Ailurophile is the word cat lovers are officially called. Sounds better than Crazy Cat Lady.
June is Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month.
Feline Facts – Did You Know?
- It has been scientifically proven that owning cats is good for our health and can decrease the occurrence of high blood pressure and other illnesses.
- Stroking a cat can help to relieve stress, and the feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.
- The ancient Egyptians were the first civilisation to realise the cat’s potential as a vermin hunter and tamed cats to protect the corn supplies on which their lives depended.
- Sir Isaac Newton is not only credited with the laws of gravity but is also credited with inventing the cat flap.
- A cat has more bones than a human being; humans have 206 and the cat has 230 bones.
- A cat’s hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
- The cat’s tail is used to maintain balance.
- Cats see six times better in the dark and at night than humans.
- Cats eat grass to aid their digestion and to help them get rid of any fur in their stomachs.
- A healthy cat has a temperature between 38 and 39 degrees Celcius.
- Cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
- The female cat reaches sexual maturity at around 6 to 10 months and the male cat between 9 and 12 months.
- A female cat will be pregnant for approximately 9 weeks or between 62 and 65 days from conception to delivery.
- The average litter of kittens is between 2 – 6 kittens.
- Ailurophile is the word cat lovers are officially called.
- Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.
- All cats need taurine in their diet to avoid blindness. Cats must also have fat in their diet as they are unable to produce it on their own.
- In households in the UK and USA, there are more cats kept as pets than dogs. At least 35% of households with cats have 2 or more cats.
- When a cats rubs up against you, the cat is marking you with it’s scent claiming ownership.
- About 37% of American homes today have at least 1 cat.
- Milk can give some cats diarrhea.
- The average lifespan of an outdoor-only cat is about 3 to 5 years while an indoor-only cat can live 16 years or much longer.
- On average, a cat will sleep for 16 hours a day.
- A domestic cat can run at speeds of 30 mph.
- The life expectancy of cats has nearly doubled over the last fifty years.
- Blue-eyed, white cats are often prone to deafness.
- The cat’s front paw has 5 toes and the back paws have 4. Cats born with 6 or 7 front toes and extra back toes are called polydactl.
- An adult cat has 30 teeth, 16 on the top and 14 on the bottom.
- There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside.
- Cats and kittens should be acquired in pairs whenever possible as cat families interact best in pairs.
- In multi-cat households, cats of the opposite sex usually get along better.
- The first official cat show in the UK was organised at Crystal Palace in 1871.
“You can keep a dog; but it is the cat who keeps people, because cats find humans useful domestic animals.”
– George Mikes from “How to be decadent.”
Northern News 