"Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day.
25% of cat owners blow dry their cats hair after a bath.
32% of those who own their own home, also own at least one cat.
34% of cat-owning households have incomes of $60,000 or more.
95% of all cat owners admit they talk to their cats.
A 2007 Gallup poll revealed that both men and women were equally likely to own a cat.
A cat almost never meows at another cat, mostly just humans. Cats typically will spit, purr, and hiss at other cats.
A cat called Dusty has the known record for the most kittens. She had more than 420 kittens in her lifetime.
A cat can jump even seven times as high as it is tall.
A cat can jump up to five times its own height in a single bound.
A cat can jump up to six times its length.
A cat can rotate its ears independently 180 degrees, and can turn in the direction of sound 10 times faster than those of the best watchdog.
A cat can travel at a top speed of approximately 31 mph (49 km) over a short distance.
A cat can't climb head first down a tree because every claw on a cat's paw points the same way. To get down from a tree, a cat must back down.
A cat cannot see directly under its nose.
A cat has 230 bones in its body. A human has 206. A cat has no collarbone, so it can fit through any opening the size of its head.
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
A cat has a total of 24 whiskers, 4 rows of whiskers on each side. The upper two rows can move independently of the bottom two rows.
A cat has been mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, for 15 years. His name is Stubbs.
A cat has detected his human's breast cancer.
A cat has five toes on his front paws, and four on the back, unless he's a polydactyl.
A cat has more bones than a human; humans have 206, the cat has 230.
A cat is pregnant for about 58-65 days.
A cat lover is called an Ailurophilia (Greek: cat+lover).
A cat may have three to seven kittens every four months.
A cat named Andy, holds the world record for the longest non fatal fall. Andy fell from the 16th floor (200 feet) of an apartment building.
A cat rubs against people to mark its territory.
A cat rubs against people to mark them as their territory A cat rubs against people not only to be affectionate but also to mark out its territory with scent glands around its face. The tail area and paws also carry the cat's scent.
A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.
A cat that bites you after you have rubbed his stomach, is probably biting out of pleasure, not anger.
A cat usually has about 12 whiskers on each side of its face.
A cat was discovered alive in a collapsed building 80 days after an earthquake in Taiwan in December 1999.
A cat will kill it's prey based on movement, but may not necessarily recognize that prey as food. Realizing that prey is food is a learned behavior.
A cat will not eat its food if is unable to smell it.
A cat will spend nearly 30% of their life grooming themselves.
A cat will tremble or shiver when it is in extreme pain.
A cat's back is extremely flexible because it has up to 53 loosely fitting vertebrae. Humans only have 34.
A cat's brain is 90 similar to a human's - more similar than to a dog's.
A cat's brain is biologically more similar to a human brain than it is to a dog's. Both humans and cats have identical regions in their brains that are responsible for emotions.
A cat's brain is more similar to a man's brain than that of a dog.
A cat's carbon footprint is similar to that of a VW Bug, whereas a dog's is more like a Hummer.
A cat's cerebral cortex (the part of the brain in charge of cognitive information processing) has 300 million neurons, compared with a dog's 160 million.
A cat's eyesight is both better and worse than humans. It is better because cats can see in much dimmer light and they have a wider peripheral view. It's worse because they don't see color as well as humans do. Scientists believe grass appears red to cats.
A cat's field of vision is about 185 degrees.
A cat's hearing is better than a dog's. And a cat can hear high-frequency sounds up to two octaves higher than a human.
A cat's heart beats nearly twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats a minute.
A cat's jaw can't move sideways, so a cat can't chew large chunks of food.
A cat's jaws cannot move sideways.
A cat's normal pulse is 140-240 beats per minute, with an average of 195.
A cat's nose is ridged with a unique pattern, just like a human fingerprint.
A cat's nose pad is ridged with a unique pattern, just like the fingerprint of a human.
A cat's purr may be a form of self-healing, as it can be a sign of nervousness as well as contentment.
A cat's tongue consists of small "hooks," which come in handy when tearing up food.
A commemorative tower was built in Scotland for a cat named Towser, who caught nearly 30,000 mice in her lifetime.
A domestic cat can sprint at about 31 miles per hour.
A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head will rotate, then the spine will twist and the rear legs will align, then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing.
A female cat is called a queen or a molly.
A female cat named Mincho in Argentina, went up a tree and didn't come down again until she died six years later. While treed, she managed to have three litters.
A female tabby named "Ma" lived for 34 years, making her the oldest reliably documented housecat.
