Key Differences:
Family:
* Cats: Belong to the family Felidae.
* Civet cats: Belong to the family Viverridae.
Physical Characteristics:
* Cats: Have a more streamlined body with retractable claws, short, dense fur, and a generally rounder head.
* Civet cats: Have a more elongated body with non-retractable claws, longer, coarser fur, and a pointed head with a prominent muzzle.
Behavior and Habits:
* Cats: Generally solitary creatures, known for their agility and hunting prowess.
* Civet cats: More arboreal than cats, spending a significant amount of time in trees. They are known for their strong scent glands used for marking territory and attracting mates.
Diet:
* Cats: Primarily carnivorous, feeding on small mammals, birds, and insects.
* Civet cats: Omnivorous, with a diet consisting of fruits, insects, small animals, and carrion.
Notable Features:
* Cats: Domesticated cats are known for their affectionate nature and role as companions.
* Civet cats: Some species of civet cats, like the Asian Palm Civet, are valued for their coffee beans (known as Kopi Luwak) produced after digesting coffee berries.
Examples:
* Cats: Domestic cats, lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars.
* Civet cats: African Civet, Asian Palm Civet, Binturong, Genet, Mongoose.
In essence, while both cats and civet cats are fascinating and diverse creatures, they are fundamentally different animals with distinct physical characteristics, behaviors, and evolutionary histories.