Which mammalian order includes dogs, cats, and seals?

• A. Primates
• B. Cetacea
• C. Proboscidea
• D. Carnivora

Answer: (D)

Dogs, cats, and seals are all part of the same mammal order, Carnivora. This group is defined by features linked to a meat-based diet, such as sharp canine teeth and specialized carnassial teeth that act like scissors to slice flesh, along with jaw and skull bones that support a strong bite. Even though seals are aquatic, they retain the carnivoran dental and skeletal characteristics that place them in this same order. The other options belong to different groups—Primates (humans, apes, monkeys), Cetacea (whales and dolphins), and Proboscidea (elephants)—so they don’t share the same evolutionary lineage as dogs, cats, and seals.