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The members of the Felidae or cat family are carnivores that feed almost exclusively on meat.
They are efficient predators, ambushing their preys and almost simultaneously leaping on it and knocking it off balance. One cat specializing in this hunting method
is the cheetah that can run faster than any other land animal (as fast as 100 Km/h), but if the cheetah fails to catch the prey quickly it will give up.
Despite enormous differences in size, the various cat species are quite similar in both structure and behavior to our domestic cat, with the exception of the cheetah
that is significantly different from any of the big or small cats. All cats have soft fur and a long tail that is very helpful to keep the balance during
the race, and also as means of communication with other members of the same species. Tigers, leopards, lions, and jaguars
are the only big cats able to roar; the others purr like our pet cats.
With the exception of lions, which live in large family-related groups, cats lead solitary lives, and males and females only come together for mating.
Male cheetahs may also form and live in small groups.
The members of the cat family are found in Africa, America, Asia, and Europe, but not in the Antarctic continent.
As to Australia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean (Oceania), they were introduced there by men.
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