Facts You Do not Know About Cats

Facts You Do not Know About Cats

1. There are many types of cats, and all look very different, and have very different personalities.

2. Most cats usually weigh between 5.5 -16 pounds, but some can weigh up to 25 pounds!

3. Cats are healthiest and safest when kept indoors. Cats who live inside can live up to 20 years longer than cats who go outside. 

4. Sadly, there are more cats than there are homes for them. Adopting a cat from a shelter instead of buying one from a pet store or breeder gives a needy cat a loving home.

5. More than 100,000 cats are killed each year just for dissection in biology classrooms across the country. Many of the cats killed for dissection were once someone’s
pets.

6. Some of the different types of cats are Siamese cats, Alley cats, Burmese cats, Persian cats, Ossey cats, Tuxedo cats, Tortoiseshell cats, Tabby cats, Mancoon cats, and Mant cats.

7. Some of the things that cats don’t usually like are vacuum cleaners, baths, and chocolate [because chocolate can get them sick].

8. Some famous cats are Kitty Perry, Morris, Garfield, Pink Panther, Felix the cat, Azrael, Cat in the hat, Salem, Puss in boots, and Snagglepuss, 

9. The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern is unique, just like a finger print of a human.

10. There are more than 500 domestic cats in the world, with 33 different breeds.

11. A cats heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 140 beats per minute.

12. Calico cats are almost always female.

13. Cats knead with their paws when their happy.

14. During her productive life, one female cat would have more than 100 kittens.

15. An adult cat has 32 teeth.

16. Cats have a natural dislike of sweet tasting foods because they are so well evolved as carnivores that they cannot digest sugars very well, they convert fats instead.

17. Thanks to their very powerful hind legs and flexible spine, cats are noted for their ability to leap long distances, often as much as six times their entire length.

18. Cats are able to "always" land on their feet because they have a very flexible spine, enabling them to orient their bodies aided by a balancing organ in their inner ears.

19. The whiskers of a cat are devices for indirectly feeling the immediate environment When something touches a whisker it is sensed by special cells surrounding its root.

20. Cats have tongues covered in sharp hair-like points called papillae. They are used to scrape blood and flesh from bones, and for raking their fur while cleaning themselves.

21. Purring is most obviously used to express pleasure, but cats are known to purr when they are ill or injured, suggesting that it comforts them during times of stress.

22. Cats' fur has two layers. There is a layer of guard hairs which keep the cat clean, as well as a dense underfur to insulate against hot or cold conditions.

23. The reason why cats rub their faces and tails against objects, including pet owners, is the fact that they are leaving traces of their own scent as territorial markers.

24. Cats have large pupils to let as much light in as possible at night. A pet cat's eyes are only slightly smaller than ours, yet it can see six times better than a human in the dark.

25. Keeping cool can be a real problem for cats. They can only sweat from their paws because of their dense fur, so they will lie in shade and pant to avoid overheating.

26. Cats have short muzzles because they rely more heavily on their senses of vision and hearing while hunting, rather than their sense of smell.

27. The pads of a cat's paws are so sensitive to temperature that they quickly locate warm spots to sit.

28. The traditional way for diagnosing illness in a cat, is to check its nose. It is cold and noticeably wet, then it may have a chill, cold, or even cat flu.

29. The belly of a cat is its most vulnerable area. By rolling over and exposing its belly, a cat is therefore displaying a great deal of trust towards a person.