There are many things you might or might not know about cats.

…the species

  • Cats have 30 teeth (dogs have 42, humans 32, rabbits 28).
  • Cats have a reflective layer in their eyes, known as the tapetum lucidum, which magnifies incoming light allowing them to see up to 6 times better than humans can in low light.
  • Cats have 32 muscles in their ears (humans have only 12).
  • Cat’s whiskers are attached to nerve cells and are used to judge the size of openings as well as providing your cat information about everything he/she touches, as well as shifts in air pressure.
  • Cats can run at speeds of up to 30km per hour.
  • Cats’ tongue is covered in tiny backwards facing thorn like barbs that guide food to the back of the mouth. These rough tongues are also perfectly designed for grooming and lapping up water.
  • Cats make more than 100 different sounds whereas dogs make around 10.
  • Cats have five toes on each front paw, but only four toes on each back paw.
  • The largest litter of kittens produced 19 kittens.

…behavior

  •  On average, cats spend 2/3 of every day sleeping.
  • Cats hate the water because their fur does not insulate well when it’s wet. The Turkish Van, however, is one cat that likes swimming. Bred in central Asia, its coat has a unique texture that makes it water resistant.

…history

  • The first cat in space was French. She was named Felicette, or “Astrocat.” She survived the trip.

 

…around cats

  • The invention of the pet door was attributed to Isaac Newton.
  • A male cat is called a “Tom” and a female cat is called a “Queen.”

 

more to come