9 Fun Facts about Cats
Cat owners know well that each cat has a very unique personality. Cats are intriguing and sometimes difficult to read. On top of all that, there are so many interesting facts about cats that would surprise even the biggest cat lovers out there. Here are 9 facts about cats that really blew us away.
- There are exactly 24 whiskers on every cat; 12 on each side. These whiskers are key tools for cats hunting and sensing their surroundings. Research has shown that they actually connect to a part of their brain that is similar to the visual cortex – meaning that cats can literally almost see with their whiskers.
- There are approximately 4.2 million pet dogs in Australia compared to only 3.3 million pet cats. By contrast, cats are much more popular in North America where there are estimated to be 73 million cats compared to 63 million dogs.
- A cat’s brain is biologically more similar to a human brain than it is to a dog’s. Both humans and cats have identical regions in their brains that are responsible for emotions.
- A cat’s nose pad is ridged with a unique pattern, just like the fingerprint of a human.
- Cats spend 70% of their day sleeping which means a cat that is 9 years old has been awake for only 3 years of its life. When awake, a cat will spend more than 30% of its time grooming. This means a cat who is 9 years old has only spent about 2 years awake and not grooming.
- Have you ever noticed a cat’s tail quivering when it is near you? This is an expression of love.
- Cats have 32 muscles that control the outer ear (humans only have 6). A cat can independently rotate its ears 180 degrees.
- Cow’s milk is not good for cats! Most cats are lactose intolerant. The belief that milk is great for cats is a myth. Kittens require milk from their own mother. If they can’t have this, there is a special kitten formula you can use to ensure the kitten develops into a healthy cat.
- The oldest cat recorded was a cat from England who died in 1939. Her name was “Puss” and she was 36 years old.