Fascinating Feline Physiology

Like their wild ancestor, domestic cats are physically adapted for hunting small prey. Although their vision is not especially keen, they see well in dim light and readily perceive motion. Their padded feet and flexible muscles allow them to silently stalk prey or give chase by running about 48 kilometers (30 miles) per hour.

Researchers studying the cat still have much to learn about the animal and its relatives. A wide range of felines, for example, exhibit unusually playful or sexual behavior when they smell the catnip plant. No other animal responds to the plant in this way. Although research has shown that the catnip response occurs in about 50 per cent of all cats and appears to be an inherited trait, exactly how the odor affects the cat brain is still unknown.