Question

In the taxonomic hierarchy, cats are placed under the genus.
A. Felis
B. Panthera
C. Canis
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: The taxonomic hierarchy is being used to classify organisms in different groups and it has been proposed by Linnaeus. It involves the series of categories from kingdom to species in a decreasing or increasing order. The domain is the highest position in the hierarchy followed by the kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

Complete answer:
Felis is a small and medium-sized cat species indigenous to most of Africa and southern Asia and Europe to Indochina. The genus contains the domestic cat. The smallest species of Felis is a black-footed cat with a head and body length between 38 and 42 cm. The biggest is a jungle cat with a head and a total height between 62 and 76 cm. These animals live in a wide range of environmental conditions ranging from swamps to deserts. They feed on small scale prey, like small rodents and birds. The world population of most Felis species, with exception of domestic cats, is declining steadily due to habitat loss, trafficking, poisoning as well as other risks. Felis catus is a furry carnivore of the genus Felis used as pets in several people’s homes. These pets are appreciated for their companionship and ability to hunt vermin. There seem to be over 70 domestic cat breeds, the community of which is preserved through spaying and neutering activities. During domestication, cats have endured only slight improvements in morphology and behaviour but are still capable of surviving in the wild. Several natural habits and features of wildcats may well have been pre-adapted as pets for domestication. These attributes include their small size, social nature, simple body language, love of play, and significantly higher intelligence.
So, the correct solution is (B).

Note: Pet cats are also powerful predators with sharp claws, jaws, great night vision, and a strong ability to hear, gathering noises that are not recognized by human ears. They may not, however, have great colour vision. Domesticated cats that are abandoned or stray from their homes are the feral cat populations. Many countries in the world have a large population of feral cats.