Anyone who is a cat person can attest to the qualities that make cats great pets. They are low maintenance, loving and great for people who do not have a ton of space. Like dogs, domestic cats have been around for thousands of years. Due to their popularity, many people know quite a lot about their feline friends, but there are many things that make them unique. Check out this list of fun facts to learn even more about cats.
- Cats are the most popular pet in the United States. There are 88 million pet cats and 75 million dogs.
- Milk might be a common treat for cats in the movies, but many cats are actually lactose intolerant.
- Ever wondered why your cat’s purr sounds different? Cats can make more than 100 different sounds, while dogs can only make 10.
- A cat has five toes on his front paws and four on the back, unless he is a polydactyl. Polydactyl cats are often called “Hemingway cats” because the author was fond of them.
- Cat’s strongest sense is hearing. They can hear sounds up to 64 kHz, compared to humans who can only hear up to 20 kHz.
- Cats can run up to 30 miles per hour and jump approximately 7 times their height.
- Cat’s whiskers can help cats detect objects and navigate in the dark, even though they cannot see in complete darkness.
- Cats cannot taste sweets. Scientists believe it is due to a mutation in a key taste receptor.
- A cat’s brain is biologically more similar to a human’s than it is to a dog’s. Humans and cats have identical regions in their brains that control emotions.
- Cats spend an average of ⅔ of every day sleeping, meaning a nine-year-old cat has been awake for only three years of its life.
