According to one old legend, cats were the only creatures on earth who were not made by God at the time of Creation. When God covered the world with water, and Noah set his ark afloat, the ark became infested with rats eating up the stores of food. Noah prayed for a miracle, and a pair of cats sprang to life from the mouths of the lion and lioness. They set to work, and quickly dispatched all the rats - but for the original two. As their reward, when the boat reached dry land, the cats walked at the head of the great procession of Noah's animals. Which is why, the legend concludes, all cats are proud, to this very day.
Cats have been entrancing humans for thousands of years with their mystery and beauty. You may love your cat, but you may not be fully aware of just how cool she really is. For example, did you know that cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents? Or that they developed meowing as a way to communicate exclusively with humans? Here are interesting facts about these mysterious creatures with some links!
A house cats share 95.6% of their genetic makeup with tigers. They also share some of the same behavior habits such as scent and urine marking, prey stalking and pouncing.
Cats are believed to be the only mammals who don’t taste sweetness.
Cats are nearsighted, but their peripheral vision and night vision are much better than that of humans.
Most cats have 18 toes, 5 on their front paws and 4 on their back paws. However, some cats can be born with “extra toes”, a condition called polydactylism.
Cats can jump up to six times their length.
Cats’ claws all curve downward, which means that they can’t climb down trees head-first. Instead, they have to back down the trunk.
Cats’ collarbones don’t connect to their other bones, as these bones are buried in their shoulder muscles.
Cats have 230 bones, while humans only have 206.
Cats have exceptionally flexible spine that allows them to contort their bodies into all sorts of unusual positions. This flexibility is due in part to the fact that cats have many more vertebrae in their spines than humans do. While humans typically have 33 vertebrae, cats can have anywhere from 53 to 70.
Cats have an incredible sense of smell, which is up to 14 times stronger than that of humans. Their sense of smell is critical for their survival, as it allows them to locate prey, identify potential dangers, and communicate with other cats.
Cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents on the air, which is why your cat stares at you with her mouth open from time to time.
Whiskers are embedded deep in the cat’s body and are connected to the cat’s sensitive muscular and nervous systems, acting as touch receptors (or a “kitty radar”).
The whiskers on a cat aren’t just cute, they serve a very important function in assisting cats with getting around, especially at night. Cats use their whiskers to “feel” the world around them in an effort to determine which small spaces they can fit into. A cat’s whiskers are generally about the same width as its body. This is why you should never, EVER cut their whiskers.
Additionally, not only do cats have whiskers on their face, they also have a set of whiskers on the back of their front legs.
Cats have nearly twice the amount of neurons in their cerebral cortex as dogs.
Cats have the largest eyes relative to their head size of any mammal.
Cats have a unique third eyelid, known as the nictitating membrane, which is a thin, translucent layer of tissue that is located at the inner corner of their eyes. Unlike the other two eyelids, the nictitating membrane moves horizontally across the eye, rather than vertically, and is rarely seen in cats unless they are sick or feeling stressed.
Cats make very little noise when they walk around. The thick, soft pads on their paws allow them to sneak up on their prey — or you!
Cats’ rough tongues can lick a bone clean of any shred of meat.
Cats use their long tails to balance themselves when they’re jumping or walking along narrow ledges.
Cats walk like camels and giraffes: They move both of their right feet first, then move both of their left feet. No other animals walk this way.
Cats can have a dominant front paw. Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed, while female cats are more likely to be right-pawed.
Though cats can notice the fast movements of their prey, it often seems to them that slow-moving objects are actually stagnant.
Although cats hate water as cats evolved from desert climates and didn’t have a lot of exposure to rivers, lakes, some cats can swim.
Cats usually sleep around an average of 16-18 hours per day. This means that a cat spends roughly 70% of their lives sleeping. Must be nice to be a cat!
As kittens they have 26 deciduous, or “baby”, teeth. As adult cats they have 30 permanent teeth. Don’t forget to take care of those pearly whites with regular dental cleanings.
Cats are crepuscular, which means that they’re most active at dawn and dusk.
