I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions regarding sexual select

Question

I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions regarding sexual selection in cats (or any other animals). I would like to apologize beforehand for my incorrect term use.

When it comes to mate choice, is mutual choice for both males and females the norm? If not, is it mostly a tomcat or a female cat who does the choosing?

Do female cats always have freedom to choose, or is it more like a rape or consensual sex?

How do cats choose their prospective partners in the wild, what are the mechanics of this process? Does a prospective partner come with the territory or are there any courtship rituals? I am interested in mate availability for female cats and sexual selection from a female cat perspective.

Thank you very much in advance.

Explanation / Answer

Wilson and Reeder (Mammal Species of the World) count 40 species of Felidae. Most of them are small cats (subfamily Felinae). Lions are in the subfamily Pantherinae, which contains only 6 species, one of them the jaguar, Panthera onca, which is solitary, like the tiger, Panthera tigris. By what I know of small cats, Puma concolor included, and the tiger and the jaguar, it seems that lion social behavior is not typical of felines. (Would add that as a comment, but can't comment with reputation < 50).

Looking for "Felidae sexual selection" or 'Felidae "sexual selection"' in google I have found some links. Look for "sexual selection" or "Felidae" in the text. Though I'm afraid most of them are not exactly what you're looking for, maybe they can open new windows of thought. Hope that helps!

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