Cat vs Common Starling

Felis catus compared with Sturnus vulgaris

Key Differences

• Cat is Not Evaluated while Common Starling is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cat	Common Starling
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Sturnidae
Genus	Felis (Small Cats)	Sturnus
Species	Felis catus	Sturnus vulgaris

Evolutionary Relationship

Cat and Common Starling share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Cat

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Common Starling

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cat	Common Starling
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	46 cm	—
Average Weight	4.5 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cat

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (9 countries), Asia (7 countries), Europe (11 countries), North America (13 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (11 countries), and South America (6 countries).

Common Starling

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Europe (5 countries), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Tonga), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Cat

One of humanity's most successful domesticated companions, domestic cats are small, agile carnivores originating from the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) domesticated approximately 10,000 years ago. With over 70 recognized breeds, cats retain strong predatory instincts and have colonized virtually every terrestrial environment on Earth. They are the world's most popular pet, with an estimated 600 million kept worldwide.

Common Starling

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 16 countries:

🇦🇷 Argentina 🇦🇺 Australia 🇧🇸 Bahamas 🇧🇧 Barbados 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇯🇲 Jamaica 🇳🇦 Namibia 🇳🇿 New Zealand 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇴 Tonga 🇺🇸 United States