• The domestic cat is different from the wild one that accompanied humans at the dawn of civilisation.
• Civilisation has modified the skull size of felines and some of their internal organs.
• The cat remains a predator even though it now lives among armchairs and sofas, and it is important to remember this.

The cat that lounges on our sofa, curls up in our arms and purrs when it sees us does not appear, from a morphological point of view, any different from its wild ancestor that began to accompany human history centuries and centuries ago. And yet, civilisation and human companionship have influenced the feline that now sleeps in our lap, changing its habits but also differentiating the functions and aptitudes of its brain. Let's see how.

The cat and civilisation

It appears that the domestication of cats, over thousands of years, has modified the size of their skulls while their brains have gradually become smaller. This is what emerges from a study conducted by the University of Vienna and National Museums Scotland, in which the skulls of contemporary domestic cats were compared with other species of wild cat, in particular with that of the bobcat (Felis silvestris) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), considered the first feline subspecies to be domesticated by the Egyptians. Over the past 10,000 years, cats and humans have developed a very close relationship in which, through artificial selection, the former have gradually relinquished the characteristics of their wild ancestors in exchange for a steady supply of food and domestic attention.

The cat, then, has become a source of affection and a trusted companion – albeit different from the dog in this respect – and has moved away from its primitive natural characteristics. According to the authors, the research findings are consistent with several previous studies that have shown that the brain size of today's dogs, sheep and rabbits has also decreased compared to their undomesticated ancestors. The causes are thought to lie in a reduction in neural crest cells, which are responsible for processing and responding to threats.

The habit of cats, like that of dogs, of living in environments sheltered by humans would have reduced the need to be ready to face dangers and aggression in daily life. Fewer fears and more tranquillity, then, and the cat has forgotten part of its wild nature, gradually transforming into a "cuddly" and affectionate companion within the home.

A carnivore par excellence

Even if our cat is now a life companion and seems to have forgotten certain wild habits, we must not forget that its diet rests on essentially predatory principles that make it a carnivore par excellence. "The modern cat is very similar to its ancestor, both in morphology and behaviour, and has remained a nocturnal, solitary hunter of small prey (birds, reptiles and rodents). Its digestive system has undergone no modifications, since its diet has remained unchanged over the millennia, allowing it to remain a true carnivore," explains Dr Chiara Dissegna, veterinary surgeon and member of the Nutravet group, which specialises in animal nutrition.

There are also some extremely important considerations to make regarding the dietary aspect of felines. In the cat, which has an incredible sense of smell even more developed than its sense of taste, the choice of food is made primarily with the nose. The flavours it perceives are in fact limited: it appreciates the so-called umami, for example, which corresponds to the taste of monosodium glutamate (supplied by animal tissues), saltiness and a hint of sourness. It does not, however, perceive sweetness and has a marked aversion to bitterness.

"But there's more! Beyond smell, the cat also uses touch in choosing its food: the shape, texture and temperature of the dish are fundamental (which is why the pet food industry has launched cat foods in every shape, colour and texture). Its stomach is perfectly suited to the activity of a hunter. It is capable of accommodating small prey that are ingested just minutes after the hunt, still warm, and it can eat between ten and seventeen meals a day. Digestion in the stomach is predominantly enzymatic. Enzymes such as pepsin and lipase, together with a highly acidic gastric juice, transform the ingested bolus into chyme, a soupy, acidic liquid that continues into the small intestine. The highly acidic pH is also extremely useful in reducing the bacterial load of the food," adds Dr Dissegna.

Despite civilisation, then, cats remain nocturnal, solitary hunters that frequently consume small, freshly killed prey. We cannot very well satisfy the domestic feline's propensity to hunt live mice, but we can help it compensate for the loss of its natural wild instincts by offering it small meals throughout the day, helping it with a series of bowls hidden around the house to distribute its food, and satisfying its propensity for play and hunting.

Another extremely important factor to consider when we want to bring the domestic cat's diet closer to that of its wild progenitor is the variety of the diet. Several studies have in fact shown that wild felines are capable of choosing different prey in order to achieve a balanced diet suited to their needs. When we pamper our little cat and try to fulfil its every desire, let us never forget its wild nature and help it to preserve a little of it. Our small companion will certainly benefit in terms of health and wellbeing.