Cat Facts, Trivia and Snippets

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Over the years we collected several cat facts, trivia and snippets. Here you will find a collection of our favorites. Enjoy!

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

• People who own cats live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.

• Stroking a cat can help to relieve stress, and the feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.

• A cat has more bones than a human being; humans have 206 and the cat has from 230 to 250 bones.

• Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotions.

• A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute.

• Cats have 500 skeletal muscles, humans have 650.

• A cat's hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.

• Cats have 32 muscles that control the outer ear. They can rotate its ears independently 180 degrees.

• The cat's tail is used to maintain balance.

• Cats see six times better in the dark and at night than humans.

• Cats eat grass to aid their digestion and to help them get rid of any fur in their stomachs.

• When a cat is frightened, the hair stands up evenly all over their body. If their hair stands up only in a narrow band along the spine and tail they are ready to attack.

• Cats have a special scent organ located in the roof of their mouth.

More Cat Facts

• Kittens have baby teeth, which are replaced by permanent teeth when they are 7 month old. Adult cats have 30 teeth, 16 on the top and 14 on the bottom.

• A healthy cat has a temperature between 38 and 39 degrees Celsius.

• The female cat reaches puberty at around 6 to 10 months and the male cat between 9 and 12 months.

• Cat's front paws has 5 toes, but only 4 on their back paws. Cats born with 6 or 7 front toes and extra back toes are called polydactyl.

• Cats lose almost as much fluid in the saliva while grooming themselves as they do through urination.

• A female cat will be pregnant for approximately 9 weeks - between 62 and 65 days from conception to delivery.

• The average litter of kittens is between 2 - 6 kittens.

• Cats are "super fecund," which means that each of the kittens in her litter can have a different father.

• Cat lovers are officially called "Ailurophile."

• Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.

• Cats have two vocal chords, and can make over 100 sounds.

• All cats need taurine in their diet to avoid blindness. Cats must also have fat in their diet as they are unable to produce it on their own.

• When a cats rubs up against you, the cat is marking you with its scent claiming ownership.

• About 37% of American homes today have at least 1 cat.

• Cats knead with their paws when they are happy.

• Your cat loves you and can sense your moods. You can notice a change in your cat's behavior every time you are sad or under stress.

• The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tail horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.

• The average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years. Click here to find more information about cat facts and lifespan.

Cat Facts & More

• On average, a cat will sleep for 16 hours a day.

• The average cat weighs 12 pounds.

• You can tell a cat's mood by looking into its eyes. A frightened or excited cat will have large, round pupils. An angry cat will have narrow pupils.

• The pupil size is related as much to the cat's emotions as to the degree of light.

• Declawing a cat is the same as cutting a human's fingers off at the knuckle. There are several alternatives to a complete declawing, including trimming or a less radical (though more involved) surgery to remove the claws. Preferably, try to train your cat to use a scratching post. Click here to learn more about cat facts and scratching post.

• Many people think that cats are colorblind, but it’s a myth. Now we know that cats can see blues, reds and greens.

• Many cats are unable to properly digest cow's milk. Milk and milk products give them diarrhea.

• Cats love to hear the sound of their own name and your voice, so talk to them often.

• Purring is part of every cat's repertoire of social communication, apparently created by the movement of air in spasms through contractions of the diaphragm. Interestingly, purring is sometimes heard in cats who are severely ill or anxious, perhaps as a self-comforting vocalization. But, more typically, it is a sign of contentment, first heard in kittens as they suckle milk from their mother. Click here, for more cat facts.

• Blue-eyed, white cats are often prone to deafness.

• There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside.

• Cats and kittens should be acquired in pairs whenever possible as cat families interact best in pairs.

• Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed.

• In multi-cat households, cats of the opposite sex usually get along better.

• One litter box per cat, plus an extra box, is the best formula for a multi-cat household. 

• Never leave your cat in a vehicle alone. On summer days, temperatures in an automobile can reach 160 degrees in just minutes, even with the windows cracked.

• Some common houseplants poisonous to cats include: English Ivy, iris, mistletoe, philodendron, and yew.

• The fumes from moth balls destroy a cat's liver cells. Try cedar in your closet instead moth balls. For more information about cat facts and harmful substances, click here.

• Orange and lemon rinds are offensive to cats. A light rubbing of orange peel on furniture will discourage your cat from using it as a scratching post. 

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