The Story of Cats

Filmmaker Anwar Mamon's two-part PBS-aired NATURE documentary traces the evolutionary history of felines from their origin in Southeast Asia tens of millions of years ago to their current status as most-owned pet in America. But only the final minutes are devoted to various breeds of domestic cats; the lion's share concerns the 40-plus species of wild cats that have adapted to different environmental circumstances over the centuries. The first episode, “Asia to Africa,” begins with the emergence of felines in the forests of Asia and their development of survival traits, including extraordinary agility, that have persisted throughout their evolutionary history. Employing gorgeous wildlife footage, often shown in slow-motion, the film briefly examines the various surviving types of Asian cats before following their movement over a once-existing land bridge into Africa, where new species evolved. Special attention is paid to lions—the only species of cat that abandoned a solitary mode of life and developed a communal form of social organization. The second episode, “Into the Americas,” describes species that arose after cats crossed the land bridge that once joined Asia to North America and then went south—the lynx, ocelot, mountain lion, and many curious types of wild South American cats—before looking at the subject of domestication, which is traced to ancient Egypt. The skill for which cats were most prized—as mousers—has preserved their hunting instincts down to the present day, while their aloofness and cuteness has made them a YouTube sensation. Sure to appeal to cat fanciers, this is recommended. Aud: P. (F. Swietek)