A five year old moggy from Ontario, Canada is in the Guinness Book of Records for having a total of 27 toes.
A group of adult cats is called a clowder.
A group of cats is called a "clowder."
A group of cats is called a clowder.
A group of kittens is called a kindle.
A healthy cat's nose is cool.
A healthy kitten has clear, bright eyes and clean ears.
A heat period lasts about 4 to 7 days if the female is bred; if not, the heat period lasts longer and recurs at regular intervals.
A house cat is faster than Usain Bolt.
A kittens eyes are always blue at first.
A large majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. White cats with only one blue eye are deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye. White cats with orange eyes do not have this disability.
A little vegetable oil daily will help to prevent fur-balls and bring a shine to your cat's coat.
A new contender for the world's heaviest cat. Five year old Katy, who lives in Russia reportedly weighs 20kg (44 lbs). Guinness Book of Records is no longer accepting nominations in this category as they don't want to encourage pet owners to overfeed their animals.
A smooth, shiny coat is the sign of a healthy cat.
A steady diet of dog food may cause blindness in your cat - it lacks taurine.
A tabby named "Dusty" gave birth to 420 documented kittens in her lifetime.
About 37% of American homes today have at least 1 cat.
Abraham Lincoln kept four cats in the White House.
Abraham Lincoln loved cats. He had four of them while he lived in the White House.
According to Hebrew legend, Noah prayed to God for help protecting all the food he stored on the ark from being eaten by rats. In reply, God made the lion sneeze, and out popped a cat.
According to a Gallup poll, most American pet owners obtain their cats by adopting strays.
According to myth, a cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather is coming.
Adult cats only meow to communicate with humans.
Ailurophile is the word cat lovers are officially called.
All cats are members of the family Felidea.
All cats have claws, and all except the cheetah sheath them when at rest.
Allergic people should tolerate spayed female cats the best.
Almost 10% of a cat's bones are in its tail.
Americans spend more annually on cat food than on baby food.
Among other tasks, cats can be taught to use a toilet, come, sit, beg, heel, jump through a hoop, play dead, roll over, open a door, shake, fetch, and more.
An estimated 50% of today's cat owners never take their cats to a veterinarian for health care.
And one ran for mayor of Mexico City in 2013. "Candigato" Facebook: candigato.morris.9
Approximately 1/3 of cat owners think their pets are able to read their minds.
Approximately 24 cat skins can make a coat.
Approximately 40,000 people are bitten by cats in the U.S. annually.
Australia and Antarctica are the only continents which have no native cat species.
Basically all cartoon cats lied to us: Raw fish is off the table for cats as well.
Basically, cats have a lower social IQ than dogs but can solve more difficult cognitive problems when they feel like it. 
Black cats are bad luck in the United States, but they are good luck in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Blue-eyed, white cats are often deaf.
Brushing your cat daily will cut down on hairballs.
Calico cats are almost always female.
Cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites - but human bites are the most dangerous of all.
Cat families usually play best in even numbers. Cats and kittens should be acquired in pairs whenever possible.
Cat have 500 skeletal muscles (humans have 650).
Cat litter was "invented" in 1947 when Edward Lowe asked his neighbor to try a dried, granulated clay used to sop up grease spills in factories.
Cat owners are 17 more likely to have a graduate degree.
Cat owners who are male tend to be luckier in love, as they are perceived as more sensitive.
Cat people are 25 likely to pick George as their favorite Beatle.
Cat people are also 11 more likely to be introverted.
Cat saliva contains a detergent that keeps their fur clean.
Cat's sweat only through their paws Cats don't have sweat glands over their bodies like humans do. Instead, they sweat only through their paws.
Cat's urine glows under a black light.
Catnip is non-addictive.
Cats and humans have nearly identical sections of the brain that control emotion.
Cats are able to hear sounds that move faster than 45,000 hertz. They could hear the sound of a bat.
Cats are attracted to the cave-like appeal of a clothes dryer.
Cats are extremely sensitive to vibrations. Cats are said to detect earthquake tremors 10 or 15 minutes before humans can.
Cats are more active during the evening hours.
Cats are often lactose intolerant, so stop givin' them milk!
Cats are really cool.
Cats are subject to gum disease and to dental caries. They should have their teeth cleaned by the vet or the cat dentist once a year.
Cats are the most popular pet in the United States: There are 88 million pet cats and 74 million dogs.
Cats are the only animal that walk on their claws, not the pads of their feet.
Cats born without tails genetically have a shorter spine and longer rear legs than other cats.
Cats bury their feces to cover their trails from predators.
