Think you know everything about cats? Maybe not ! Here are some unsuspected facts about cats.
The sketch of a cat
Maybe you know how to train a cat. Cats retain their share of mystery. He's great at letting you know when he's hungry, tired, or everything in between, but he doesn't tell you everything. Cats are like onions: endless layers buried inside each other!
Dogs, on the other hand, are like open booklets: they will know how to communicate their needs to you straight away. Sit down, leave room for your companion on your lap, and since he's holding you down now, discover 20 unsuspected facts about cats in this article.
They are actually little lions
The term "big cats" is well suited to refer to animals like lions and leopards. Cats and tigers shared a common ancestor more than ten million years ago, but today's domestic cats still share 95% of their genetic heritage with tigers . It is therefore not surprising to note similar behaviors between the two species: marking its territory by scent, tracking its prey and pouncing.
But cat brains are a lot like ours.
You share many things with your kitten in your head. Their brains actually have a structure similar to ours, which is why they sometimes seem to think like us. The brains of humans and cats contain gray matter and white matter , as well as similar regions and lobes. Cats dream just like us, and they also have short-term and long-term memory function.
They are not nocturnal, but twilight.
It is said that cats sleep “nocturnally”, but it is a little more subtle. Cats are crepuscular , not nocturnal. That is to say, they are more active at dawn and dusk. In the wild, this is their hunting season. Cats tend to exert a lot of energy at these times: they jump, play. This is a perfect time to play with your cat and treat them to a meal as a reward.
Your cat is supposed to sleep a lot
About two thirds of their lives are spent sleeping! This represents between 13 and 16 hours per day. Something to be jealous of. But this is not a sign of laziness. It is rather a behavior characteristic of predatory animals (like the other big cats from which they descend). Your cat's naps are important to him!
He spends most of his waking hours grooming himself
Cats spend up to half their day grooming themselves , but it's not about vanity. They lick their coat to cool themselves, stimulate their blood circulation and distribute their immunity around their coat. Scientists also believe that their saliva contains certain enzymes that act as a natural antibiotic in case of injuries.
Their vision is almost a superpower
A cat's peripheral vision occupies 200 degrees, or 20% more than that of humans. Once they spot potential prey, they activate their ocular faculties. They don't see very well at long distances, but they don't really need to. A cat has absolute precision as soon as the prey is within hunting range, that is to say at a distance of approximately 6 meters. Additionally, their night vision is also very good , and they can hunt in complete darkness with the same precision as during the day. And what about us, who can't find our way to the toilet at night!
But your cat is practically blind
Cats are farsighted. A fancy word for their inability to visually focus on the objects immediately in front of them. Their near vision is about 20% of human vision , bordering on blindness. Cats also have a blind spot right in front of their face. When you throw him a kibble to play, don't be surprised if he doesn't see it!
Cats qualify for the Olympics
If you've ever seen a cat run, you know that they are very fast . But here's a gold medal-worthy fact: Cats reach a top speed of around 50 km/h, which means they could beat Usain Bolt in the 200-meter sprint . Without physical preparation or carbohydrate intake!
They are also very good actors
Cats are experienced hunters. But they have nothing to envy of the actors! On the internet, you can see videos of cats barking , saying 'no' or 'hello'. They actually get this ability from hunting birds. By chirping to imitate bird calls or other prey sounds, they lure them into a bush where they hide and then pounce on them.
You Can Guess a Cat's Personality From Its Coloring
Let's not judge a book by its cover... but we could well do it with a feline. Cats with more colorful coats , such as tortoiseshells and calicos, tend to have more difficult personalities. One study found that cats with calico and tortoiseshell patterns showed higher levels of aggression towards humans.
And an orange coat can reveal political aspirations
An orange tabby cat became mayor of a small Alaskan town called Talkeetna after running for office. Mayor Stubbs (he got his name from his lack of a tail) worked in his position for 20 years! And although he exercised no real governmental power , his approval rating was high among locals and tourists. Now that’s some attitude!
Their vocabulary consists of over 100 different sounds
Without counting the meows, purrs or hisses, we might think that our cats are silent. But in reality, their lexicon is rather broad. Cats make more than 100 vocalizations. From screams to growls, including various variations of meows.
For their owners, cats have distinct sounds, a whole language to communicate with them. Each cat develops specific sounds for its owner, just like dogs learn command words during training. For this reason, those who talk to their cat will activate this function and develop a vocal language with them.
Your cat's heart beats almost twice as fast as yours
It is measured from 140 to 220 beats per minute . If your cat's heart rate is on the high end of this range during your vet visits, it's not surprising, as they don't really like visits of this type, so their heart tends to pound faster.
To calculate your cat's normal heart rate at home, place your two fingers on its left side, behind its front paw. Once you feel his heartbeat, count the number of beats in 15 seconds , then multiply by four to get the total number of beats per minute.
Cats have far fewer taste buds than humans
Felines only have 470 taste buds, compared to humans who have 10,000 and dogs, who have 1,700. Cats are obligate carnivores, they need to eat meat and do not tolerate plants well.
They therefore do not need as many taste buds as herbivores and omnivores, because their diet is not supposed to be varied. Herbivores, on the other hand, need more taste buds to differentiate between toxic and edible plants.
They have a weakness for melon
Despite their status as carnivores, many cats also enjoy melon. For what ? Imagine that many amino acids present in meat are found in melon! So, for cats, melon smells like meat!
Most cats are lactose intolerant
Cats digest lactose poorly after being weaned. The latter ferments in their stomach, causing stomach aches, stomach cramps, diarrhea or vomiting. If your cat can't stand milk, you'll quickly find out!
Cats should also not eat raw fish
Here's yet another "delicacy" that's not good for cats (although some cartoons might lead you to believe otherwise). Raw fish can contain bacteria and cause food poisoning. It poses the same danger to cats as it does to humans. The enzyme it contains destroys thiamine, an essential B vitamin, and can cause neurological problems.
Your cat may be addicted to tuna
Tuna , what a treat! Unfortunately, in too large quantities, it can harm your cat's health. So don't spoil him too much! The taste and strong flavor of tuna can make your cat addicted so that he will refuse to eat anything else. As a result, it may be at risk of malnutrition, because tuna alone does not contain all the necessary nutrients.
They have crazy control over their ears
Have you ever tried to wiggle your ears? Difficult isn't it? Cats can do it completely! The cat's ear has a triangular part called the pinna which gives it a head start over other species, because it acts as both a radar antenna and a protective shield.
The shape of the horn creates a funnel that captures sounds from the air and draws them inward. The most notable part of this feature? The cat can move its two pinnae independently of each other and almost entirely behind the head. Yes, rotate 180 degrees thanks to the collective work of 32 small muscles.
Cats probably hate music
With ears like this, do cats like music? Well yes, but not exactly ours.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have found that cats respond more to songs composed using frequency and rhythm ranges specific to their hearing. Composer David Teie specializes in writing this type of music, and he is the author of an album calledMusic for Cats released in 2015.
Your cat's body is made to squeeze through small spaces
The collarbones in cats' bodies "float," in the sense that they are not really attached to anything else. This allows them to fit through openings as small as their heads.
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