The domestic cat (Latin: Felis catus) is a small, typically furry, carnivorous mammal. They are often called house cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when there is no need to distinguish them from other felids and felines. Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and for their ability to hunt vermin. There are more than 70 cat breeds, though different associations proclaim different numbers according to their standards.

Breathing (sometimes called ventilation) is the process that moves air in and out of the lungs, to allow the diffusion of oxygen into the blood and of carbon dioxide out of the blood. In the respiratory system of most vertebrates (excluding fish) breathing consists of inhalation (breathing in) and exhalation (breathing out). A complete breath is sometimes called a respiratory cycle. The respiratory rate or breathing rate is the number of breaths taken in one minute and is one of the four primary vital signs.

Cat food is food for consumption by cats. Cats have requirements for their specific dietary nutrients. Certain nutrients, including many vitamins and amino acids, are degraded by the temperatures, pressures and chemical treatments used during manufacture, and hence must be added after manufacture to avoid nutritional deficiency.