Cats can change their meow to manipulate a human. They often imitate a human baby when they need food, for example.
Cats can get tapeworms from eating mice. If your cat catches a mouse it is best to take the prize away from it.
Cats can move their ears 180 degrees.
Cats can see up to 120 feet away.
Cats can't taste sweetness.
Cats can't taste sweets.
Cats can't taste sweets.
Cats don't see "detail" very well. To them, their person may appear hazy when standing in front of them.
Cats eat grass to keep their digestive systems clean. The regurgitation brings up hair and other irritants.
Cats eyes don't glow in the dark; they only reflect light.
Cats hate the water because their fur does not insulate well when it's wet. The Turkish Van, however, is one cat that likes swimming. Bred in central Asia, its coat has a unique texture that makes it water resistant.
Cats have 1,000 times more data storage than an iPad.
Cats have 30 teeth (12 incisors, 10 premolars, 4 canines, and 4 molars).
Cats have 30 vertebrae - 5 more than humans have.
Cats have 32 muscles that control the outer ear (humans have only 6). A cat can independently rotate its ears 180 degrees.
Cats have AB blood groups just like people.
Cats have a longer-term memory than dogs, especially when they learn by actually doing rather than simply seeing.
Cats have a third eyelid called a haw and you will probably only see it when kitty isn't feeling well.
Cats have about 130,000 hairs per square inch (20,155 hairs per square centimeter).
Cats have been domesticated for half as long as dogs have been.
Cats have free-floating clavicle bones that attach their shoulders to their forelimbs, which allows them to squeeze through very small spaces.
Cats have inferior daytime sight, but during the night they need seven times less light than humans to see.
Cats have over 20 muscles that control their ears.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
Cats have scent glands along their tail, their forehead, lips, chin, and the underside of their front paws.
Cats lack a true collarbone. Because of this, a cat can generally squeeze their bodies through any space they can get their heads through.
Cats lick people as a sign of affection.
Cats lick themselves to get your scent off.
Cats lived with soldiers in trenches, where they killed mice during World War I.
Cats lose almost as much fluid in the saliva while grooming themselves as they do through urination.
Cats make about 100 different sounds. Dogs make only about 10.
Cats make more than 100 different sounds whereas dogs make around 10.
Cats must have fat in their diet because they can't produce it on their own.
Cats only sweat from the pads of their paws; ever notice how wet the examination room table gets when you take your cat to the vet?
Cats only sweat through their foot pads.
Cats purr at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine, about 26 cycles per second.
Cats purr to communicate. Purring does not always mean happiness.
Cats respond better to women than to men, probably due to the fact that women's voices have a higher pitch.
Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound.
Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day.
Cats sleep 70% of their lives.
Cats spend nearly 1/3 of their waking hours cleaning themselves.
Cats step with both left legs, then both right legs when they walk or run. The only other animals to do this are the giraffe and the camel.
Cats take between 20-40 breaths per minute.
Cats use their whiskers to detect if they can fit through a space.
Cats were mythic symbols of divinity in ancient Egypt.
Cats with long, lean bodies are more likely to be outgoing, and more protective and vocal than those with a stocky build.
Cats with white fur and skin on their ears are very prone to sunburn.
Cats' hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
Cats' hearing stops at 65 khz; human hearing stops at 20 khz.
Contrary to popular belief, the cat is a social animal.
Declawing a cat is the same as cutting a human's fingers off at the knuckle.
Don't be alarmed when your cats bring you gifts of birds, mice or other wild critters. This is a gift, and they do it to please you.
During the Middle Ages, cats were associated with withcraft, and on St. John's Day, people all over Europe would stuff them into sacks and toss the cats into bonfires. On holy days, people celebrated by tossing cats from church towers.
During the time of the Spanish Inquisition, Pope Innocent VIII condemned cats as evil and thousands of cats were burned. Unfortunately, the widespread killing of cats led to an explosion of the rat population, which exacerbated the effects of the Black Death.
Eighty-eight percent of cats in the U.S. are spayed or neutered.
Every cat's nose pad is unique, and no two nose prints are the same.
Every year, nearly four million cats are eaten in Asia.
Evidence suggests domesticated cats have been around since 3600 B.C., 2,000 years before Egypt's pharaohs.
Expect to spend an average of $80 per year on vet bills, for the lifetime of each cat you own.
Female cats are typically right-pawed while male cats are typically left-pawed.
Female cats tend to be right pawed, while male cats are more often left pawed. Interestingly, while 90% of humans are right handed, the remaining 10% of lefties also tend to be male.
