34 THE CAT 



THE EGYPTIAN CAT (F. calif/afa). 



The Egyptian Cat is a native of northern 

 Africa, and was the parent of the cat tamed 

 by the Egyptians, and undoubtedly also one 

 of the originators of our own house-cats. The 

 Egyptian Cat is considerably smaller than the 

 European Wildcat. It is of a yellowish color, 

 darker on the back, and very light on the belly. 

 The stripes on the body are not well marked, 

 though slightly more so on the legs. The tail 

 is slightly ringed. 



THE AMERICAN WILDCAT (F. ly-ucu* rufus). 



The American Wildcat is very similar in 

 formation, color, and character to the Wild- 

 cat of Europe, but is somewhat stronger and 

 stouter. It undoubtedly has been a factor in 

 the breeding of certain domestic cats in Amer- 

 ica, but so little so that no importance need be 

 attached to it. 



It can now be accepted that the so-called 

 Domestic Cat of to-day is the descendant of 

 certain wild species existing on the several con- 



