The scientists have been looking

科学家们一直在观察

at how much time the cats spend outside the cat flap.

猫猫们会在户外待多久

The proportion of time they spend outdoors is actually quite low,

他们的户外活动时间占全天时间的比率很低

it might be as little as 20% on average,

平均只有20%

and some cats we know now don't go out at all.

有些猫甚至从不外出

Even though they have access to the outdoors,

即使他们可以出去

they just simply choose not to do so.

他们也选择待在家里

At any one time, there are many more cats inside than out.

不论何时 室内的猫都要比室外的多

Outside, the most we've ever really got

我们最多发现了十只猫

is ten cats outside at one time.

同时待在户外

There's a nice place to rest at home,

在家可以好好地休息

they go out because they feel like

他们出去是因为

it rather than because they need to.

他们认为有必要

So the next question to answer is,

下一个问题便是

what has happened to the wild sides of the cats of Shamley Green?

杉莫利格林镇中猫猫野性的一面哪儿去了

Cats haven't always been our pets.

猫并非自古以来就是我们的宠物

We started living alongside them around 9,000 years ago,

大约九千年前我们开始与他们共生

when we started farming.

我们刚开始种植作物

and they had to work for a living.

他们需要以工作换食物

重点解释：

1.on average 平均

例句：On average we receive five letters each day.

我们平均每天收到五封信。

2.access to 进入，通向…的路口

例句：She was forbidden access to the club.

人家不允许她到那个俱乐部去。

3.at all 完全； 根本

例句：It's not at all that bad.

这根本没有那么坏。