1/30. Cats are often seen as aloof – doing what they want when they want. However, as it turns out, these furry felines can actually recognise their owners voice. So next time you call your kitty and they don’t respond, they’re choosing to do so.
2/30. Think it’s cute when your cat rubs themselves against you? Well, really what Fluffy is trying to do is claim you as her own “territory”. That’s right, your cat is claiming ownership over YOU.
3/30. In ancient Egypt, it was illegal to kill cats. Why? In large part, it was because they were revered by this ancient society and seen as sacred animals. Not to mention their proficiency at catching mice and snakes!
4/30. Dogs are always considered to be the smartest pet. They’re smart, sure, but what of cats? Turns out their brains may be smaller, but they are more similar to a human brain than a dog is. That may explain why cats have such complex personalities!
5/30. Move over dogs – cats are the most popular pet in town! There are about 88.3 million cats in the U.S.A., which is more than the 74.8 million estimated dog population.
6/30. Cats sleep for a whopping 70% of their life. Why is that?
In the wild, felines have to spend a lot of energy hunting and chasing their prey. As a result, they spend much of their time saving energy by sleeping!
If only humans could spend that much time sleeping too…
7/30. Cats meow to communicate with other cats, right? Wrong. They’re actually speaking to you! That’s right, Mr. Sparkles is trying to speak to you.
8/30. Men, having trouble in finding love in your life? Get a cat! Male cat owners are more lucky in love than those without, probably because they are seen as more sensitive and independent.
9/30. Cats are often depicted in films as loving a good saucer of milk. Well, next time think twice about feeding your cat a bit of milk because they may actually be lactose intolerant! Kitties start becoming less lactose tolerant once they’ve been weaned off their mother’s milk.
10/30. Think Usain Bolt is fast? Well if he went up against the average house cat, he wouldn’t win a single race!
11/30. Is it possible for a cat to own money? Well the Italian cat Tommaso may just blow your mind.
When Tommaso’s widowed and childless 94 year old owner died, she him everything – including her entire $13 million fortune. That can buy you a whole lot of canned tuna!
12/30. The town of Talkeetna, Alaska is home to the world’s most beloved mayor – a cat named Stubbs. He has held his position as mayor for the past 19 years!
13/30. Cats are true carnivores – they have barely any taste buds able to detect “sweet” tastes. Dentists love them!
14/30. Dogs may have incredible hearing, but cats have incredible vocal chords. They are able to make up to 100 distinct sounds, while dogs can only make around 10.
Time to put together that kitty choir you’ve always dreamed of having!
15/30. One of cats most distinctive traits is their undeniable independence. Research has even shown that their path to domestication was somewhat self-directed. Cats would live near humans for all the tasty pests (mice, rats, etc.) we attract, and in return humans would leave scraps of food out for our furry friends. Eventually, spoiling these furry felines was enough to bribe them to stay with us.
16/30. Cats can only sweat out of one place on their bodies – their paws. Instead, when cats groom themselves, the saliva will evaporate off of their bodies, cooling them off.
Mmmm, saliva bath anyone?
17/30. According to urban legend, it was the great physicist, Sir Isaac Newton, that first invented the “cat door”.
18/30. Not only are cats found pretty much all over planet Earth, but they’ve actually made their way to the final frontier too! That’s right, there’s been a cat in space. In 1963, two cats were sent up to space. To infinity and beyond!
Hey, it’s Fluffy Armstrong!
19/30. People who prefer cats tend to be more open, independent and introverted than people who prefer dogs.
20/30. Ever wonder why you sometimes see your cat chomping away at a clump of grass? Turns out grass is a natural laxative, and can help hairballs pass through the cat’s digestive system.
Grass can also cause another mechanism to get rid of the hairball – vomiting! Cute!
21/30. If your cat is “kneading” you with their front paws, that shows she’s content. Kittens knead their mother’s belly during feeding to show enjoyment and help milk flow.
22/30. Ever have your cat gift you with the dead body of a small rodent or bird? They’re trying to tell you they think you’re an incompetent hunter. Female cats do the exact same thing when they are teaching their young to hunt.
23/30. There is a breed of cat, known as Hemingway cats, that have extra toes on their paws. Known as polydactyly, cats with this genetic condition were revered by the late writer Ernest Hemingway.
24/30. During the 15th century, it’s alleged that Pope Innocent VIII hated cats so much that he deemed them demonic and ordered for them all to be killed.
25/30. Abraham Lincoln and his wife were huge fans of cats. They had four cats in the White house while Lincoln was president. It is said that when his wife Maru was asked if she had any hobbies, she answered simply “cats”.
26/30. Ever smell something so good you wish you could taste it? Well cats can! They have a sensory organ on the roof of their mouth that allows them to “taste” the air.
27/30. Owning a cat is good for the soul, but is it also good for your health? Studies have shown that having a cat reducing you risk of stroke and heart attack by one third!
You know what they say! A cat a day, keeps the doctor away.
28/30. There is actually a technical term for the word hairball. It’s known as a trichobezoar, or indigestible ball in the gastrointestinal tract made up of hair.
Thank you science!
29/30. The ridges on the nose of a cat are the equivalent to fingerprints on a human hand – they are completely unique for each cat.
30/30. In America, only 24% of all shelter cats get adopted. So go out and adopt a cat today!
Via: Knowable
Be sure to share this with your friends on Facebook