Cats are fastidious creatures about their “bathroom.” If you have more than one cat, you should have one litter box for each.
Cats can spend up to a third of their waking hours grooming.
Cats live longer when they stay indoors.
Cats’ purring may be a self-soothing behavior, since they make this noise when they’re ill or distressed, as well as when they’re happy.
Cats will refuse an unpalatable food to the point of starvation.
Despite popular belief, many cats are actually lactose intolerant.
A female cat can become pregnant as young as 4 - 6 months of age. Spaying and neutering your cat around this age is the best way to prevent any unexpected litters and help reduce cat overpopulation.
Grapes and raisins, as well as onions, garlic, and chives, are all extremely harmful foods for cats. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure — although the reasoning behind that isn’t clear. Meanwhile, onions, garlic, and chives wreak havoc on your cat’s gastrointestinal system and can cause anemia.
If you keep your cat active during the day, he will sleep better at night. If you’re not free-feeding your cat, you can also help her get a good night’s sleep by providing her with a substantial evening meal.
It’s believed that catnip produces an effect similar to LSD or marijuana in cats. The effects of nepetalactone — the chemical in catnip that can makes cats crazy — wears off within 15 minutes, and won’t surface again for a few hours, even if your cat remains in sniffing distance.
Kittens can be spayed or neutered when they are only eight weeks old. If possible, these procedures should be performed in the first 5 months of your cat’s life.
Spaying and neutering can extend a cat’s life. Neutered males live an average of 62 percent longer than unneutered cats and spayed females live an average of 39 percent longer than unspayed cats.
Your cat’s grooming process stimulates blood flow to his skin, regulates his body temperature and helps him relax.
A cat with a question-mark-shaped tail is asking, “Want to play?”
According to Wilde, a slow blink is a “kitty kiss.” This movement shows contentment and trust. If a cat blinks slowly at you, it means they love you!
Cats have a unique “vocabulary” with their owner — each cat has a different set of vocalizations, purrs and behaviors.
Cats have up to 100 different vocalizations — dogs only have 10.
Cats find it threatening when you make direct eye contact with them.
Cats mark you as their territory when they rub their faces and bodies against you, as they have scent glands in those areas.
Cats may yawn as a way to end a confrontation with another animal. Think of it as their “talk to the hand” gesture.
Hissing is defensive, not aggressive, says Wilde. “It’s an expression of fear, stress or discomfort of a threatened cat communicating ‘stay away,'” she says.
If cats are fighting, the cat that’s hissing is the more vulnerable one, says Wilde.
If your cat approaches you with a straight, almost vibrating tail, this means that she is extremely happy to see you.
Kneading — which some people refer to as “making biscuits” — is a sign of contentment and happiness. Cats knead their mothers when they are nursing to stimulate the let-down of milk.
Meowing is a behavior that cats developed exclusively to communicate with people.
When a cat flops over and exposes his belly, it’s not always an invitation for a belly rub. A cat does this when he’s relaxed and showing trust.
When cats hit you with retracted claws, they’re playing, not attacking.
When dogs wag their tails, they may be expressing happiness. But this isn’t the case for cats! When your cat wags her tail, it’s her way of warning you that you are getting on her last nerve.
Ever wondered why your feline friend would often put their rear end by your face? When your cat sticks his butt in your face, he is doing so as a gesture of friendship.
Whiskers are also good indicators of a cat’s mood. When a cat is scared, he put his whiskers back. But when a cat is in hunting mode, he puts his whiskers forward.
Your cat drapes its tail over another cat, your dog, or you as a symbol of friendship.
Cats are very fussy about their water bowls; some prefer to ignore their bowls entirely in favor of drinking from the sink faucet.
Cats groom other cats — and sometimes people — in a ritual called allogrooming.
Cats like to sleep on things that smell like their owners, such as their pillows and dirty laundry (ick!).
Cats love to sleep in laundry baskets, too, because they’re basically hiding places with peep holes.
Cats often attack your ankles when they’re bored.
For some reason, cats really dislike citrus scents.
If you can’t find your cat, you should look in a box or a bag, as these are some of their favorite hiding spots!
