Cat Facts

20 Interesting Cat Fats

  1. Cats have been domesticated for around 4,000 years.
  2. A cat can jump up to five times its height in a single bound.
  3. The average lifespan of an indoor-only cat is 12-15 years, while outdoor cats typically live only two to three years due to dangers from cars, diseases, and other animals or humans.
  4. Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds. In contrast, dogs can only make 10.
  5. Cats' whiskers are incredibly sensitive and they use them as feelers to help navigate their environment, even in the dark.
  6. The oldest known pet cat was recently found buried with its owner in a 9,500-year-old grave on Cyprus Island.
  7. Unlike dogs who sweat through their tongues, cats sweat through their paws.
  8. Most cats don't like water because their coats do not insulate them well enough when wet; however, some breeds (e.g., Turkish Van) love it.
  9. Cats spend about 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves -- which helps keep them clean and cool during hot summer days.
  10. A group of kittens is called a kindle, while an adult group is called a clowder or pounce.
  11. The technical term for a hairball is trichobezoar which comes from the Greek words for hair and to vomit.
  12. Cats have powerful night vision thanks to the extra layer of cells behind their retinas that reflects light back into the eye allowing more light reception than humans or dogs possess - making things appear much brighter at night time than they do during day time.
  13. In ancient Egypt, people believed that when someone died, if they were accompanied by a cat or lion cub, they would be taken safely into the afterlife.
  14. Cats have 32 muscles controlling each ear -- compared with humans six muscles per ear -- giving them incredible hearing abilities that allow them to hear high-frequency sounds up to two octaves higher than us.
  15. Unlike most mammals who walk heel-to-toe, cats walk toe-to-heel, meaning that every step leaves behind both visible paw prints.
  16. When feeling threatened, cats raise one front paw off the ground as though ready for battle; this gesture is often followed by hissing, growling, spitting, or scratching.
  17. A female domestic cat can give birth to up to three litters per year containing anywhere between 1 and 9 kittens each time, depending on her age, health and breed type.
  18. The longest-living domestic cat ever recorded lived until she was 38 years old.
  19. In Japan, there are unique cafes where customers pay money to hang out with cute kitties.
  20. Certain breeds, such as Siamese Bengals and Maine Coons, are very talkative creatures meowing far more frequently than other cat breeds.

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