Who was your cat born to be?
To enrich the lives of domestic cats, we dug deeper than ever before.
Why? Because a cat's true nature - where they come from, how they behave, and what makes them tick - has largely remained a mystery. This has led to cats being misread, misrepresented, and misunderstood, even by those of us who love them most.
Whether we're talking about tabbies or calicos, Siamese or Persians, it's believed that the roots of the domestic cat can be traced back to a distinct group of wild cats. To further our knowledge about them, we traveled to observe one of their living ancestors.
We'll show you how the African Wildcat behaves in its native environment, as our experts studied everything from their favorite foods to how their play as a kitten hones the skills needed for survival.
Then, see how we applied our learning to raising Cash, a kitten adopted from a shelter, according to his true nature.
By uncovering the truth about what the African Wildcat was born to be, we've gained a new appreciation for who domestic cats are today - and share what we can all do to make their lives better.
We invite you to join the journey, and the conversation.
Learn more about where our journey to discover the true nature of cats began - with the African Wildcat.
The Journey: Looking Back
Purina ONE researched the African Wildcat to gain a deeper understanding of domestic cats.
Learn About It
Domestic Cats and African Wildcats
Purina ONE's team of experts traveled to South Africa to research the cat's closest living relative, the African Wildcat.
Read More
Humans and Cats - A History
Learn about the history of humans co-existing with cats.
Read More
A Day in the Life
Members of our Facebook community helped us compare a day of African Wildcat with their cats at home.
Learn More
Our team boards a plane en route to a visit cat reserves in South Africa. By observing African Wildcats in natural settings, the team recognized links to the behaviors of domestic cats. This brought about more questions, and inspired the team to dig even deeper.
Here’s a great look at the expansive landscape on the Phinda Game Reserve and a recognizable inhabitant. African wildcats carve out a niche in habitats like these grassy savannahs or even deserts.
At the Makalali Reserve , Duke plays to the camera. Notice the ginger ears and underbelly, the white rings around the eyes, and black rings around the tail and bottom of the legs. Do we recognize similar traits in some domestic cats?
The dark markings on its fur help the African Wildcat to blend into a variety of surroundings. Here, we see Amber at the Tenikwa Reserve hiding in the shadows created by the dappled light shining through the tree canopy. This allows him to “see without being seen”.
While taking a rest, Houdini at the Emdoneni Reserve offers a great view of his mouth physiology. Does the makeup of their mouths impact how and what a cat eats?
When learning about one species, it’s important to keep an eye on the big picture. Our team’s exploration of the African Wildcat’s habitat on the Phinda Reserve also gave them the opportunity to see other animals firsthand.
Here’s Kaylee at the Emdoneni Reserve coming down from her perch in a tree. By taking an elevated position, wildcats get a great view of their surroundings, and maintain the element of surprise while hunting. Back at home, is there any way to use structures to emulate similar “habitat” for our cats?
At the Emdoneni Reserve, Kaylee creeps up while stalking her prey. Can toys help recreate the hunting situation for domestic cats, by encouraging them to stalk and to pounce?
African Wildcats use available cover to conceal their approach to prey. Here’s Houdini at the Emdoneni Reserve lurking behind a rock.
During the hunt, African Wildcats will use their paws to bat at prey after the capture. Houdini at the Emdoneni Reserve mimics the behavior with a small stone. Can we help domestic cats satisfy this instinct through purposeful play?
Here, we see Michael and Kaylee in a playful tussle at the Emdoneni Reserve. In what ways can we help domestic cats have meaningful interactions with their owners, as well as other humans and animals?
One of our experts, Sandra, interacts with Kaylee after feeding time at the Emdoneni Reserve. The wildcats seem to be more sociable after eating. Could this be true for domestic cats?
The team waits for the road to clear on the Makalali Reserve.