20 of the Most Interesting Things About Cats and Felines in General that You Should Know. You’ll Also See a Lot of Cheetah Facts Here
Felines rival the canines when it comes to keeping us company. They are also loyal and sociable and when it comes to taking care of them, they require less attention than dogs. Wild cats such as lions, tigers, cheetahs and many others, although they cannot be kept as pets, still amaze us with their prowess in the wild. They can hold their own in the wild. In fact, wild felines are one of the most predators in the wild. They can kill other animals for food that are twice their size.
There are many interesting things about cats and felines that we don’t know about, as well as cheetah facts that are not so known to man. Read on this list of 20 interesting facts and trivia about cats.
“Cat food” has taken a whole new meaning.
Do you know that in Asia, nearly four million cats are killed every year? And no, they are not for anything else but for food! Most countries prohibit the killing of cats for food, but there are still some who defy the laws and do this horrendous act. This figure is only for cats killed for food; the statistic is different for killing cats for other purposes such as for their skin.
The origin of the name cheetah.
One interesting cheetah fact – the name cheetah was derived from the Indian word meaning “the spotted one”. Very appropriate name, wouldn’t you say? Aside from cheetah, other animals that sport spots are leopard and jaguar. But you cannot get them confused because their spots look different from each other.
Cats can get allergies too.
A person can get allergic to cat hair. But cats can also be allergic to humans! Feline asthma can affect one in 200 cats. The rise in feline asthma cases is due to their human’s lifestyle. Just like asthma in humans, feline asthma is also caused by tobacco smoke, dust, pollen and even dandruff from their humans.
They do not sport spots when they’re born.
Cheetahs are not born spotted. Cubs exhibit dark coats that lighten over time and eventually show spots. So when you see a cub that has no stripes when you on a trip to the African savannah, don’t assume that it’s not a cheetah because only when it turns into a full grown adult does it show its spots.
Catnips are not for all cats.
Catnips do not attract all cats. Some cats do not like the pungent smell of catnips. Only those cats that have at least one parent repulsed with catnips will also be deterred by the plant. Statistics are higher for cats with both parents deterred by catnips.
Who was the first race to domesticate felines?
Egyptians were known to be the first race to domesticate cats, as was depicted in their early art. But it was recently discovered that Cypriots were the first to tame cats, even as early 4,000 years before the Egyptians. It was only known that Egyptians where the first to tame cats because it was evident in their art. Cypriot art did not have much evidence of their cat taming, so it was the Egyptians who got the credit for so many years.
Cats and dogs can actually be pals with dogs.
Cats and dogs do not always fight. In fact, studies show that cats can actually live with dogs in harmony. There are a lot of proof to this, with dogs and cats becoming the best of friends. So the saying “fighting like cats and dogs” no longer applies all the time. You can see videos on social media of cats being chummy with dogs and forgetting their age-old rivalry.
There are more cats than dogs in most households.
In North America, cats outnumber dogs as the favorite household pet. Aside from being smaller, they are easier to care for and less expensive to maintain. Because they are smaller, they consume less food than dogs. That means you have to spend less money on food, as well as grooming.
The Astro Cat
There was a cat that have been to the outer space. Its name was Felicette, or also known as Astro Cat. Felicette was a French cat where electrodes were implanted in her brain so it could send signals back to base. Thankfully she returned to Earth safe and sound. If only she could talk, she would tell her story about her experience in outer space.
Why don’t cats get hurt when they fall?
Do you notice that cats jump really high? They can actually jump to a height up to five times their own height, in a single bound! That is the reason why they do not get broken bones even if they fall from a very high platform. They also almost always land on their feet.
Cuddling is not just for being affectionate.
Cats mark their territories by rubbing their bodies and faces on objects as well as humans. So when your cat sidles up to you and becomes affectionate with rubbing its face on your legs, it is not just because it is being touchy feely. It is actually marking its territory.
Cross-eyed cats.
Siamese cats may appear to be cross eyed. The reason for this is that the nerves on the left eye often go to the right eye and vice versa. The cats cross their eyes to correct their vision caused by this occurrence.
The most expensive cat.
Aside from Dolly the Sheep, a cat was cloned commercially, for a whopping $50,000! Little Nicky’s owner had him cloned for whatever purpose he deemed necessary. Who would have thought that a cat owner would spend that much money just to have another copy of his pet cat?
Keeping their ears clean.
Ear furnishings are what you call the little clumps of hair in a cat’s ears. They help keep dirt and debris out and keep the ears clean. Just like in a human’s nose, which has hair covering the linings, a cat’s ears also need to be free of any dirt or other debris that can obscure the openings and cause infections and illnesses.
Nose print technology.
The nose pad is much like our fingerprint. Each cat has a unique nose pad, with its own pattern. No two cats have the same pattern on their nose pads. With humans, our fingerprints are unique to each of us. It is also one of the things that can identify us. The same works with cats with their nose pads.
Cats can get sick too.
Cats can contract illnesses much like ours. They also get Alzheimer’s disease, FIV, or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus much like HIV and many more. They can also get fat. When you notice your cat is exhibiting unusual behavior or is more lethargic than ever, it could be a red flag for you to take him to the vet just to be sure that he is healthy as a horse.
Spots are not for all felines.
Spots in domesticated and wild cats are from a specific gene. So if the cat does not have spots, it means that it does not have that gene. Not all felines have spots or stripes though. Most cats have plain furs. Their furs also have different colors. Their appearance is dictated by their species and genes.
A bunch of cat litter!
One cat holds the record for the most offspring during her lifetime. Dusty had a total of 420 kittens! There is no other cat in recorded history that has surpassed Dusty’s record. She must have been very tired getting pregnant and giving birth to all those kittens.
Better than seismographs?
Cats are reliable when it comes to detecting earthquakes even before humans can. They are very sensitive to vibrations, they can feel even the slightest ones. So when an earthquake is about to strike, they can detect it at least 15 minutes before humans can. You can almost always depend on your cat to determine if a strong earthquake is about to happen in minutes. Look for telltale signs.
Sleepyheads.
Cats sleep for most of their lives. They are actually asleep 2/3 of their lifetime. If only us humans can also spend majority of our lives in bed, getting all the sleep we ever wanted and needed, then maybe no person on Earth will have eye bags and dark circles from lack of sleep.
These interesting facts about felines and other cheetah facts are very informative. They give us a glimpse of what it’s like in the life of a cat. So if you are planning to take on a cat as a pet, make sure that you know a thing or two about them, so it will be easier to care for them.