANNE MCGONAGLE | THE TINIEST TIGER 
Keeping Clean

Whether you're out in the wild or at home, you need to groom yourself.

Cats grooming themselves
© Sebastian Kennerknecht & Adobe Stock
Glowing Eyes

Those glowing eyes may be spooky, but there's science behind it!

Cats with glowing eyes
© Panthera & Kelly Carton
Parental Advisory

All felids take care of their kittens.

Cat with kittens
© Steve Winter/PHINDA & Alex varga
Eat, Prey, Love

Whether it's food or a gift, cats will carry things in their mouths — just like this jungle cat!

Cats carrying things in mouth
© Hardik Pala & Adobe Stock
Peek-a-Boo Prowess

Does this black-footed cat remind you of your cat gazing from afar?

"black-footed Cat and Liz"
©SEBASTIAN KENNERKNECHT AND RONALD SMITH

 

Get Your #MyCatDoesThat T-Shirt!

Want to show off how your cat is just like a puma, tiger or ocelot? Purchase one to support wild cat conservation.

My Cat Does That T-Shirt

News: We're featured in Pet & Vet Magazine

Pet & Vet Magazine, a publication aiming to bring pet owners closer to the people who care for their pets, recently posted on article about our new #MyCatDoesThat campaign: New initiative to change the perception of wild cats.