Fun and Interesting Facts about Cats

Cats are generally considered to be more aloof and to require less attention than dogs. Some people believe that cats have a slightly superior attitude, yet this hasn’t stopped cats from becoming an extremely popular pet. They don’t require walking every day, as dogs do, and many people enjoy having the company of a cat. Cats are elected as one of the most popular pets. Here are some fun and interesting facts about cats you may not have known.

The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is the world’s most popular pet.

A descendant of the North African Wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), the domestic cat became associated with humans when agriculture began. Cats chose to live near grain stores, where they would be able to catch mice and other small animals. This association suited humans as well as cats – cats gained easy access to food and humans had their food protected from infestation.

Only pet to purr

Cats are unique in that they are the only pet to purr. Cats are able to purr at about 26 cycles per second, a frequency which is the same as that of an idling diesel engine. You may think that your cat is purring out of enjoyment, but a cat’s purr can indicate other emotions. He could be purring because he is scared or hurt, for example.

Intelligent animal

Cats are extremely intelligent animals and only monkeys and chimps have a higher IQ in the animal world.

Good for health

Owning a cat could be beneficial for your health, as studies indicate that stroking a cat can help to lower your blood pressure.

Good hearing

Cats have 32 muscles in each ear, which enables them to pick up on the minutest of sounds. Indeed, their hearing is extremely good, because whereas a human’s hearing stops at 20 kHz, a cat’s hearing stops at 65 kHz.

A good sense of smell

Cats also have an incredible sense of smell, which is about 14 times stronger than a human’s sense of smell.

A cat’s pad

Every cat has a unique feature, his nose pad. A cat’s nose pad is akin to a human fingerprint in that no two nose prints are the same.

Rolling on its back

You know that a cat trusts you when he decides to roll on his back.

Cat’s body temperature

Cats have a normal body temperature of between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Higher vocal sounds

Cats are able to express themselves in more ways than one, since they have 100 vocal sounds compared to the 10 vocal sounds that dogs have.

How do cats drink?

Instead of using the top of their tongue to drink liquid, cats actually use the underside of their tongue.

Cat’s whiskers

Cats’ whiskers serve a useful purpose by enabling them to determine whether a space is big enough to accommodate them or not.

Polydactyl cat

Cats usually have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws, although some cats have extra toes, in which case they are known as a polydactyl cat.