▁we igh s ▁. ▁The ▁latter ▁has ▁a ▁head - to - body ▁length ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁maximum ▁recorded ▁weight ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁Most ▁cat ▁species ▁have ▁a ▁ha p lo id ▁number ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁or ▁ 1 9 . ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁American ▁c ats ▁have ▁a ▁ha p lo id ▁number ▁of ▁ 1 8 , ▁possibly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁two ▁smaller ▁chrom os om es ▁into ▁a ▁larger ▁one . ▁ ▁E volution ▁ ▁The ▁family ▁Fel idae ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Fel iform ia , ▁a ▁sub order ▁that ▁diver ged ▁probably ▁between ▁ 5 0 . 6 ▁and ▁ 3 5 ▁million ▁years ▁ago ▁into ▁several ▁families . ▁The ▁Fel idae ▁and ▁the ▁A si atic ▁l ins angs ▁are ▁considered ▁a ▁sister ▁group , ▁which ▁split ▁between ▁ 3 5 . 2 ▁and ▁ 3 1 . 9 ▁million ▁years ▁ago . ▁ ▁The ▁earliest ▁c ats ▁probably ▁appeared ▁between ▁ 3 5 ▁and ▁ 2 8 . 5 ▁million ▁years ▁ago . ▁Pro ail urus ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁known ▁cat ▁that ▁occurred ▁after ▁the ▁E oc ene – O lig oc ene ▁ext inction ▁event ▁about ▁ 3 3 . 9 ▁million ▁years ▁ago ; ▁foss il ▁remains ▁were ▁exc av ated ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁Mong olia ' s ▁H s anda ▁Gol ▁Form ation . ▁F oss il ▁occurr ences ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁Fel idae ▁arrived ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁earliest ▁ 2 5 ▁million ▁years ▁ago . ▁This ▁is ▁about