Therocat

Large bipedal carnivores descended from feline stock. Similar in appearance to theropod dinosaurs. Therocats are found in many different environments on Terra 47.

Mammalian carnivores or feline stock.

Their coats are often the same color as their environment to provide camouflage.

Bipedal withe bodies and large tails help horizontal. Body and head in front of hips and tail behind hips. Large tail acts a counter-balance to the body and head.

Anywhere from two feet at the hips to ten feet depending on the species.

Bipedal.

Most are aggressive carnivores.

They attack with tooth and claw. Some are ambush predators while other attack more directly.

Mostly grasslands and forest

Other animals.

Those that migrate follow their prey.

They do not herd. They usually occur alone or in pairs or small groups.

Therocats were created as part of a large scale hybrid art/science project. An AI collective known as the Progression Gestalt. It Purchased an abandoned O'Neil Cylinder Space Habitat. It had been deserted hundred of years prior when the ecosystem collapsed due to lose of atmosphere after a micrometeor collision.

The Space Habitat was repaired and the interior was covered with land masses and bodies of water, held in place the centripetal force. The collective then began low-level terraforming. The cylinder was seeded with microbial and plant life. After that became established a variety of small to medium sized herbivores and prey animals were released. Next a several different basal feline species were released as the sole predators in the habitat.

With a diverse environment and plenty of prey, the cats quickly diversified to fill all available niches. The collective took frequent genetic samples from the different populations but otherwise did not interfere in the development of the lifeforms. After several thousand years of observation a bipedal feline form, similar to ancient earth Theropod dinosaurs evolved. Later dubbed Therocats.

The collective took unrepresented action and removed all the Therocats and sterilized the habitat of any of the feline or predatory life forms. They then released the Therocats back into the cylinder and watched them diversify again to fill the newly vacant niches. After several thousand years the collective made the genotypes available for purchase. Since then they have cropped up in countless terraforming projects across the galaxy. They can be further engineered to fit specific needs and environments.