Is Fluffy like Simba?

Q: I'm writing a report for school, and I was hoping you could tell me some of the ways that wild cats and domestic cats are similar. A: Except for size, the little lion lounging in your den isn't all that different from his wild cousins.

All cats share certain characteristics: They eat meat, they are active primarily in the evening and early morning, they have highly developed senses of sight and hearing and, with the exception of lions, most of them prefer to live alone.

All cats like to be up high. Your cat at home probably enjoys lounging on the kitchen counter (when your mom's not looking) or up on top of his ceiling-height scratching post. Cats like to be able to see what's going on while they stay out of reach of danger. Lions and leopards lounge in trees for the same reasons.

Big cats and domestic cats both like to sleep a lot, as much as 20 hours per day. They can be active, or at least awake, in the daytime, but with the exception of cheetahs, they prefer to stalk their prey in the dark.

All cats also capture and kill prey in basically the same way. They spring forward, using their front paws to grab and bring down their prey by sinking their claws into the rear, back or shoulder.

A precise bite between the cervical vertebrae kills smaller animals instantly. Larger prey is suffocated when the cat's jaws clamp down on the throat or muzzle. Kittens and cubs alike practice the stalk, catch and kill techniques until they're pounce-perfect.