11 Interesting Cat Facts
It is curious and interesting that only 11.5% of people consider themselves cat people but the people that do are as passionate as any dog lover out there, so today I thought it would be fun to look at a few cats facts - browse through my list and see if there are any that you didn't know.
1. There are over 500 million domestic cats in the world and there is evidence suggesting that domesticated cats have been around since 3600 B.C., that is 2,000 years before Egypt's pharaohs!
2. Cats can fall great heights and live to tell the tale.
There are cats who have survived falls from over 32 stories (320 meters) onto concrete. Also notable, a cat can jump up to six times its length.
3. Cat's can't be punished.
Cats simply won't learn from being disciplined. Also, "punishing" your cat can induce stress, leading to behavioural and health problems. Praise and rewards for desired behaviour is much more effective.
4. A cat can sense earthquakes!
...Maybe... cat owners have noticed their pet behaving strangely just before an earthquake hits. A cat's foot pads are very sensitive and many people believe that cats can detect vibrations of the earth through their paws.
5. Cats sleep 70% of their lives....and they don't feel guilty about it.
Also, cats can dream - cats do prefer to nap, but if they're relaxed enough to enter a deeper sleep, they produce the same brain wave patterns that we do when we dream. Go figure!
6. Cats make more than 100 different sounds whereas dogs make around 10.
Scientists have not yet pinpointed the mechanics of purring - some believe that it originates in the cardiovascular system rather than the throat.
Kittens only purr in a monotone whereas older cats do so in two to three resonant notes and can purr continually as they inhale and exhale.
Also a clever thing cats do for attention is they can adapt their vocalisations to manipulate your behaviour. For example, if they want food, they can meow like a human baby, guaranteed to get a response from you!
7. Cats have free-floating clavicle bones that attach their shoulders to their forelimbs, which allows them to squeeze through narrow small spaces.
8. Cats love the heat and do sweat.
The ancestors of cats were originally desert-living animals and with this heredity, heat is no problem for them, they sweat through their paws where they have scent glands as well as along their tails, their forehead, lips and chin.
9. Cats can't taste sweetness.
So no need to feed them sweet treats- remember, chocolate can make them very sick of even cause death and cats are often lactose intolerant, so no need for milk!
Raw fish is also another no no.
10. A goody here-
Owning a cat can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack by a third. What a great reason to own a cat!
11. You actually can train a cat to walk on a lead, use the toilet and beg if you
want to take the time -just use gentle persistence and patience and the reward of no litter tray in your home could be well worth the effort.
** So there you have it, my list of 11 interesting facts, I hope you found out something you didn't know :)
Cats are wonderful, proud, sophisticated and mysterious and they make soft, fluffy, cuddly and awesome pets.
** As a footnote to my list of interesting facts and just to prove how much some owners cherish their pets, the world's richest cat is worth $13,000,000 (yes, million $ !) after his owner passed away and he was left the fortune.....
Do drop a comment in the comment box below and let me know of anything interesting you know about cats.