20 More Curious Facts about Cats

21. Black cats are symbols of luck.

Black cats are seen as symbols of both good and bad luck. But to what extent?  It the USA, they are generally seen as bad luck or as symbols of foreboding.  However, in the UK, they are often considered lucky.

22. Some cliches are true!

The old saying that a cat always lands on its feet is true. Cats have innate righting reflexes, which allow them to re-balance themselves while falling from drops and heights.

23. Why does a cat lick itself so much?

Cats lick themselves for a variety of reasons. While most will lick themselves to get clean, they also do so to remove scents.  This, often, can include removing scents left by their owners!

24. Cat people are actually quite rare.

While there are plenty of cat owners all over the world, only around 11% of us may refer to ourselves as ‘cat people’. What’s more, cat people tend to be more likely to graduate from university.

25. Neutering can extend cat lifespans.

It’s thought that spaying cats can help them live for longer. Studies show that cats who are spayed and neutered can live for 62% longer than those which aren’t.

26. Cats have been entrusted with positions of power.

Cats have held all kinds of positions of power. Of course, the Egyptian Sphinx was modelled after a feline.  However, did you know that a town in Alaska had a feline mayor for around 20 years?

What’s more, a cat once held the post of the British Monster Raving Looney Party.

27. Cats have limited skeletal movement.

Cats can only move their jaws in specific directions. While human beings can move their jaws in various ways, cats can only move theirs up and down.  This means that they often can’t eat food in large chunks or pieces, which is why you will find wet cat food to be finely diced and chunked.

28. Who invented the cat flap?

The cat flap is perhaps one of the most useful contraptions a pet owner can buy. But did you know that it was invented by Sir Isaac Newton?

29. Do cats sense the future?

Many cat owners seem to believe that their pets have telepathic powers. A survey suggested that around a third of cat owners felt that their felines were able to understand what they were thinking!

30. “I own you!”

A cat marks its territory by rubbing up against things. Therefore, when a cat rubs itself on your legs, it might not necessarily be a show of affection!  It might be showing that it declares you to be their property!

31. Cats run faster than most of us.

It’s thought that a housecat has the ability to run faster than most humans, with even Usain Bolt finding it hard to keep up to your average moggy.

32. What’s in a name?

Trying to find the word for a group of cats? Officially, it’s a clowder.

33. Cat ears are astoundingly flexible.

Cats have ears which can swivel around up to 180 degrees, thanks to a series of intricate muscles that allow them to hear in virtually all directions.

34. Be careful with your pet’s diet.

There are many foods which are toxic to cats. You can’t feed them onions, chocolate, raisins, grapes and – of course – alcohol.  However, cats are also likely to find potatoes toxic when raw, and even tuna served in cans is though to be harmful to their diets.

35. The younger the cat, the more they sleep.

You’ll likely find that kittens and younger cats sleep more than older felines. This is because kittens will benefit from a growth hormone that is only released during their sleep.

36. Cats are actually brain boxes!

If you were to class the average space a cat has in their brain in terms of data memory, you’d find that an average feline’s cranial capacity is around 1,000x that of your average Apple iPad.

37. Cats aren’t generally that aggressive.

You may think that cats that hiss are likely to be aggressive. However, this is actually unlikely to be the case.  A hissing cat is likely to be on the defensive.

38. Your cat might not always be pleased to see you.

If you own dogs, you’ll know that a wagging tail will generally mean that your pet is happy and healthy. However, a cat with a wagging tail is likely to be warning you that it’s about to attack, or that it is upset.

39. There have been some very famous cats!

Many cats have made their way into the White House and have lived with US presidents. For example, one of the most famous Presidential felines was Socks, who lived with Bill Clinton.  However, Abraham Lincoln was known to love cats, owning at least four in the White House during his tenure.

40. A cat has been to space!

Only one cat has even gone into space – Felicette – who went into orbit in 1963, six years before humans would land on the Moon.

Do you know any fun facts about cats?  Share them in the comments below!

Are you fascinated with cats? Check out part 3 of our facts file about cats!

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This page was last modified on August 3, 2023. Suggest an edit