There’s no denying it – cats are amazing creatures. They’re cute, cuddly, and playful, but they’re also mysterious and independent. Whether you’re a cat lover or not, there’s no denying that these animals are fascinating!
In this blog post, we will share 50 fun facts about cats that will make you love them even more. From their history as pets to their unique physiology, cats are one of the most interesting creatures on the planet!
Whether you’re already a cat lover or you’re simply curious about these fascinating creatures, we hope you enjoy these fun facts! But first..
Photos of Bengal Cats
This post features photos of my beautiful and adventurous Bengal cats, Roxy (aka Princess Poo) and Obi-Wan Kitobi (aka Boo Boo).
Please do not copy or use them without my express written permission. Thank you!
Roxy
Roxy is a very small female Bengal cat at only 7lbs. She was the runt of the litter, and still looks like a kitten at 8 years old – but has a huge personality.
With stunning rare turquoise eyes and smaller spots and rosettes, she is incredibly intelligent and very vocal.
She is obsessed with my husband and will often hear his motorcycle from several blocks away and run to the door to await his arrival. She meows her hellos while jumping onto his shoulder from the floor! (He’s 6’2″ tall!)
While she is super loving with us, Roxy does not care for strangers or going to the vet. Roxy enjoys opening doors and drawers, playing fetch, burrowing under blankets, chasing squirrels up trees and going for walks on a leash.
She also fancies herself a vegetarian and will steal your salad when you’re not looking.
You can follow Roxy on Instagram @thekittyroxy
Bengals typically do best in pairs, however we didn’t know this at first. After about a year, Roxy began showing symptoms of anxiety (licking her fur to the point of baldness) and was regularly attacking my husband and son. Although she wasn’t malicious, as she got older, her ambushes going for their jugular were starting to result in some injuries from her super sharp claws.
So…
Obi-Wan Kitobi
So that’s how our big boy Obi became part of the family. It was love at first sight with Roxy, although it took her a few weeks to accept him. They are now inseparable and all Roxy’s anxiety issues are resolved. The complete opposite at 13 lbs, Obi was the largest of his litter and also has the most stunning large contrasted rosettes.
Despite being twice as big as Roxy, she beats him up at every opportunity. He is just a big love bug and purrs constantly. Obi’s favorite spot to sleep is in my lap, but he is kinda obsessed with my son. He immediately greets him at the door with a lot of talking and purring when he comes home from school or wakes up in the morning.
Obi is a dog trapped in a cat’s body – he loves to go for walks on a leash, and enjoys a swim now and again. Obi is a master at squeezing himself into small spaces, destroys homework and eats slippers.
If I’m too slow with getting breakfast out of the can, he will stand on his hind legs and bear hug my waist from behind adding a nibble to my bottom as a “Hurry it up, lady. I’m hungry!”
He is a loving foster dad to both kittens and puppies, and can most often be found loving on Roxy. He insists on having someone watch and cheer him on while he’s going for a run on his cat wheel (yes, it’s just like a giant hamster wheel), and also takes his job at being a kitty masseuse very seriously.
You can follow Obi’s adventures on Instagram @ObiWan.Kitobi
37 Fun Facts About Cats
Now that you’ve met my furry family, let’s get to those fun facts!
The first genuine record of domestication is a cat that was discovered deliberately entombed with its owner in Cyprus some 9500 years ago, and it is thought that domesticated cats first appeared before this because there were no indigenous cats on the island. A new study in Science has revealed that cats were most likely domesticated in the Near East around 12,000 years ago.
Some of the early pet cats were probably wild cats that lived near farms and hunted the rodents that ate the farmers’ grain. The farmers welcomed these helpful cats, and they gradually became domesticated.
A group of cats is called a clowder, while a group of kittens is called a litter.
A cat’s brain is very similar to a human’s – in fact, they’re both about 90% alike. Scientists believe this is why cats are such intelligent creatures!
Cats have excellent night vision and can see six times better than humans in low light conditions.
Cats also have an amazing sense of smell – they can smell things that are up to ten times more faint than what humans can detect.
A cat’s hearing is also much better than ours – they can hear frequencies up to two octaves higher than what we can.
Cats have a third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, that appears as a small triangular flap in the inner corner of each eye. This membrane protects the eye from debris and keeps it lubricated.
When cats are happy, they may purr – but did you know that they also purr when they’re injured or in pain? Purring is thought to be a healing mechanism that helps cats recover from injuries and illness.
Cats have sharp claws that help them climb trees and catch prey. Their claws also shed! The outer layer sheds as the cats grow, leaving a sharper, healthier claw on the inside. It’s a typical occurrence that takes between two and three months for most cats’ claws.
A cat’s heart beats at around 110-140 beats per minute, which is about twice as fast as a human heart.
Cats sleep for around 12-16 hours each day, which means they spend about two-thirds of their lives sleeping.
When cats are born, they’re actually blind and deaf. Their eyes and ears open after about ten days.
Kittens are born with blue eyes, but their eye color will change as they grow older – usually to green, yellow, or orange.
Cats have 32 muscles in each ear that help them to orient themselves towards the source of a sound.
Cats have whiskers on their face that are actually highly sensitive organs called vibrissae. These whiskers help cats to judge distances and navigate in the dark.
Most cats are right-pawed, just like most humans are right-handed!
A cat’s tongue is covered in tiny barbs called papillae, which give it a rougher texture. These papillae help cats to groom themselves and remove dirt and debris from their fur.
A cat’s intestines are much shorter than a human’s – about four times as short, in fact. This is because cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they need to eat meat to survive.
When a cat scratches furniture, it is not just sharpening its claws – it is also marking its territory with the scent glands in its paws.
The oldest known cat, Creme Puff, lived an incredible 38 years and 3 days!
Cats have flexible spines that allow them to twist and turn their bodies in amazing ways. They can also right themselves if they fall from a height – thanks to a built-in “righting reflex.”
Cats have more than 100 vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
Siamese cats are born white – their color develops over time and is usually fully developed by adulthood.
The world’s largest cat breed is the Maine Coon, which can weigh up to 18 pounds.
The smallest cat breed is the Singapura, which typically weighs an average of 6 lbs. (Roxy is this size!)
Approximately one in three households in the United States has a cat as a pet.
In ancient Egypt, cats were considered sacred animals and were often mummified when they died.
Cats were introduced to North America by European settlers in the 1600s.
Female cats are typically called “queens,” while male cats are called “toms.”
Neutered male cats are sometimes referred to as “gibs.”
A kitten is typically called a “kit.”
The gestation period for a cat is about 65 days – much shorter than most other mammals!
Cats usually have litters of two to five kittens, but larger litters of up to 12 kittens are not unheard of.
The scientific name for the domestic cat is Felis silvestris catus.
While most cats are content to live indoors, some cats enjoy spending time outdoors as well. Outdoor cats typically live shorter lives than indoor cats, however, due to the dangers posed by cars, other animals, and diseases.
Today, there are an estimated 600 million domestic cats in the world! And it’s no wonder – these creatures make great pets. They’re low maintenance (compared to dogs, at least), they can be litter-trained, and they generally don’t require a lot of exercise. Plus, they offer companionship and love without asking for much in return. What’s not to love about that?
If you didn’t already, do you love cats now? We hope so! Share this fun blog post with all the cat-lovers in your life. And if you’re looking for more fun facts, check out our list of fun facts about dogs and fun facts about guinea pigs. Stay tuned for more fun animal content coming your way!