Felidae Oligocene, about 25 million years ago, with the appearance of "Proailurus" and "Pseudaelurus". The latter species complex was ancestral to two main lines of felids, the cats in the extant subfamilies and a third major group of extinct cats, which are assigned to the subfamily Machairodontinae. The machairodonts included the saber-toothed cats such as the "Smilodon". The "false sabre toothed cats", the Barbourofelidae and Nimravidae, are not true cats, but are closely related and together with Felidae and other cat-like carnivores (hyaenas, viverrids and mongooses) make up the feliform carnivores. Results of mitochondrial analysis indicates that all the Felidae descended
Eurogroup for Animals Eurogroup for Animals Eurogroup for Animals is an organisation based in Brussels, Belgium, which seeks to improve the treatment of animals throughout the European Union, and represents animal welfare organisations in almost all the European member states. Since it was launched in 1980, the organisation has succeeded in encouraging the European Union to adopt higher legal standards of animal protection. It provides advice and expertise on animal welfare to various European institutions, such as the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. It also provides the secretariat of the European Parliamentary Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation