Various groups of mammals had their origin in a unique animal now extinct. This carnivorous creature was something of a cross between a cat and a seal; it could live on land or in water and was highly intelligent and very active. [1]
20,000,000 years ago many groups of animals migrated to North America from Asia, including many varieties of the cat family. The cat tribe was represented by panthers and large saber-toothed tigers, the latter first evolving in North America. [2] The cat family dominated the animal life. [3] During these early epochs of the ice age North America was overrun with many groups of the cat and dog families. [4]
Black cats were considered magical. [5]