It is no secret to anyone that cats are unique and extraordinary animals. All of us who live with them see the number of surprising things they are capable of doing on a daily basis, and their abilities will never cease to amaze us. For this reason, cats are animals that have always generated a lot of curiosity in us and have even sparked myths, legends and popular beliefs that are still preached today in many places.
On our site we have collected the most surprising curiosities of cats so you can learn a little more about these wonderful animals and expand your knowledge. At the end, tell us how many you knew!
1. Milk is not the best food for cats
Wondering if cats can drink milk? Although the typical image of a cat drinking cow's milk has appeared countless times in series and movies, the truth is that most adult cats develop lactose intoleranceTherefore, cow's milk is not the most recommended food for these animals.
All mammalian puppies are born perfectly prepared to digest their mother's milk, which is why this is their main food. During the lactation period, kittens produce a large amount of the enzyme known as "lactase", which is what allows them to properly digest the lactose in their mother's milk. However, once weaning has occurred, the production of this enzyme progressively decreases because the natural thing is that the adult animal no longer needs it.
Although some cats can continue to generate a small amount of the enzyme lactase, especially those that continue to drink milk from other animals, as we say, most stop doing so and, therefore, intolerances appear. Now, what about motherless kittens? In case of finding an orphaned kitten, it is also not appropriate to give it cow's milk because the composition is not the same as cat's milk. The best thing to do is go to the veterinary center to buy formula for cats.
two. Cats do not perceive sweet tastes
Although cats have vision and hearing far superior to ours, the sense of taste is less developedThus, while a person has more than 9,000 taste bulbs, cats have less than 500, and this translates into a more limited ability to identify the variety of flavors offered by food. In addition, felines only produce one of the two proteins necessary to assimilate information from sweet tastes. Therefore, although they easily detect s alty, sour and bitter tastes, cats do not perceive sweet tastes
Many experts affirm that this would be an important self-defensive ability developed by felines during their evolutionary process. As sugary foods are harmful to your body, and can cause diarrhea, colic or flatulence, your palate may have evolved to the point of rejecting the sweet taste and, with it, foods that do not provide you with nutritional benefits. Find out what cats eat in this other post to learn more about how their diet should be.
3. They make many sounds to communicate
Surely you love to hear your cat purr when you pet him or meow when he wants to play with you. Currently, we know that cats can emit up to 100 different vocalizations to communicate with us and with each other, being in this second case more common when they are puppies.
In this way, one of the curious facts about cats is that they do not communicate with us in the same way as with other cats, since they emit a more limited number of sounds among themselves, whileto communicate with humans they have learned to develop multiple vocalizations For example, your cat may have identified that if he meows in a certain way, you fill his food bowl, play with him or You just pay attention to it. Did you notice this detail? Especially if you live with more than one cat, pay attention to how they communicate with you and how they communicate with each other.
4. Their language is mainly body language
Although their verbal language is incredible, cats mainly use body language to express their moods, emotions and perceptions.
Without a doubt, the body language of cats is very complex, since it includes a wide variety of postures, gestures and facial expressions. For example, just with the movements of their tail they can already tell us many things.
5. They have more bones than humans
Although they are smaller, they have more bones than we do. A he althy cat has about 230 bones, which is 24 more than thehuman skeleton. Also, the discs between their vertebrae are thicker than ours.
However, the real curiosity of cats is not really the number of bones, but why their skeleton is this way. And it is that this bone structure, together with its developed musculature, is what allows it to have great elasticity and agility.
6. They can get into impossible holes
In relation to the previous point, their skeleton and muscles not only allow them to be agile for climbing or hunting, but also They allow you to enter practically any space, no matter how small it may seem. How many times have you seen your cat get into a tiny box or into a hole smaller than his body?
Now then, why are you doing this? The answer is simple, it produces security, protection and/or warmth. Depending on the type of hiding place they decide to access, the reasons may vary, but the fact of entering a smaller space gives them a greater feeling of protection.
7. Newton could have created the first cat door
Still want to know more about cats? Surely you will have a cat door in your home or, if not, at least you have seen them and know of their existence, right? But what few people know is that this magnificent and practical invention could be the work of Isaac Newton, a physicist and mathematician who marked a before and after in physics.
Cyril Aydon, scientist and writer, tells us in his book Curious Stories of Science that Newton would have thought of a way to allow his cat to go outside whenever she wanted without having to interrupt her moments of concentration and experimentation. So he he devised to make a hole in his doorto add access for his feline and cubs. In this way, the first cat door of which there are records would have arisen.
8. Cats hold world records too
In the Guinness Book of World Records not only humans appear, many animals are in it and, of course, cats are very present. As an example, we can name three supercats:
- Creme Puff: was born in Texas and holds the record for being the longest-lived cat in the world, since he lived a total of 38 years.
- Waffle: Interestingly, this cat holds the Guinness World Record for the world's longest jump by a cat (213.36 cm), recognition that he achieved in 2018.
- Towser: She is a tortoiseshell cat who holds the record for having caught the largest number of mice, almost 29,000.
- Colonel Meow: Won the Guinness World Record in 2014 for being the cat with the longest hair, 22.87 cm.
9. The nose is the fingerprint of cats
Each person has a unique composition in our fingerprints, so our identity can be recognized by this impression. Cats don't have fingerprints on their fingers, however, each one has a unique design on the pad of their nose. For this reason, it is considered that the equivalent of our fingerprints in cats is found on the nose. In fact, rather than fingerprints we should say that they have nose prints, don't you think?
