Cats are one of the most common pets around the world. Their population is increasing rapidly and so is their lifespan. Here are 51 amazing facts that you need to know in order to understand your cat even more.
1. Unlike most animals, cats can make hundred different types of sounds. This distinguishes them from dogs that can make just ten types of sounds.
2. It might sound unbelievable, but cats usually sleep for about seventy percent of their life which means the rest thirty percent they spend on eating. It means when they are sleeping they are actually saving the energy for hunting and playing around.
3. One of the most astounding things about cats is that their brain is more similar to humans than a dog that’s why cats are smarter than dogs.
4. One of the fiercest wild cats like lions and tigers have small spikes on their tongue facing backward. They use them to lick the flesh off of their prey’s body. Luckily, our domestic cats uses them to lick their body to clean it.
5. Cats have their own identity proof. Just like humans have fingerprints in the same way cats have nose prints that are unique in every cat.
6. A cat’s whiskers are not just for show. The whiskers might make a cat adorable but they actually serve a purpose. With the help of whiskers, cats can identify if they can fit through certain places or not.
7. Some people think that cats have been domesticated since ancient Egypt, but that’s not actually true. There are beliefs that they have been domesticated since 3600 B.C. How cool is that?
8. Unlike cartoons, cats don’t like to eat raw fish. Cats would always prefer a cooked one over a raw fish.
9. Cats don’t sweat through their bodies. The only place where cats can sweat through is their foot pads.
10. Cats are known for jumping at a height that is five times their own height.
11. There is a reason behind a cat’s “meow”. An adult cat meows at the owner only when it needs something and it is mostly for food.
12. Cats can sense and taste a smell through the inner lining of their mouth. They usually do that by opening their mouth in front of the food. This gives them an extra sense of smell other than the nose.
13. The front paws of a cat contain five toes, whereas the back paws contain only one toe. This scenario can change if a cat is a polydactyl which gives them one or two toes extra in their front or back paws.
14. There is a special feature in a cat’s body that can help them to survive in the worst conditions. Like if humans are trapped in a sea, then they are advised not to drink the sea water because of high salt content but a cat’s kidneys are much stronger that’s why cats can easily drink salt water helping them to survive in a situation where humans can’t survive for long.
15. It might sound unimaginable but a cat that lives in your house can beat Usain Bolt “the fastest man alive” in a race. But your cat is busy chasing its own tail so whatever!
16. “Astro Cat” was the name a cat got when it was first sent to space. The cat was lucky enough to survive the whole journey. And interestingly, it was French.
17. Cats are more like humans when it comes to things like getting sick. When humans get old they start to get sick and some of them develop Alzheimer, the same scenario is with the cats. When the cats get old, they start suffering from dementia, making them forget things. That’s why older cats become grumpy and noisy. So try to take care of them during that time.
18. When a cat rubs its head or body against something or someone, it is actually marking its territory. If your cat does that to you then it means that you are your cat’s territory forever. Isn’t that cute?
19. There are a lot of places around the world where black cats are a sign of bad luck. In many countries, it is believed that if a black cat crosses your path, then something bad can happen to you.
20. The oldest breed of cat is “Egyptian Mau”. “Mau” actually means cat. The “Egyptian Mau” is believed to be the first ever domesticated cat by humans.
21. Cats usually hate water because their coat or fur is unable to insulate the water keeping it wet. But still there are some breeds that actually love water because of their fur being water resistant.
22. Whenever a cat gets lost, it hides itself somewhere and stays there for a long time. But this is very bioneurontin pharmacy rare because cats can find their way back home, giving them ability called “psi-traveling”.
23. Cats like to eat something if it is small and fits in its mouth. This is because of their inability to move their jaw sideways.
24. Mostly the cats which are brought into shelters get spayed and if not, then after the adoption the owners spay them because once they reach sexual maturity, cats start to become more angry and aggressive.
25. There used to be cat shows in the early nineteenth century and since then the popularity of cats increased in the entertainment industry. Today, the most searched YouTube videos are of cats.
26. People think that cats love milk like dogs, but most of the population of cats is lactose intolerant. They tend to get sick after drinking milk. That’s why you should feed them food that is specifically made for them to protect them from malnutrition or sickness.
27. A human heart beats at 60 beats per minute. They number revolves around this, but in cats, the heart beat is twice as fast as that of humans. Their heart can beat at a rate of 120 beats per minute.
28. Since humans started domesticating dogs and cats, the dogs have undergone a lot of changes. Whether it is a change in their size or mix breeding, dogs have shown a lot of changes but the cats haven’t really changed. The cats haven’t gone under any heavy change since their domestication.
29. Sometimes cats leave their poop uncovered in the litter box. This is a sign of disrespect and anger. If your cat is frustrated or angry with you then it will not cover its poop showing intolerance and anger towards certain things.
30. Cat’s ears are very different from other breeds. Cats can move their ears freely and separately. Their ears can move 180 degrees. Also, a cat’s hearing ability is much better than dogs.
31. Cats are more likely to adapt to new or different situations. They are more open than a dog.
32. Cats can survive a fall from great heights as they can adjust their body accordingly in a very short time that’s why they are more likely to get hurt after falling from a second floor of a building than from the tenth floor.
33. In history, a cat fell from the sixteenth floor of a building and survived. This is the longest fall recorded.
34. Cats have more free-bones in their body than humans, allowing them to squeeze through small spaces.
35. More than 85% of the human population prefers dogs over cats.
36. Cats eyes allow them to see better in low light. That’s why wild cats hunt at night because of being able to see properly at night.
37. Just like humans, cats also prefer one hand over another. Usually, male cats are lefties and female cats are righties.
38. Cats can’t taste sweetness in food because of the absence of certain receptors.
39. An average cat lives for around twelve to sixteen years.
40. The biggest cat on earth is the Siberian Tigers as they are twelve foot long. The smallest cats are the black foot cats.
41. The more a cat sleeps the better it grows. As the cat sleeps, it releases GH (growth hormone).
42. Cats can dream while sleeping just like humans.
43. Temperature can affect the cat’s population. Cats are more likely to breed in warm weather.
44. Just like humans have an appendix or wisdom teeth, cats also have an extra organ that doesn’t have any function. That part is inner eyelid or commonly known as haw. This eyelid can generally be seen when the cat is sick.
45. Cats have their own way of keeping their ears clean and protect them from dirt. The insides of a cat’s ears contain “ear furnishing”. They look like fur and serve the purpose of keeping their ears clean.
46. It might sound unbelievable, but millions of cats are killed and cooked in certain parts of Asia every year.
47. During ancient Egypt, it was considered a sin to kill a cat and the convict had to pay the price by facing death.
48. “Molly” or “Queen” is the name for female cats.
49. Male cat owners are luckier when it comes to finding love.
50. The oldest cat that ever lived was thirty-eight years old. At that time she gave birth to her last kitten.
51. Cats usually greet each other by rubbing noses.
Extra: All Cats love cat flaps
In conclusion, there are millions of cats around the world and each one of them has its own personality and shows different behaviors. We should not forget that we don’t choose them for domestication, but it is they who chose us because they need us in one way or another.