[verum ago]

Because these species of animals were bred specifically to bring out their current appearances and dispositions. You'd think someone writing an article on the subject might know that much. And there are many different breeds of domestic cats. They are much smaller than wild cats. Can the author guess why nobody wanted to live indoors with a cougar?



A cougar is a “big cat.” There are also “small” wild cats. The above is an African Wildcat, not a domestic cat. So I would say the author is right- if that cat walked past your window, would you think it was a wild species from another continent, or just a stray domestic..?

[monkeyshine]

if that cat walked past your window, would you think it was a wild species from another continent, or just a stray domestic..?

Well, now I will say "that cat sure has strayed a long way!"

[monkeyshine]

Humor aside, I'd say the same thing I wrote about dogs, and breeding in general. Others made the same points. Very few would want to hang out with a large cat. A small wild cat has a better chance of being allowed to domesticate as it poses little real threat to humans and does contribute to domestic development - killing off rodents etc - and also it can hide better. If that cat saw you it would run, but if you saw a leopard you would run (but perhaps not very far). I assume various civilizations would hunt down and chase away the large carts, and not fear the small ones.

[Rurudyne]

Actually, cougars are the largest of the small cats. They purr and will meow, which actual big cats do not do.