Cat Facts
- A cat sometimes tests an object by touching it. When doing so, it uses the fur-covered tip of its paw, rather than the hairless pad.
- Cats are able to donate their blood to other cats.
- Almost every language features its own version of the 'Puss in Boots' tale.
- 95% of cat owners claim to talk to their cats.
- The most recent ancestor of the domestic cat is the African wild cat, which still exists.
- Cats are thought to have been living in association with humans for at least 9,500 years.
- Indoor cats normally live from about 14 - 20 years.
- The world's oldest-known cat lived until the age of 36.
- Cats that are spayed or neutered tend to live longer.
- A cat's field of vision is around 185 degrees.
- All kittens have blue eyes at birth.
- White cats with blue eyes are often (although not always) deaf. A white cat with one blue eye may be deaf in the corresponding ear.
- Cats walk on their toes.
- Unlike dogs, cats retract their claws when walking.
- The cheetah is the only member of the cat family not to have retractable claws.
- A domestic cat can run at 31 miles per hour for short periods.
- Unlike other cat species, domestic cats can hold their tails in a vertical position when walking.
- Cats' tongues feature tiny barbs which aid in stripping the flesh from the bones of their prey.
- Cats jaws can only move up and down; they do not have any lateral (side to side) motion.
- Cats inhale and exhale 20 - 40 times per minute.