10 fun facts about cats
There are some fun facts about cats that I’m sure you don’t know. After all, these animals are considered enigmatic, despite having accompanied humans for a long time.
According to a survey carried out by the Companion Animal Commission (COMAC), they are the most adopted pets, being present in more than 80% of households.
So, if you have a feline in your house, how about discovering more about it by knowing the curiosities about cats? Below we list 10 fun facts about cats.
1 – Cats are ancient animals
Domestic and wild cats have existed for almost 160,000 years and accompanied humans in various activities, such as hunting in antiquity.
In Ancient Egypt, for example, cats were considered sacred, as they represented fertility and pleasure. There was even a goddess in mythology who turned into a cat, called Bastet.
2 – Cats scratch objects instinctively
Surely you’ve noticed that your feline scratches objects, especially the sofa, bed and shoes, haven’t you? So this is an instinctive practice.
So, when the cat scratches an object, it is marking its territory, leaving its scent there and making it clear that it has passed through that place, that it belongs to it.
3 – Cats’ hearing is more sensitive than dogs.
Many people believe that dogs are better than cats at absolutely everything. Some even believe that dogs are smarter.
However, one of the interesting facts about cats is that they have much better hearing than dogs. Cats can hear up to 65,000 hertz, while dogs have a maximum hearing capacity of 40,000 hertz.
4 – Cats with white fur and light eyes can have hearing problems.
White fur cats and light eyes, especially blue, are always considered cute and beautiful, aren’t they? However, some of them have hearing problems.
According to veterinarians, this happens due to genetic alterations, which lead to cochlear degeneration, capable of leading to deafness in the animal.
Although the alteration does not affect all cats with white fur and light eyes, it is important to consult a veterinarian so that the problem is identified immediately.
5 – There are millions of cats in the world
Fun fact about cats is that there are millions of them all over the world. According to some studies, there are more than 500 million cats across the planet.
In addition, there are 40 breeds that are officially recognized, but there are breeds that do not have definitions, called SRDs.
According to the World Health Organization, in Brazil there are more than 9 million abandoned cats that are looking for a home.
6 – They are great jumpers
Cats are excellent jumpers, managing to jump up to 5 times their own height. However, they can feel the impact of the fall and injure themselves.
That’s because domestic cats are less skilled than wild ones. Therefore, depending on the height jumped, it is likely that he will suffer a fracture. So, all care is little!
7 – They use their tongue to clean themselves
This is one of those curiosities about cats that everyone has heard about: they use their tongue to clean themselves. Usually this happens after resting or eating. During the day, cats can spend 8 hours just grooming themselves. This is one of your favorite activities.
However, it is interesting to be aware, as excessive cleaning can be a sign that something is not right with your feline.
8 – Cats sleep a lot
Cats sleep up to 16 hours a day, with lighter and shorter rests. If you live 20 years, for example, 7 years they spend just sleeping.
In addition, they are animals that often stay awake at night until dawn. Therefore, they are considered crepuscular.
9 – Purring is a form of communication for cats.
One of the curiosities about cats is that their purring is a way for them to communicate with each other and with other species as well. So, he can use this sound to show that he is fine or that he is going through some moment of anguish.
So again, you have to be careful. If your cat’s purr is different from what you’re used to, maybe he’s experiencing some discomfort.
10 – They have more than 30 muscles in their ears
Cats ears have more than 30 muscles and are capable of detecting different sounds, in addition to being used as a way of communicating.
Conclusion
So, tell us which cat trivia surprised you the most? Felines are really quite enigmatic beings and it’s worth trying to decipher them!