Cat Facts

Let us take a walk back in history, and unravel the mysteries that have surrounded cats. These animals have gone through every emotion displayed by human beings; they have been loved, hated, worshipped and persecuted. Despite, all this, the cat is still a human beings best friend. The African Wildcat was the first to be domesticated some 5000 years ago. This was done because the people of Egypt consumed large amounts of grain, which was being eaten up by rats. Since cats were the only solution to the problem, every person in Egypt began leaving food out for the cats. At this time, the Pharaoh felt the need to have more cats to protect his own granaries. As asking everyone to give up their cats might cause a revolt, he declared cats as "demigods," so that people would care for them and they would remain his personal property too. The cat gained in status and strange rules came into existence. One rule stated that if anyone killed a cat, he would be killed too. The other said that if a cat died a natural death, the family had to have their statement confirmed by the priest. People began beating their chest and shaving their eyebrows to display their sadness on the death of a cat.

Facts about Cats

The love of cats is known as "Ailurophilia." A cat takes 20 to 40 breaths per minute. A cat's urine gleams under black light. Humans have 30 vertebrae less than cats. You could try stroking a cat to relieve stress. A cat uses its tail to maintain balance. Unlike other animals, cats walk on their toes. A cat is unable to taste sweet. The average cat litter consists of 2 to 6 kittens. There are more bones in a cat's body compared to a human's. A cat has 230 while a human has 206. A cat's heart beats at the rate of 110 to 140 beats per minute. A cat is able to gauge your mood. A change in your mood might result in a change in your cat's mood too. A cat has 30 teeth, which consist of 12 incisors, 10 premolars, 4 canines and 4 molars. When a cat is frightened, the hair on its body stands up fairly evenly. When the hair stands up only in a narrow band along the tail and the spine, it is an indication that the cat is ready to attack. Unlike dogs and humans, the cat is unable to move its jaws side to side, or laterally. The only motion that a cat's jaw performs is up and down. A cat's whiskers, eyes and ears will tell you the cat's mood. A layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light is responsible for the cat being able to see six times better than a human. A cat has a third eye called a haw, which is only visible when the cat is not feeling well. A cat has a more sensitive hearing compared to dogs and humans. As a kitten grows older, the color of its eyes changes. A cat eats grass as it helps in digestion and also gets rid of fur in its stomach. The cat's back paw has 4 toes while the front paw has 5. A cat's body temperature is 102 °F A cat has 24 whiskers, which it uses for measuring distances. Just like a human fingerprint, the nose pad of a cat is ridged with a pattern, which is unique. If you notice your cat snoring or rolling on its back, it means it trusts you. The tiny barbs, which are located on a cat's tongue, help it to scoop the liquid backward. A cat is blessed with over a hundred vocal cords. White cats with blue eyes have higher chances of becoming deaf. Kittens usually open their eyes between 7 to 10 days; in some cases this might even happen in 2 days. The Jacobson's organ is a special scent organ located in the roof of the cat's mouth. This organ helps the cat to analyze smell. Those cats that are born with 6 or 7 extra front and back toes are called "polydactyl." "Kindle," is the name given to a group of kittens. "Clowder, " is what a group of grown cats are called.

These were a few cat facts that are interesting as well as educational. So next time you want to have a pet cat, you would be better prepared to handle it. Good luck!