In honor of National Cat Lovers Month, we’re sharing
some incredible facts about our feline friends!
See how many of these fun facts you know!
Don’t worry, we won’t tell your kitty!
Cats in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats and when a cat died, family members would shave off their eyebrows in mourning. They also held funerals and embalmed the cat with a wooden mask and buried them in the family tomb or pet cemetery (along with mummified mice).
In 1888, more than 300,000 mummified cats were found in an Egyptian cemetery.
Smuggling a cat out of ancient Egypt was punishable by death.
Ancient Egyptians worshipped Bast, a goddess with a woman’s body and cat’s head.
A Clowder or A Kindle?
A group of adult cats is called a “clowder.”
A group of kittens is called a “kindle.”
The Oldest Cat
The oldest feline on record was 38-year-old Crème Puff!
Call Me Calico
Calico cats are almost all females and sterile.
Does Milk Love Cats?
While kittens need milk to survive, adult cats are lactose intolerant! They lack enough lactase – an enzyme needed to properly breakdown the lactose sugar in milk. Feeding milk to adult cats can lead to digestive upset and diarrhea.
Can You Hear Me Now?
Cats have 80-100 different sounds they can vocalize.
Blue-Eyed White Cats
White cats are often deaf in one or both ears, especially with blue eyes. When only one eye is blue, most likely the cat is deaf only on that side. About 65-85% of blue-eyed white cats are born deaf.
Tippy Toes
Wonder why you never hear a cat approach? They walk on their toes!
Blue-Eyed Kittens
Kittens are born with blue eyes; they change color about 2 weeks after their eyes open.
The Whiskers Have it
Cats have 4 rows of whiskers (exactly 12 whiskers on each side) that can detect the slight change in air currents.
Yawning to Smell
Cats smell with a small scent gland in the roof of their mouths! When smelling urine or another cat’s private parts, felines will open their mouths wide to draw in the odor to this gland.
Call Me What?!
The medical term for a feline hairball is a “bezoar.”
Feline Breeds
There are approximately 40 recognized cat breeds.
Move Over Egypt!
It’s commonly thought ancient Egyptians domesticated the first cat. Not so! Four thousand years earlier the oldest known pet feline was found on the island of Cyprus in a 9,500-year-old grave!
Historical Love/Hate Relationship with Cats
During the Spanish Inquisition, Pope Innocent VIII condemned cats as evil. During the Middle Ages, cats were associated with witchcraft.
Cats Conquered Space Too!
The first cat went into space in 1963. Felicette (AKA “Astro-cat”) was a French cat and survived the trip.
Ulterior Motives
Cats rub up against people to be affectionate, but also to mark its territory (you) with the scent glands around its face!
A Sneezing Lion and a Cat
Hebrew legend says Noah prayed to God to help protect all the food on the ark from rats. So, God made a lion sneeze and out popped a cat!
Pedigree Me This!
The most popular, pedigreed felines are:
Persian Cat
Maine Coon Cat
Siamese Cat
Jumping Jack Cat
A feline can jump 5-7 times its own height in a single jump.
This Cat Loves Water
The Turkish Van likes water and swimming. Its coat has a unique, water-resistant texture.
First Cloned Cat
The first commercially cloned cat was a feline named “Little Nicky” and cost his owner $50,000.
Hairy Tufts
The tufts of hair in a cat’s ear are called “ear furnishings.” They are responsible for:
Keeping out dirt
Directing sounds into the ear
Insulating the ears
Sweet Dreams
Cats spend two-thirds of their life sleeping. (In contrast, humans spend around one-third of their time snoozing.) No wonder they are so content and laid back! This means a 9-year-old cat has been awake for only three years!
Want more fun feline facts?
Check out the additional resources listed below!
Your Pet AuPair
We Love Cats as Much as You Do!
Offering Cat Visits, Dog Walking and other Pet Services in the Harford County, Maryland areas of Bel Air, Forest Hill, Abingdon, Fallston and Churchville!
We also offer the following pet services:
Pet Taxi
Pet Sitting
Pet Boarding (Our Home)
Overnight Pet Sitting (Your Home)
To get started with our professional, bonded and insured pet care services,
just call 410-989-1533 or click here to get a quote.
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