Felidae is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, colloquially referred to as cats, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a felid. The term "cat" refers both to felids in general and specifically to the domestic cat (Felis catus).

From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 4.0.

Source Data

Source	ID	Link
Global Biodiversity Information Facility ID (GBIF)	9703	https://www.gbif.org/species/9703
PaleoBioDB ID (PBDB)	41045	https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=41045

Rank

family

Taxonomy (GBIF,PBDB)

Life : Animalia : Chordata : Mammalia : Carnivora : Felidae

Taxonomic Status (GBIF)

accepted

Classification
(PBDB,GBIF)

Rank	Name	Author
-	Eukaryota
-	Opisthokonta	Cavalier-Smith 1987
kingdom	Animalia
-	Triploblastica	Lankester 1877
-	Nephrozoa	Jondelius et al. 2002
-	Deuterostomia	Grobben 1908
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1847
subphylum	Vertebrata	Lamarck 1801
superclass	Gnathostomata	Gegenbauer 1874
-	Osteichthyes
-	Sarcopterygii	Romer 1955
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha
-	Tetrapoda
-	Reptiliomorpha	Säve-Söderbergh 1934
-	Anthracosauria	Säve-Söderbergh 1934
-	Batrachosauria
-	Cotylosauria
-	Amniota	Haeckel 1866
-	Synapsida	Osborn 1903
-	Therapsida
infraorder	Cynodontia
-	Epicynodontia	Hopson and Kitching 2001
infraorder	Eucynodontia	Kemp 1982
-	Probainognathia	Hopson 1990
-	Mammaliamorpha	Rowe 1988
-	Mammaliaformes	Rowe 1988
class	Mammalia	Linnaeus 1758
subclass	Tribosphenida
infraclass	Eutheria
-	Placentalia	Owen 1837
-	Laurasiatheria	Waddell et al. 1999
-	Scrotifera	Waddell et al. 1999
-	Ferae	Linnaeus 1758
-	Carnivoramorpha	Wyss and Flynn 1993
-	Carnivoraformes	Flynn et al.
order	Carnivora	Bowditch 1821
suborder	Feliformia	Kretzoi 1945
superfamily	Aeluroidea	Flower 1869
family	Felidae	Gray 1821

Common Name

cat

Scientific Name

Felidae

Name Published In

Mém. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscow vol.5 p.372

Opinions (PBDB)

Name	Rank	Opinion	Evidence	Author
Felidae	family	belongs to Digitigradae	stated without evidence	Gray, 1821
Felidae	family	belongs to Ferae	stated without evidence	Gray, 1825
Felidae	family	belongs to Ferae	stated without evidence	Bonaparte, 1850
Felidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	stated with evidence	Leidy, 1873
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	stated with evidence	Mivart, 1882
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	stated without evidence	Flower, 1883
Felidae	family	belongs to Fissipedia	stated without evidence	Cope, 1889
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	stated without evidence	Hay, 1902
Felidae	family	belongs to Fissipedia	stated without evidence	Lambe, 1908
Felidae	family	belongs to Feloidea	stated without evidence	Savage, 1965
Felidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	stated without evidence	Kurten, 1968
Felidae	family	belongs to Fissipedia	stated without evidence	Kurten and Anderson, 1980
Felidae	family	belongs to Feloidea	stated with evidence	Flynn and Galiano, 1982
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	implied	Carroll, 1988
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	stated with evidence	Hunt, 1989
Felidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	implied	Nowak, 1991
Felidae	family	belongs to Feliformia	stated without evidence	Morlo, 1996
Felidae	family	belongs to Aeluroidea	stated with evidence	Hunt, 1998
Felidae	family	belongs to Carnivora	stated without evidence	Sach and Heizmann, 2001
Felidae	family	belongs to Feliformia	stated without evidence	Antón et al., 2013

Status (PBDB)

extant

Taxon Size (PBDB)

232

Extant Size (PBDB)

85 (37%)

First Recorded Appearance

33.3 - 30.8 Ma
Oligocene

Environment

terrestrial (based on Eutheria)

Motility

actively mobile (based on Osteichthyes)

Diet

carnivore

Ecospace Comments

life habit and diet based on Nowak 1999; see also Van Valkenburgh 1988

Taphonomy

phosphatic (based on Vertebrata)

Primary Reference (PBDB)

J. E. Gray. 1821. On the natural arrangement of vertebrose animals. The London Medical Repository Monthly Journal and Review 15:296-310

