The Cat Family Level F/G by Kathy Staugler Illustrated by Travis Schaeffer 1997-2012 n2y, Inc. Unique Learning System Leveled Book, The Cat Family, Level F/G
Animal Kingdom 1 Scientists study animal groups. Scientists want to learn how animals are the same and different. Scientists want to know how animals live and grow. This large group of all animals is called the Animal Kingdom. All the animals in the forest, the farm, the rainforest and the ocean belong to the Animal Kingdom. Did you know that people are part of the Animal Kingdom too?
Mammals 2 Scientists make a family tree to learn about animals that are alike. One group is called mammals. Mammals have hair or fur. Baby mammals are born from their mother. The mother mammal feeds milk to the baby. Did you know that people are mammals too?
3 Scientists look for more ways that animals are alike. One group is called the Felidae Family. That means the cat family. No, people are not part of the cat family! There are many different kinds of cats in the family. Cats can be found all over the world, except in the tundra biome.
4 Some cats are big. Some cats are small. But cats in this family have many ways they are alike. Cats are mammals. They have fur. Many have fur with stripes or spots. Cats feed milk to their babies. All cats have a short face. Cats have large eyes which help them see very well. Cats can smell very well too. This helps them hunt for food.
5 Cats are hunters. They eat meat from other animals. Most cats will hunt for their food. Cats have fi ve toes on their front paws and four toes on their back paws. That extra tow in the front helps them catch their food. Cats like to sleep in the day and hunt for food at night. Cats have whiskers that help them sense things that are around them. If a cat falls, it will usually land on its feet.
6 These are some of the ways that cats are alike. But there are also ways that cats are different. On the next pages, you will learn about several different cats in the Felidae family. How are these cats alike? How are they different?
HOUSE CAT 7 The house cat is a good pet. It is the most popular pet all over the world. House cats hunt for small animals, like mice. House cats are small and usually weigh about 12 pounds. A house cat is too small to roar, so it makes a purring sound. House cats spend a lot of time licking their coats to keep clean.
LION 8 The lion is one of the big cats. Wild lions live in Africa and Asia. The male lion is known for its mane, or long hair around its face. The roar of a lion can be heard 5 miles away. Lions sleep about 20 hours every day.
TIGER 9 The tiger is the biggest cat. The adult tiger is about 11 feet long and weighs 600 pounds. Tigers are known for the stripes on their fur. Tiger cubs live with their mother until they are two years old. Tigers live in Asia, including China, India and Russia. Tigers hunt alone at night for their food.
BOBCAT 10 Bobcats like to be alone. They come out at night, but don t like to be around people. Bobcats have a soft reddish-brown fur. This cat is named for its tail - the bobcat s tail is short and looks like it has been cut or bobbed. Bobcats live in forests, swamps and deserts in North America.
LEOPARD 11 Leopards are known for their spots on their fur. A leopard s tail is about as long as its body. Leopards do not like to live with other animals, not even other leopards. Leopards sleep in the day and hunt for food at night. Leopards hide their food high in a tree where other animals cannot fi nd it.
12 The cat family tells us how cats look and live. Some are very different, but in many ways alike.
Glossary Animal Kingdom - all living or extinct animals mammals - warm-blooded vertebrate animals 1997-2012 n2y, Inc. Unique Learning System Leveled Book, The Cat Family, Level F/G
yes The Cat Family no hunt same different group Animal kingdom people mammal eat big / large small cat family stripe spot roar biggest alone eyes food meat house cat hide short long pet lion tiger night bobcat tail leopard tree 1997-2012 n2y, Inc. Unique Learning System Leveled Book, The Cat Family, Level F/G
Index for Photographs The images found in this lesson fall under a Creative Commons license. Please note the citation listed for each individual image below. For information on use or redistribution of any of these images, please visit: http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/ Page 1 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/animal_diversity_october_2007.jpg Page 2 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/mammal_diversity_2011.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/familia_3510.jpg Title, Page 3, Page 6, Page 12, Page 7 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/six_weeks_ old_cat_%28aka%29.jpg Title, Page 3, Page 6, Page 12, Page 8 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/lion-1.jpg Title, Page 3, Page 6, Page 12, Page 9 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/siberischer_tiger_de_edit02.jpg Title, Page 3, Page 6, Page 12, Page 10 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/bobbie_2010_2.jpg Title, Page 3, Page 6, Page 12, Page 11 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/charging_ Leopard-001.JPG Page 4 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/tiger_colchester.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/flickr_-_rainbirder_-_leopard.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/jurvetson_-_a_new_mom_%28by%29.jpg Page 5 - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/hunting_tiger.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/leopard_in_heat.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/sleeping_lion.jpg 1997-2012 n2y, Inc. Unique Learning System Leveled Book, The Cat Family, Level F/G