Many cats like to lick their owner’s freshly washed hair.
Thieving behavior is not uncommon among cats. They will often grab objects like stuffed animals, feather dusters, and other things that remind them of prey.
A housecat can run to the speed of about 30 mph over short distances, i.e. a house cat could beat superstar runner Usain Bolt in the 200 meter dash.
Cats cat hear sounds 2 octaves higher than humans can.
Cats are not the only animals that purr. Some wild cats and their near relatives - civets, genets, mongooses - also purr. Even, hyenas, guinea pigs, and raccoons can purr as well as mountain lions and bobcats. Big cats such as tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards purr, but only whilst exhaling.
A cat’s purr vibrates at a frequency of 25 to 150 hertz, which is the same frequency at which muscles and bones repair themselves.
A cat’s learning style is about the same as a 2- to 3-year-old child.
Cats greet each other by touching noses.
Cats only sweat through their paws.
Did you know that cats are actually desert creatures at heart? Their ancestors were native to desert regions, where they developed several unique adaptations that help them to thrive in hot, dry climates.
Although a group of kittens are more commonly called a litter, they can also be known as a “kindle” of kittens.
Cat breeders are called “catteries.”
A group of cats is called a "clowder". Cats are generally solitary animals, so it is not common to see a large group of cats together. However, feral cats may form colonies to form social bonds and spend time together.
The scientific word for loving cats is “ailurophile”.
Cats can be toilet-trained.
Cats can drink sea water in order to survive (In case you’re wondering, we can’t).
Cats dream, just like people do.
Cats have contributed to the extinction of 33 different species.
Cats perceive people as big, hairless cats, says Wilde.
Each cat’s nose print is unique, much like human fingerprints.
Humans have only 6 muscles to control the outer ear, cats have 32 muscles in each of their ears, allowing them to swivel their ears to hone in on the exact source of a noise. Additionally, cats can rotate their ears to 180 degrees.
Have you ever noticed little tufts of fur in a cat’s ears? Those are called ear furnishings. Ear furnishings help filter out debris and also help insulate the ears.
Most world languages have a similar word to describe the “meow” sound.
The largest cat breed is the Maine Coon, these cats can weigh about 25 pounds.
Facts About Cats Who Made History
Cats were first brought to the Americas in colonial times to get rid of rodents.
The first cat show occurred in London in 1871.
The first known cat video was recorded in 1894.
Every Scottish Fold cat in the world can trace its heritage back to the first one, which was found in Scotland in the 1960s, a Scottish Fold breeder and the committee chair for the breed at The International Cat Association (TICA).
The oldest known pet cat existed around 9,500 years ago. In 2004, a French archeologist found a grave of a cat in Cyprus dating back to 9,500 years ago, meaning that humans have owned cats as pets since then!
Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats for thousands of years. To honor these treasured pets, wealthy families dressed them in jewels and fed them treats fit for royalty. When the cats died, they were mummified. In Ancient Egypt, members of a family would shave their eyebrows in mourning if their cat died. Cats were so special that those who killed them, even by accident, were sentenced to death.
Two hundred feral cats prowl the park at Disneyland, doing their part to control rodents — the ones who don’t wear funny outfits and speak in squeaky voices. Mickey Mouse better watch out!
Maria Assunta left her cat, Tomasso, her entire $13 million fortune when she died in 2011.
President Bill Clinton’s cat, Socks, was a media darling during the Clinton administration and was said to receive more letters than the President himself.
Stubbs, a 17-year-old orange tabby, is mayor of the historic district of Talkeetna, Alaska.
A green cat was born in Denmark in 1995. Some people believe that high levels of copper in the water pipes nearby may have given his fur a verdigris effect.
It turns out that Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was a crazy cat president! He had four cats that lived in the White House with him.
The oldest cat to ever live was Creme Puff, who lived to be 38 years and 3 days old. Creme Puff lived from August 3, 1967 to August 2005 with her owner in Austin, Texas.
From their incredible physical abilities to their unique personalities, cats are truly fascinating animals. There are about 88 million pet cats in the United States, which makes them the most popular pet in the country!
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