Cats are pretty popular pets these days, and you might think that there’s nothing left to learn about them. But the truth is that there are facts about cats that even some cat owners don’t know! Now, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of our feline friends.
Cats Have Paws for Climbing
Cats have paws to help them climb trees and tall structures such as fences. Cats also have claws on their paws which help them grip onto surfaces. The claws are designed to remove dead or loose skin from their paw pads, so they don’t overgrip with their claws when climbing.
Why does a Cat Purr?
The reason that cats purr is because they are happy. They will also purr when they are nursing their kittens to keep them calm and content. Cats will sometimes growl or hiss when they are in pain or feeling threatened, and a common misconception is that this means that the cat is mad at whatever it’s growling or hissing at.
Are Cats More Popular Than Dogs?
Cats are definitely more popular than dogs as pets! In the United States alone, there are 62 million cats kept as pets. Cats have also been around for a lot longer than dogs. The first cat that was domesticated dates back to 4500 BC, whereas the first dog that was domesticated dates back to 3150 BC.
Does a Cat’s Nose Touch Its Toes?
Most house cats will have a nose-to-tail length of about 6 inches. Most cats that live outdoors or are part of a feral cat colony will have a much longer tail, which helps them to keep balance when running away from predators such as coyotes and foxes.
Cats Like to Play
Cats love a good game of charades with their favorite people, but on the other hand they are animals at heart. Cats will typically meow and head-butt with their tails twitching when they are hungry and want food. They also usually copy this behavior when they want you to pet them.
Other facts about cats include the fact that they have pretty good vision and hearing, but they don’t have an acute sense of smell. Cats are also typically more active at night when their prey is active as well.
Do You Love Cats?
If you love cats you should really think about becoming a volunteer for your local animal shelter or a cat rescuer! Cats that are rescued from the streets or feral colonies will need all of the love and care that they can get.
Volunteering for an animal shelter means that you’ll get to spend plenty of time with kittens, cats, and even dogs. You’ll also have a chance to socialize with the animals so that they will be happy and healthy once they get adopted.