Cats are quirky and fun animals. With their unique behavior and cute demeanor, they make great furry friends and good company for us humans. Read on to learn some exciting facts about cats !
The origin of cats
Cats have a long history with us humans. They were domesticated over 4,000 years ago, primarily to help protect grain stores from rodents in ancient Egypt. This valuable service made them beneficial and valued animals for humans, and great symbols in Egyptian culture. From Egypt, the love for cats spread to other parts of the world, and today they are one of the most popular pets globally.
10 facts about cats you might not know
Fact 1: Most cats are lactose intolerant.
Many people may think that cats and milk are the perfect combination. Despite the fact that our furry friends like to lick up some milk, most cats are actually lactose intolerant! If they drink cow's milk, they can get an upset stomach.
Fact 2: Unwanted behavior for attention
Many cat owners may know the frustration of their kitty using its paws to push glasses or objects off tables and kitchen counters. However, this type of behavior is often to get attention, and therefore saying no or getting angry often backfires. It may instead be a sign that your kitty is bored and wants to be entertained with a cat toy !
Fact 3: Your little kitty shares genes with a tiger
In fact, domestic cats share a whopping 95.6% of their genes with tigers. Yes, you read that right, TIGERS. They also share some of the same behavioral habits, such as scent and urine marking, hunting prey, and how they move. So it's not without reason that tigers are referred to as jungle cats.
Fact 4: Those small, soft ears are full of muscles
Cats have 32 muscles in each ear, which enable them to twist their ears to focus precisely on the source of a sound. In addition, cats can rotate their ears a full 180 degrees!
Fact 5: The hairs act as feelers
A cat's whiskers are not only cute, but also have a very important function that helps the cat move smoothly and elegantly. In total, cats have 24 whiskers around their muzzle that act as small navigation sensors. These hairs also help the cat assess distance and size when, for example, she is about to crawl through tunnels. These hairs therefore have an important function and should not be trimmed!
Fact 6: Cats are faster than Usain Bolt
A domestic cat can run at speeds of up to 30 mph (48 km/h) over short distances. This means that a cat can run faster than superstar Usain Bolt in a 200-meter sprint!
Fact 7: Cats are self-cleaning
Many people may know that cats are clean animals, but did you know that a cat spends about half its life cleaning itself? If you're lucky, your kitty may also try to clean you a little by licking you. If so, this is a good sign, because it means the cat likes you (or that you smell like food).
Fact 8: They can hear rodents communicate
Cats have extremely good hearing, and can hear ultrasound up to 50–60 kilohertz. This is the type of frequency at which rodents communicate, which is why cats can often hear mice. In addition, mother cats can communicate with their kittens at such frequencies, so that larger predators cannot locate the litter based on the sound.
Fact 9: Cats don't taste sweet
Cats are thought to be the only mammals that can't taste sweet things. Not that they need much sugar in their diet anyway, so maybe that's just as well.
Fact 10: They rub against each other to mark
Another typical cat behavior you may have noticed is that they often rub themselves against both objects and people. They do this to release their scent and mark their territory. In other words; if Kitty rubs her face or body against you, she wants to show that you belong to her.
Facts about different cat breeds
The cats we keep as pets are a separate species of cat in themselves, and are known as the domestic cat. Nevertheless, we often divide the domestic cat into different breeds when it comes to breeding. Here, for example, you can find different hair lengths, namely short-haired and long-haired. There are also cat breeds with different fur thicknesses, as well as hairless cats. In addition to appearance, you can also see different behavioral characteristics in the different cat breeds. The Norwegian Cat Breed Association (NRR) is a member of the International Cat Federation (FIFe) and recognizes a total of 50 cat breeds.
