6 ms·

Good article. One difference I've seen between big cats and house cats is that big cats never (as far as I know) tuck their feet under their bodies in the "brea

by andrewl 11y ago

Good article. One difference I've seen between big cats and house cats is that big cats never (as far as I know) tuck their feet under their bodies in the "bread loaf" position that house cats do. I always assumed it was because it put too much pressure on the big cat's legs. So house cats often sit like this: http://www.nedhardy.com/wp-content/uploads/images/2014/september/cat_loaves/cat_loaves_17.jpg http://www.nedhardy.com/wp-content/uploads/images/2014/septe... While big cats put their legs out in front, like this: http://cbs.umn.edu/sites/cbs.umn.edu/files/public/african_lion_king-wide_1.jpg http://cbs.umn.edu/sites/cbs.umn.edu/files/public/african_li... House cats will take the lion position, but lions do not take the house cat position.

KC8ZKF 11y ago
Do lion cubs tuck their feet? Perhaps it is a case of neoteny in house cats. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny
ams6110 11y ago
Another difference is that large cats have round pupils and small cats have vertical/slit pupils. Probably due to differnces in the type of prey they hunt -- small cats hunt rodents and other generally nocturnal creatures, so they have eyes acclimated to dim lighting. Big cats hunt antelopes and other diurnal animals so they have eyes acclimated to bright daylight.
- dtparr 11y ago
  Related: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/science/eye-shape-may-help-distinguish-predator-from-prey.html http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/science/eye-shape-may-help...
hanoz 11y ago
Big cats don't have cushions?
- jerf 11y ago
  I've seen my housecats do this on hardwood floor.
Gravityloss 11y ago
Big cats don't need to preserve heat, because of the square-cube law?
- nkrisc 11y ago
  I always assumed that because house cats have a higher average body temperature than humans (around 103F), but live in an environment that is kept for human comfort (ambient temps designed for humans) they are more often trying to keep warm.
awqrre 11y ago
if you had a lion laying down on a very large couch, they might lay down like some house cats do (softer surface)...

by andrewl 11y ago

KC8ZKF 11y ago

Do lion cubs tuck their feet? Perhaps it is a case of neoteny in house cats. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny

ams6110 11y ago

Another difference is that large cats have round pupils and small cats have vertical/slit pupils. Probably due to differnces in the type of prey they hunt -- small cats hunt rodents and other generally nocturnal creatures, so they have eyes acclimated to dim lighting. Big cats hunt antelopes and other diurnal animals so they have eyes acclimated to bright daylight.

dtparr 11y ago
Related: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/science/eye-shape-may-help-distinguish-predator-from-prey.html http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/science/eye-shape-may-help...

hanoz 11y ago

Big cats don't have cushions?

jerf 11y ago
I've seen my housecats do this on hardwood floor.

Gravityloss 11y ago

Big cats don't need to preserve heat, because of the square-cube law?

nkrisc 11y ago
I always assumed that because house cats have a higher average body temperature than humans (around 103F), but live in an environment that is kept for human comfort (ambient temps designed for humans) they are more often trying to keep warm.

awqrre 11y ago

if you had a lion laying down on a very large couch, they might lay down like some house cats do (softer surface)...