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The cat's meow : how cats evolved from the Savanna to your sofa / Jonathan B. Losos ; illustrations by David J. Tuss.

Losos, Jonathan B., (author.).

Summary:
"The past, present, and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover The domestic cat-your cat-has, from its evolutionary origins in Africa, been transformed in comparatively little time into one of the most successful and diverse species on the planet. Jonathan Losos, writing as both a scientist and a cat lover, explores how researchers today are unraveling the secrets of the cat, past and present, using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you'd be amazed where those backyard cats roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat . . . really?) to forensic archaeology. In addition to solving the mysteries of your cat's past, it gives us a cat's-eye view of today's habitats, including meeting wild cousins around the world whose habits your sweet house cat sometimes eerily parallels. Do lions and tigers meow? If not, why not? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet (or on my pillow)? Is a pet ocelot a bad idea? When and why did the cat make its real leap off the African plain? What's with all those cats in Egyptian hieroglyphics? In a genial voice, casually deciphering complex science and history with many examples from his own research and multi-cat household, Losos explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the last several millennia has shaped the contemporary cat, with new breeds vastly different in anatomy and behavior from their ancestral stock. Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new lands around the world. Humans are transforming cats, and they in turn are transforming the world around them. This charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for both Felis catus and Homo sapiens"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781984878700
  • ISBN: 1984878700
  • Physical Description: 390 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2023]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 355-376) and index.
Subject: Cats.
Cats > Behavior.
Cats > History.

Available copies

  • 18 of 19 copies available at SPARK Libraries.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 19 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Albright Memorial Library 636.8 LOSOS (Text) 50686016300191 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library 636.8 LOS (Text) 37268003165131 AHMFL Adult Non-Fiction Available -
Altoona Area Public Library 636.8 LOS (Text) 33240004694686 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Cambria County Library 636.8 L881c (Text) 85131001886499 CACM Non-Fiction Available -
Carbondale Public Library 636.8 LOSOS (Text) 50688010875418 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Indian Valley Public Library 636.8 Losos Pets (Text) 39427103737458 Nonfiction Room: Adult Nonfiction Available -
Littlestown Library 636.8 LOSOS (Text)
Endowment: Hilda O. Nitchman Named Endowment for the Littlestown Library for Four-Footed Furry Friends, 2023
35740635948110 Nonfiction Available -
Mason-Dixon Public Library Adults 636.8 LOS Nonfiction (Text) 34262000908653 Main Room Available -
Parkland Community Library 636.8 LOS (Text) 34422007383330 Adult Nonfiction Available -
RPL - Senior Outreach 636.8 Los (Text) 33223008987710 Non-fiction Available -


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