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before an earthquake rocks the area. Or, on a more mundane level, some cats have built impressive reputations as prognosticators of coming storms. In both instances it is the extraordinary sense of hearing that the cat possesses as a predator of the first order that accounts for the feats rather than some magical powers. Contributing to the mystical atmosphere that seems to be affixed to the cat for eter- nity is the animal’s refusal to become fully a servant of people, a role that our dogs have accepted eagerly. Our cats remain very much their own animals, giving in to our commands and wishes only when they suit their purposes as well.

CAT LORE Such an extraordinary beginning proba- bly is at least part of the root of the many mysteries and near mysticism that still surround our cats. Although nearly every- thing they do can be clearly explained in terms of the animals that the cats are, complete with animal senses and animal instincts, legend and lore abound about this animal. A sixth sense, some sort of awareness on a plane that we humans can only imagine, is often cited as the explanation for the cat’s apparent ability to predict things to come. They’ve been known to flee buildings

Most cat fanciers trace the origins of the domestic cat back to the African wildcat, but there is strong evidence that the European wildcat (shown here) also brought itself into domestication and led to a number of our breeds today.

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