How are meerkats related to domestic cats? - Yahoo! Answers
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celtish celtish
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How are meerkats related to domestic cats?

How are meerkats related to domestic cats?
  • 2 years ago

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KTDykes by KTDykes
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They aren't close relatives and the name 'meerkat' came into English due to a misunderstanding. 'Meerkat' is Dutch and means 'lake cat'. It actually referred to a primate, not a cat. Somehow or other, English speakers then associated it with entirely the wrong animal and it stuck. Both cats and meerkats are members of Carnivora, but that has no relevance to the history of the English word 'meerkat'.
  • 2 years ago
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Eli C Eli C
Domestic Cats are in the Family Felidae, Known as the cat family sized all the way up to the Lions and Tigers. And Meercats are in the Mongoose/Weasel Family. Even they are in the order of Carnivores, they happen to be more insectivores. Some weasels may be cat like, but share no ancestry with them.

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