Here are 10 facts about cats that you should know.
1. Cats can’t go back down a tree head first due to the direction of their claws.
2. A group of cats is called a “clowder” or “glaring”.
3. Cats are more popular in the United States than dogs, with around 88 million pet cats compared to 75 million pet dogs.
4. Cats can’t taste sweetness due to a genetic mutation affecting key taste receptors.
5. In Japan, cats are believed to have the power to turn into super spirits when they die.
6. Europe introduced cats into the Americas as a form of pest control in the 1750s.
7. Cats have both short-term and long-term memory, remembering up to 16 hours ago.
8. Cats have a third eyelid that functions as a shield for their cornea.
9. Cats are crepuscular, being most active around dusk and dawn.
10. Cats can change color, particularly Siamese cats.
These facts highlight the unique characteristics and behaviours of cats, from their physical traits to their interactions with humans and other animals.
Understanding these facts can help to enhance your relationship with your cat, as well as promote responsible cat ownership and care.
Lesser-known facts about cats’ anatomy
Some lesser-known facts about cats’ anatomy include:
1. Cats have a third eyelid that functions as a protective shield for their cornea.
2. Cats have a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum in their eyes, enhancing night vision with a characteristic glint.
3. Cats have a nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, that helps protect their eyes from scratches and debris.
4. Cats have a deeper and more tapered ear canal compared to humans, aiding in their exceptional hearing and direction-finding abilities.
5. Cats have highly developed semicircular canals in their inner ear, contributing to their agility and remarkable sense of balance.
Unique physical characteristics of cats
Some unique physical characteristics of cats include their retractable claws, padded feet for quiet stalking, whiskers for night movements and hunting, and a flexible spine that allows them to land on their feet from a fall.
Additionally, cats have a keen sense of vision with excellent visual acuity and binocular vision, specialised teeth for piercing and tearing meat, and a coat of fur that regulates body temperature, protects the skin, and supports their sense of touch.
Interesting facts about cats history
Cats have a rich history, with many interesting facts about their behaviour, anatomy, and cultural significance.
For example, cats were domesticated around 9,500 years ago, and have been associated with humans for nearly 10,000 years.
Cats have a third eyelid that functions as a protective shield for their cornea, and they have a reflective layer in their eyes called the tapetum lucidum, which enhances their night vision.
Cats have a learning style similar to that of a 2- to 3-year-old child, and their purrs vibrate at a frequency of 25 to 150 hertz, which is the same frequency at which muscles and bones repair themselves.
Cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents in the air, and they have whiskers on the backs of their front legs, as well as on their faces.
Cats have nearly twice the amount of neurons in their cerebral cortex as dogs, and they have the largest eyes relative to their head size of any mammal.
Cats have a flexible spine that allows them to land on their feet from a fall, and they have retractable claws for hunting and climbing.
Cats can drink sea water in order to survive, and they have a unique nose print, much like human fingerprints.
Cats were first brought to the Americas in colonial times to get rid of rodents, and they have contributed to the extinction of 33 different species.
Cats perceive people as big, hairless cats, and they have a variety of collective nouns, including “clowder,” “clutter,” “glaring,” and “pounce”.
Cats are crepuscular, being most active around dusk and dawn, and they have a unique genome that is 95.6 percent tiger, sharing many behaviours with their jungle ancestors.