The average cat sleeps about 16 hours a day. It is two-thirds of a cat's life! It is easy to calculate that a cat who lived for 12 years slept for about 8. The dream of many modern people.
Cats can make up to 100 different sounds, while dogs can make up to ten.
The average lifespan of a domestic cat is 15 years. But the average life of a stray cat is only about 5 years.
As of 2021, there were roughly 700 million cats worldwide, with 220 million as domestic pets and a staggering 480 million as strays. Accurately counting their number is virtually impossible.
The oldest cat that lived with a man was discovered in a grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The examination showed that she was buried about 9.5 thousand years ago. Much earlier than cats became popular in Egypt.
Cats were associated with evil spirits in Catholic countries in the Middle Ages. It was believed that the devil could transform himself into a black cat. For this reason, they were often burned alive at the stake.
The first cat launched into space was from France and her name was Felicette. She was launched on 18 October 1963. She had electrodes surgically implanted into the brain to assess neurological activity. The cat returned safely to Earth after the flight.
Cats are able to move each ear independently, allowing them to track two sound sources at once. Hearing is so good that a cat is able to focus on the rustles in space with closed eyes.
A cat can accelerate to a high speed - 50 kilometers per hour. But it can't keep up this pace for long. The usual running speed does not exceed 14 km/h.
Cats rub against us to collect information and exchange scents. Felines have scent glands on their cheeks, flanks and paws. When they rub against objects they put their own personal scent. It makes them feel secure.
The Turkish Van is an amazing cat breed. They have been nicknamed the "swimming cats", due to an unusual fascination with water. They may stir their water bowls, play with water. You can find them splashing in ponds and pools.
Cats tilt their heads when eating to chew on the comfortable side of their jaws. They cannot move their jaws left and right, and the masticatory muscles are very poorly developed.
A large number of vertebrae - 53 - gives amazing flexibility to cats. For comparison, humans have only 34. Cat's vertebrae have a special, flexible, elastic cushioning on the disks.
If a cat can fit its head through the gap, then the rest of the body will squeeze through. All thanks to the flexible skeleton and the lack of rigid collarbone.
Cats have about twice the heart rate of humans, with an average of 120 to 150 beats per minute. It can reach 220 during physical activity.
Cats need a meat-based diet because they cannot get all the amino acids they need from plant foods.
Cats are able to drink seawater. Feline kidneys can filter out the salt from water. The amount of salt water should be relatively small to avoid dehydration and illness.
Cats are very clean animals, so they lick their fur more than 10 times a day, and their saliva is an effective cleaning agent. Such cleanliness is needed to hide scent from predators and cleanse injuries.
When a cat is severely beating his tail from side to side, then he is irritated, annoyed, or angry and ready to fight. This is a distance-increasing behavior.
A healthy cat has a body temperature of about 38.6 degrees Celsius, so it always seems very warm and pleasant to humans.
Show more
