Felidae

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/felidae

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Felidae
2. What are the two main groups of cats in the Felidae family?Cats are split into two subfamilies: Pantherinae, which includes big cats like lions and tigers, and Felinae, which has smaller cats such as domestic cats and cheetahs.
3. Where can cats be found around the world?Cats live on every continent except Antarctica, from deserts and savannas to rainforests, mountains, and grasslands.

Felidae: The taxonomic family comprising all extant cat species, characterized by predatory adaptations and carnivorous diets.
Obligate Carnivore: An animal that must eat meat to survive, lacking the physiological ability to digest plant matter efficiently.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance.
Habitat Fragmentation: The process by which large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, impacting wildlife populations.