Evolution of Cats - Feline Timeline


Cats evolved approximately ten million years ago alongside humans who have evolved six million years ago. Approximately 10.8 million years ago, the panther-like ancestors of cats appeared first in Southeast Asia and became fossils. 

Without DNA studies, it was impossible to track and study the evolution of cats because all of the ancestors of cats became fossils.

DNA studies and the technologies of genetics has helped a lot in the discoveries of the evolutionary journey of cats.

Researchers have used a "molecular clock analysis" that exactly shows how long ago the species have diverged from one another. The ancestors of the modern domestic cat were the last to appear approximately 3.4 million years ago.

Evolution is the process of gradual development. The researchers have observed that as the sea levels rose and fell it affected the migration of cats. When the sea levels were low the cats tend to migrate more to different continents and when the sea levels were high it caused the isolation of cats. That's how the new species of cats developed because of the rising and falling of the sea levels.

With each migration, the cats have evolved and changed in different sizes, colors, and other features 

The cats are thought to be evolved from Miacid.

Miacid

It lived 60 million years ago. It was a carnivore. All the carnivores are thought to be evolved from Miacid. It was a short-legged and long-bodied animal.

Dinictis

It was the first descended of Miacid and it resembles the most with the modern cat. It had cat-like incisor teeth.

Proailurus 

It lived 30 million years ago. It can claim the title of the first true cat. It is the first known member of the Felidae family that includes all the cats (big, small, living, extinct).

Pseudaelurus

It lived approximately 20 million years ago. It was a short-legged animal and it had a slender like body.

Approximately 6 to 10 million years ago Pseudaelurus evolved and branched into 4 subfamilies which are explained below

1. Machairodontinae family: it consists of a saber-toothed cat 

An example is smilodon extinct

2. Pantherinea family: it consists of modern-day cats (lion, tiger, leopard)

3. Felinae family: it consists of small domestic cats

4. Aciniychinae family: it consists modern-day cheetah 

Species

The living cats (feline family) are divided into 37 different species around the world that are listed below with their examples

Lion 

Example: Panthera leo

Leopard 

Example: Panthera pardus

Jaguar

Example: Panthera onca

Tiger

Example: Panthera tigris

Snow leopard 

Example: Panthera uncia

Clouded leopard

Example: Neofelis nebulosa

Bornean clouded leopard

Example: Neofelis diardi

Asian golden cat

Example: Pardofelis temmincki

Bornean bay cat 

Example: Pardofelis badia

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