10. Their whiskers work as mechanoreceptors
Cats' whiskers are not just hairs, they are called whiskers and are part of their sensory abilities, just like the hairs that they are in the "eyebrows" and under the chin. These hairs fulfill an important mechanoreceptive function, so that, in combination with olfactory cells, they allow cats to identify nearby objects,detect motion, measure a space or keep balanceThus, another of the curiosities of cats that few people know is that their whiskers act as sensors of movement and objects. Fascinating, right? This is why they should never be cut!
Discover all the details in this other article: "What are cats' whiskers used for?".
eleven. Cats can see in color
Although for many years it was believed that cats only saw in black and white, over time this has been shown to be a false myth. Actually, the eyes of cats do not have the red cone cells, so they do not perceive red or pink tones. However, this does not mean that they do not see other colors, since they do have blue and green cone cells, which allow them to distinguish between shades of blue, green and yellowOf course, they do not perceive the saturation of these colors very well, so they do not see them with the same intensity that we see them.
In the article How cats see we talk more in depth about this topic, don't miss it!
12. Their night vision is better than that of humans
Although we cannot say that cats see in total darkness, it is true that these animals have better night vision than us and many other animals. Specifically, they see 8 times better than humans in dim light. Now, how is that possible?
In the anatomy of the cat's eye we find a layer called the tapetum lucidum, which is what allows light to be reflected on the retina and, therefore, allows the cat to see better in the dark (it is as if light will be reflected twice). For this reason, too, cats' eyes glow when there is no light.
13. Cats don't mark with urine alone
We have already mentioned before that the language of these animals is very complex, which is why another of the curiosities of cats is that they do not only mark with urine, nor do they only do it to delimit its territory. Marking can be carried out for reproductive purposes, to mark a territory or due to environmental and stress factors. Likewise, they can dial in different ways:
- Urine marking: they usually urinate in the form of a sprinkler on vertical elements mainly to delimit their territory.
- Facial marking: on their face they also have glands that release pheromones, so that through this marking they leave a chemical signal (olfactory) that they or other cats can perceive. They rub their face against objects, animals or people to leave that mark. It is not a way to mark something as "yours", but to indicate that this place, animal or person is safe and trustworthy.
- Foot marking: their feet also contain glands that release pheromones, so this marking is carried out by scratching surfaces or elements. Thus, they leave a chemical and visual signal. They can do this when they feel stressed or for reproductive purposes.
Don't miss this other article on How Cats Mark.
14. They knead us because they love us
Many people wonder why cats knead so often. Well, when they are babies, cats knead their mother's breasts to stimulate milk production. It is a natural movement that not only offers them food, but strengthens the bond and generates a feeling of well-being, security and pleasure.
As adults, cats knead people or objects to express that they are calm, happy and feel safe. For this reason, your cat kneading you is a clear sign that he loves you, trusts you and is happy by your side.
fifteen. They sleep up to 16 hours a day
Another curious fact about cats that often surprises first-time guardians is the number of hours a day they can be sleeping. A puppy can sleep up to 20 hours, but an adult cat also spends a large part of his day resting, as he can sleep from 14 to 16 hours
These hours of sleep are not continuous, but cats prefer to take short naps throughout the day. For this reason, it is totally normal to observe our cats resting during almost the whole day. In the article How many hours does a cat sleep a day we talk about the different stages of sleep.
16. They are crepuscular animals
By nature, cats are not diurnal animals, but concentrate their greatest activity during twilight, that is, at dusk and dawnThis is a survival mechanism that the species adopted both to avoid predators and to hunt prey, which also tend to be crepuscular.
When adopting a kitten, it is common to perceive that it is more active at night, which can lead to frustration if we see that we cannot get it to sleep and let us sleep. However, it is important to bear in mind that this is its nature and that modifying this aspect can take some time, so it is essential to be patient and use education techniques that do not disturb the animal's well-being.
17. They don't like stagnant water
How many times have you seen your cat drink water from the tap or with its paw? The explanation is simple: cats prefer moving water They are extremely neat and intelligent animals, so they can detect if the water has not been renewed and, therefore, So it's dirty. Likewise, fresh water in movement, like the one they would drink from a river in the wild, does not accumulate pathogens, so they avoid certain diseases.
18. When they are belly up they indicate that they are comfortable
When a cat lays on its belly next to you and, in addition, allows you to touch its belly, without a doubt it indicates that trusts you completely, he feels safe with you, protected and, of course, at ease. This is a very vulnerable area and therefore the fact of exposing it indicates that it is friendly.
Now, he may do this pose but don't let you touch his belly. This does not mean that he does not trust you, but that he is not yet ready for it or it is not the time. Remember, too, that cats are animals that are not always willing to receive our caresses. Learn to respect their space.
19. The belly does not hang down, it is the essential bag
Many cats seem to have their bellies hanging out, even though they are not overweight, why? It is the so-called primordial bag and is inherited from wild cats, in which it was used to store fat for energy when food is scarce, to protect the abdominal area and facilitate movement.
Don't miss our article on the Primordial Pouch in cats to learn all the details about this curious part of their body.
twenty. Cats sweat too
Yes, cats sweat too, although less often than humans and in a completely different way. The sweat glands of cats are found on their chin, anus, lips, and paw pads.
These animals are capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 50 ºC, although this does not mean that they do not feel hot with fewer degrees. When they feel hot, they have different mechanisms to regulate their temperature, but if they don't, they will show symptoms such as excessive panting, rapid breathing, increased water consumption, etc. In these cases, it is essential to act quickly to avoid the dreaded heat stroke.
Other fun facts about cats
Of course, there are many more curiosities of cats that exist. For this reason, we share our video with 100 curiosities about cats that will help you learn more about these magnificent animals:
