Did you know that there are over 500 million domestic cats in the world?
For such a popular pet, there sure is a lot we don’t know about our feline friends! Check out the facts below to learn more about cats in honor of Happy Healthy Cat Month (September).
- Cat and humans have been together for over 10,000 years.
- The heaviest cat on record weighed over 46 lbs!
- Cats have powerful night vision, allowing them to see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs in order to see.
- A group of cats is called a clowder.
- A litter of kittens is called a kindle.
- Cats spend 30-50% of their awake hours grooming themselves.
- A cat’s nose has catnip receptors.
- A cat named Blackie inherited his owner’s $13 million estate, which was given to three cat charities.
- Abraham Lincoln loved cats!
- A cat lover is called an ailurophile.
- The first cat went to space in 1963.
- The world’s oldest living cat is 31 years old.
- The average cat can run up to 30 mph.
- Ancient Egyptians loved cats so much they worshiped a half-feline goddess named Bastet.
- In Great Britain and Japan, black cats are a sign of good luck.
- Cats can’t taste sweets.
- The world’s first major cat show was held at London’s Crystal Palace in July 1871.
- Some cats are born with six toes.
- Cats have 244 bones in their bodies, where humans only have 206.
- Cats can sweat through their paws.
- Around 200 cats live in Disneyland’s park and help keep control of the rodent population.
- There are more pet cats in the US than pet dogs.
- Cats can jump up to five times their own height.
- Adult cats have 30 teeth.
- A cat’s brain has twice the amount of neurons in the cerebral cortex as dogs.
- Cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents in air.
- Neutered males live 62% longer than unneutered cats, and spayed females live 39% longer than unspayed females.
- Cats can sleep 12 to 16 hours a day.
- When cats show you their bellies, it’s a sign of trust.
- Cats like small. Enclosed spaces because it makes them feel more protected and secure.
