20 Interesting Facts About Cats

You certainly don’t need to be a cat owner to know how much joy a furry friend can bring to one’s life (though it helps!). But, regardless of if you have a cat or not, there is so much more to learn about these adorable little guys that many of us call family. Here are 20 of our favorite fun facts about felines:

1. It is estimated that 30-37% of all households in the United States have a cat.
2. On average, a fertile cat will produce one to two litters of kittens per year, with each litter containing four to six kittens.
3. Cats are intelligent enough to sense what a human is feeling and understand their overall mood.
4. Cats are likely to get along well with dogs if they are first introduced while the cat is less than six months old and the dog is less than one year old.
5. A cat’s teeth are actually sharper when they are a kitten.
6. On average, cats will sleep for about 15 hours per day, though some can sleep for as long as 20 hours in a single 24 hour period.
7. One way that cats show that they are happy or in a good mood is by closing their eyes.
8. The glands on a cat’s face, tail and paws release a scent that they use to mark their territory, which is why they may rub up against their humans.
9. Cats have the ability to make more than 100 different sounds, though dogs can only produce about 10.
10. Having a cat can reduce the risk of heart attack and strokes in its owner(s) by about ⅓.
11. Adult cats only meow when they want to communicate with humans.
12. Cats rely on their whiskers to determine how large an opening is and whether or not they can fit.
13. A cat’s brain is extremely similar to a human’s - 90% similar, in fact!
14. Cats’ noses have a unique pattern, which can be thought of as how each human has their own fingerprint.
15. Since their fur does not insulate well when wet, cats typically hate water.
16. Cats can jump up to six times their length.
17. The Egyptian Mau is known to be the oldest cat breed, and in fact, “Mau” is the Egyptian word for cat.
18. Cats are only able to sweat through their paws.
19. Female cats are generally considered to be “right-pawed,” while male cats are said to be “left-pawed.”
20. The scientific name for hairball is “bezoar.”

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Who knew cats could be so complex? Did you learn something new today? We bet you did! If you have friends or family that love cats too, be sure to wow them with some of these facts the next time you talk!