35 things you probably didn’t know about cats
Think you know everything there is to know about cats? Test your knowledge with these 35 weird, cute, gross and just plain wild cat facts.
1. Most popular pet
Cats are king in America, beating dogs as the most popular pet in the country with 88 million cats living in American households compared to 74 million dogs.
2. Wild heritage
A 2007 study found that domestic cats came from Near Eastern wildcats.
3. Ear muscles
Cats have “directional hearing” thanks to their 32 ear muscles. By comparison, humans have only six ear muscles.
4. Breeds
There are dozens of cat breeds that are recognized by various cat registries – nearly 50 according to some sources.
5. Not such a sweet tongue
Unlike other mammals, cats can’t taste sweetness.
6. Nap time
Cats sleep for about two-thirds of their lives.
7. ‘Righting reflex’
Cats’ “righting reflex” is what helps them survive huge falls. Cats have been known to survive falls from more than 32 stories.
8. Good for your health
A kitty companion may be good for your heart. Cat owners have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
9. Meow
Adult cats rarely “meow” to talk to each other. They’ve adapted the habit to talk to us.
10. Spy cats
The CIA tried to turn cats into spies. Despite spending $20 million on training the cats, the first kitty spy was hit by a taxi.
11. Life extender
Spayed and neutered cats live longer. Neutered male cats live 62% longer than unneutered ones, while spayed female cats live 39% longer than unspayed one.
12. Favorite paw
Dogs and cats can be right-pawed or left-pawed, just like humans are right- or left-handed.
13. Ancient Egyptians mourned their cats
When their treasured pets died, Ancient Egyptians would shave off their eyebrows to mourn their cats and continue grieving until their eyebrows grew back.
14. Eyelids
Unlike us, cats actually have three eyelids.
15. Black cats
The Japanese consider black cats a sign of good luck.
16. Returning home
If your cat goes missing, good news: 75% of lost cats make it home safely.
17. Cat noses
Cat nose prints are as unique as human fingerprints.
18. Cat actors
A theater in Russia uses cats as the actors, but it has been accused of animal cruelty.
19. CC
CC, for “Carbon Copy” or “CopyCat,” was the first cloned cat.
20. Cat meat
It is still legal to eat cat and dog meat in Switzerland.
21. Declawing
While declawing cats is still legal in most of the U.S., it is banned in at least 22 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Estonia, Germany and the U.K.
22. Killer cats
Cats roaming outdoors kill nearly 4 billion birds annually in the contiguous United States and are responsible for some species’ extinction.
23. Forgive and forget?
Among species scientists have studied, domestic cats were the only ones who never forgave or forgot.
24. A cat author
Professor Jack H. Hetherington brought his cat on as co-author of his research so he wouldn’t have to revise his usage of “we” to “I.”
25. Stinky paws
Cats have scent glands on their paws, which is part of the reason why they love to scratch on things around the house.
26. Kitty dreams
Scientists studied cats’ brain waves to learn that cats can in fact dream.
27. No chocolate, please
Chocolate can be lethal for cats.
28. Watch your feet
The CDC found that more than 86,000 human fall injuries are caused by cats and dogs each year.
29. Cat kidneys
While it’s best for your feline friend to get fresh water every day, cats can survive on only meat because their kidneys are so efficient. They can even drink seawater.
30. Mastication
They’re not being rude as they gobble their food. Cats do not need to chew their food to help with digestion.
31. Blind spot
Cats can’t see objects that are directly below their nose or chin.
32. Cats’ tails
Cats’ tails contain about 10% of the bones in their body.
33. Fat cats
Guinness World Records stopped awarding world records to fat pets for fear that owners would intentionally overfeed them. Prior to that decision, though, an Australian cat named Himmy set the record at a scale-tilting weight of nearly 47 pounds back in 1986.
34. Addiction
Cats that are fed tuna can become addicted and refuse to eat anything else.
35. DNA
Domestic cats share more than 95% of their DNA with tigers.
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