Common Name(s)

Cats, Kattdjur, Cat

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae

External Images

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Fossil Distribution

Subtaxa

Name	Status	Common Name(s)	Fossil Occurrences	Oldest	Youngest
👁 Image Felinae subfamily	listed (PBDB)	905	23.0 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Machairodontinae ✝ subfamily	listed (PBDB)	528	28.4 Ma Oligocene	0.01 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Pantherinae ✝ subfamily	listed (PBDB)	3	7.25 Ma Miocene	7.25 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Acinonyx genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Cheetah	31	5.33 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Adelphailurus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	5	10.3 Ma Miocene	10.3 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Aeluropsis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Amphimachairodus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	24	23.0 Ma Miocene	5.33 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Archaelurus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Caracal genus	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
👁 Image Catolynx genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Catopuma genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Cynaelurus genus	listed (PBDB)	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Diamantofelis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	2	23.0 Ma Miocene	23.0 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Dinofelis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	49	23.0 Ma Miocene	1.81 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Drepanodon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	3	11.6 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Epimachairodus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	3	8.70 Ma Miocene	8.70 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Felis genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Cat	179	16.9 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Homotherium ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	146	23.0 Ma Miocene	0.13 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Katifelis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	1	20.4 Ma Miocene	20.4 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Leopardus genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	19	3.00 Ma Pliocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Leptailurus genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	2	5.33 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Lokotunjailurus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	3	11.6 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Lynx genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Lynx	181	10.3 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Machairodus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	102	23.0 Ma Miocene	0.78 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Megantereon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	68	11.6 Ma Miocene	0.78 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Mellivorodon ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Miracinonyx ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)	American Cheetah	32	4.90 Ma Pliocene	0.13 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Namafelis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Neofelis genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Clouded Leopard	1	0.13 Ma Pleistocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Nimravides ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	20	23.0 Ma Miocene	10.3 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Panthera genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	340	23.0 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Pardofelis genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Plethaelurus genus	listed (PBDB)	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Pontosmilus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Pratifelis ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	1	10.3 Ma Miocene	10.3 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Prionailurus genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	2	0.78 Ma Pleistocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Proailurus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	4	33.9 Ma Oligocene	22.4 Ma Miocene
Profelis genus	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
👁 Image Propontosmilus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Pseudaelurus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	97	23.0 Ma Miocene	0.78 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Puma genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Cougar	67	5.33 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
👁 Image Rhizosmilodon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	1	5.33 Ma Miocene	5.33 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Sivaelurus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Sivafelis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Sivapanthera ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Sivasmilus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
👁 Image Smilodon ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Saber-toothed Cat	113	4.90 Ma Pliocene	0.01 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Uncia genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	27	2.59 Ma Pleistocene	0.01 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Vinayakia ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	1	11.6 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Viretailurus ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	2	2.59 Ma Pleistocene	0.78 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Vishnufelis ✝ genus	doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	1	13.7 Ma Miocene	13.7 Ma Miocene
👁 Image Xenosmilus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	2	4.90 Ma Pliocene	1.80 Ma Pleistocene
👁 Image Yoshi ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)	1	8.70 Ma Miocene	8.70 Ma Miocene

Synonymy List

Year	Name and Author
1821	Felidae Gray p. 302
1825	Felidae Gray p. 339
1850	Felidae Bonaparte p. 1
1873	Felidae Leidy p. 315
1875	Felidae Cope p. 5–7
1882	Felidae Mivart p. 140
1883	Felidae Flower p. 186
1889	Felidae Cope p. 876
1891	Felidae Flower and Lydekker p. 91
1902	Felidae Hay p. 777
1908	Felidae Lambe

Year	Name and Author
1965	Felidae Savage p. 302
1968	Felidae Kurten p. 72
1980	Felidae Kurten and Anderson p. 185
1982	Felidae Flynn and Galiano p. 47
1988	Felidae Carroll
1989	Felidae Hunt, Jr. p. 28
1991	Felidae Nowak
1996	Felidae Morlo p. 205
1998	Felidae Hunt, Jr. p. 62
2001	Felidae Sach and Heizmann p. 28
2013	Felidae Antón et al. p. 1206

References

Gray J. E. On the natural arrangement of vertebrose animals, The London Medical Repository Monthly Journal and Review 15, 296-310

