13 Interesting Cat Facts You Need To Know
Here are some interesting cat facts I thought you might like!
Adult cats rarely meow to each other
Kittens may meow to their mothers, but once grown into an adult they only meow to communicate with humans.
Cat whiskers are extremely sensitive
Whiskers can sense air currents which can help them sense objects in the dark as air flows around them. They also help determine movement of prey and predators.
Cats have more bones than us
An average cat has around 245 bones in its body while humans have 206. Some cats have more or less bones depending on if they have extra toes or a longer tail.
Cats only sweat through their paw pads
Cats may leave a trail of wet paw prints when they are hot. They may also sweat when they are stressed like when they visit the vet and leave sweat drops on the exam table.
Most cats are lactose intolerant
Cats drink milk from their mother until they are weaned at around 8 weeks of age. After that, they lose the lactase enzyme that helps them digest milk. Just like people who are lactose intolerant, cats will experience painful stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Cats can get heartworm
Heartworms are not as common in cats as they are in dogs, but they can still get them. There is medication to treat heartworm in dogs, but it cannot be given to cats. Prevention is the only way. For more info on heartworm in cats visit American Heartworm Society
Cats can drink seawater
When people drink seawater, it causes us to get dehydrated. A cat’s kidneys can actually filter out the salt so they can use seawater for hydration.
A group of cats is called a clowder
They can also be called a glaring if they are unsure of each other. A litter of kittens can also be called a kindle.
Cats can’t taste sweetness
All cats including lions and tigers exclusively eat meat and so do not have the need to taste sweet. According to this Scientific American article they “lack 247 base pairs of the amino acids that make up the DNA of the Tas1r2 gene. As a result, it does not code for the proper protein and it does not permit cats to taste sweets.” Cats can taste things we cannot including adenosine triphosphate which is the compound that supplies the energy in every living cell.
Most male cats are left handed and most female cats are right handed
Check out this article from National Geographic on to find out if your cat is right or left handed!
Owning a cat can reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack by a third
Cats help reduce your stress, anxiety, and blood pressure which leads to a lower risk for stroke and heart attack.
A cat’s brain is very similar to a human’s brain
According to Psychology Today, the structure of a cat’s brain is about 90% similar to our brain. They also state that a cat’s cerebral cortex (responsible for cognitive information processing) has about twice as many neurons as a dog’s!
Lucky black cats
Some people consider black cats bad luck. Much of this belief comes from the Middle Ages in Europe when black cats were associated with witches and continued on to the United States with the Salem witch trials.
In many places, people actually consider black cats to be lucky! In Japan and much of Asia, a black cat crossing your path means good luck. If you are in Scotland, a black cat appearing on your doorstep is a sign of prosperity. In England, a black cat given as a wedding gift is thought to bring good luck. In Italy, hearing a black cat sneeze brings good luck.