Gray J. E. An outline of an attempt at the disposition of Mammalia into Tribes and Families, with a list of genera apparently appertaining to each Tribe, Annals of Philosophy, new series 10, 337-344

Bonaparte C.-L. , Conspectus Systematis Mastozoologiae. Editio Altera Reformata [Survey of the system of mammals. Second revised edition]. E. J. Brill, Leyden, 1

Leidy J. Part I. Contributions to the extinct vertebrate fauna of the western territories, Report of the United States Geological Survey of the Territories 1, 1-358

Cope E. D. , Systematic Catalogue of Vertebrata of the Eocene of New Mexico, Collected in 1874. Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian, Engineer Department, U. S. Army, 5-37

Mivart St. G. On the Classification and Distribution of the Aeluroidea, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1882, 135-208

Flower W. H. On the arrangement of the Orders and Families of existing Mammalia, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1883, 178-186

Cope E. D. Synopsis of the families of Vertebrata, The American Naturalist 23, 1-29

Hay O. P. (1902) , Bibliography and Catalogue of the Fossil Vertebrata of North America. Bulletin of the United States Geological Survey 179, 1-868

Lambe L. M. (1908) The Vertebrata of the Oligocene of the Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, Contributions to Canadian Palaeontology 3 4, 1-65 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.61444

Savage R. J. G. (1965) Fossil Mammals of Africa: 19 The Miocene Carnivora of East Africa, Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Geology 10 8, 241-316

Kurten B. (1968) Pleistocene Mammals of Europe, 1-317

Kurten B., Anderson E. (1980) , Pleistocene mammals of North America, 1-442

Flynn J. J., Galiano H. (1982) Phylogeny of early Tertiary Carnivora, with a description of a new species of Protictis from the middle Eocene of northwestern Wyoming, American Museum Novitates 2725, 1-64

Carroll R. L. (1988) , Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution, 1-698

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (1989) Evolution of the aeluroid Carnivora: significance of the ventral promontorial process of the petrosal, and the origin of basicranial patterns in the living families, American Museum Novitates 2930, 1-32

Nowak R. M. (1991) Walker's Mammals of the World, Maryland, Johns Hopkins University Press (edited volume) II

Morlo M. (1996) Carnivoren aus dem Unter-Miozän des Mainzer Beckens, Senckenbergiana Lethaea 76 1/2, 193-249

Hunt, Jr. R. M. (1998) Evolution of the aeluroid Carnivora: diversity of the earliest aeluroids from Eurasia (Quercy, Hsanda-Gol) and the origin of felids, American Museum Novitates 3252, 1-65

Sach V. J., Heizmann E. P. J. (2001) Stratigraphy and mammal faunas of the Brackwassermolasse in the surroundings of Ulm (Southwest Germany), Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Serie B (Geologie und Paläontologie) 310, 1-95

Antón M., Salesa M. J., et al (2013) Machairodont adaptations and affinities of the Holarctic Late Miocene homotherin Machairodus (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae): the case of Machairodus catocopis Cope, 1887, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33 5, 1202-1213

Benton, M.J. (ed). (1993). The Fossil Record 2. Chapman & Hall, London, 845 pp. - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera

Parker, S.P. (ed). (1982). Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms. McGraw-Hill, New York. 2 volumes. - via The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera

Gärdenfors, Ulf, Hall, Ragnar, Hallingbäck, Tomas, Hansson, Hans G. & Hedström, Lars (2003) Djur, svampar och växter i Sverige 2003. Förteckning över antal arter per familj. ArtDatabanken Rapporterar 5, ArtDatabanken, Uppsala. (reviderad excelfil med svenska djurfamiljer). - via Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas

Wilson, D.M (2015) Mammal Species of the World. Online database: http://www.vertebrates.si.edu/msw/mswcfapp/msw/index.cfm - via Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas

Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds., 2005: null. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd ed., vols. 1 & 2. 2142. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds., 1992: null. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing. xviii + 1207. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, and A. L. Gardner, 1987: Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada. Resource Publication, no. 166. 79. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!

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⇱ Felidae

👁 Image
Felidae

External Images

Fossil Distribution

Subtaxa

Synonymy List

References

URL: https://www.mindat.org/taxon-9703.html

⇱ Felidae

👁 ImageFelidae

External Images

Fossil Distribution

Subtaxa

Synonymy List

References

👁 Image
Felidae