Female felines are "superfecund," which means that each of the kittens in her litter can have a different father.
Foods that should not be given to cats include onions, garlic, green tomatoes, raw potatoes, chocolate, grapes, and raisins. Though milk is not toxic, it can cause an upset stomach and gas. Tylenol and aspirin are extremely toxic to cats, as are many common houseplants. Feeding cats dog food or canned tuna that's for human consumption can cause malnutrition.
Genetic mutation created the domestic cat which is tame from birth.
Grown cats have 30 teeth. Kittens have about 26 temporary teeth, which they lose when they are about 6 months old.
Hearing is the strongest of cat's senses: They can hear sounds as high as 64 kHz - compared with humans, who can hear only as high as 20 kHz.
Hebrew folklore believes that cats came about because Noah was afraid that rats might eat all the food on the ark. He prayed to God for help. God responded by making the lion sneeze a giant sneeze - and out came a little cat!
However, a cat called the Turkish Van does not have that insulation problem and LOVES it.
Hunting is not instinctive for cats. Kittens born to non-hunting mothers may never learn to hunt.
If a cat is frightened, put your hand over its eyes and forehead, or let him bury his head in your armpit to help calm him.
If a cat is frightened, the hair stands up fairly evenly all over the body; when the cat threatens or is ready to attack, the hair stands up only in a narrow band along the spine and tail.
If a male cat is both orange and black it is most likely sterile.
If an overweight cat's "sides" stick out further than her whiskers, she will lose her sense of perception and stability. Don't be surprised if she starts to squeeze into an opening that the rest of her can't fit into.
If they have ample water, cats can tolerate temperatures up to 133 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you can't feel your cat's ribs, she's too heavy.
If you do not respond when your cat talks to you, it will soon lose the urge to communicate with you.
If you take kitten away from its mother before it is 8 weeks old, she may not have enough time to train it to use a litter box.
If your cat hides and then runs out and pounces on you, she is acting out her instinctive hunting ritual.
If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you.
If your cat rolls over on his back to expose his belly, it means he trusts you.
In 1888, more than 300,000 mummified cats were found an Egyptian cemetery. They were stripped of their wrappings and carted off to be used by farmers in England and the U.S. for fertilizer.
In 1987, cats overtook dogs as the number one pet in America.
In Asia and England, black cats are considered lucky.
In England, the government owns thousands of cats. Their job is to help keep the buildings free of rodents.
In English, cat is "cat." In French, cat is "Chat." In German, your cat is "katze." The Spanish word for cat is "gato," and the Italian word is "gatto." Japanese prefer "neko" and Arabic countries call a cat a "kitte."
In Japan, cats are thought to have the power to turn into super spirits when they die. This may be because according to the Buddhist religion, the body of the cat is the temporary resting place of very spiritual people.
In ancient Egypt, entire families would shave their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when the family cat died.
In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was a crime punishable by death.
In ancient Egypt, mummies were made of cats, and embalmed mice were placed with them in their tombs. In one ancient city, over 300,000 cat mummies were found.
In contrast to dogs, cats have not undergone major changes during their domestication process.
In just seven years, a single pair of cats and their offspring could produce a staggering total of 420,000 kittens.
In multi-cat households, cats of the opposite sex usually get along better.
In relation to their body size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
In the 15th century, Pope Innocent VIII began ordering the killing of cats, pronouncing them demonic.
In the 1750s, Europeans introduced cats into the Americas to control pests.
In the 1930s, two Russian biologists discovered that color change in Siamese kittens depend on their body temperature. Siamese cats carry albino genes that work only when the body temperature is above 98 degrees Fahrenheit. If these kittens are left in a very warm room, their points won't darken and they will stay a creamy white.
In the 1960s, the CIA tried to turn a cat into a bonafide spy by implanting a microphone into her ear and a radio transmitter at the base of her skull. She somehow survived the surgery but got hit by a taxi on her first mission.
In the Middle Ages, during the Festival of Saint John, cats were burned alive in town squares.
In the original Italian version of Cinderella, the benevolent fairy godmother figure was a cat.
In tigers and tabbies, the middle of the tongue is covered in backward-pointing spines, used for breaking off and gripping meat.
Isaac Newton invented the cat flap. Newton was experimenting in a pitch-black room. Spithead, one of his cats, kept opening the door and wrecking his experiment. The cat flap kept both Newton and Spithead happy.
Isaac Newton is credited with inventing the cat door.
It costs $7000 to care for one household cat over its lifetime. This covers only the necessities; the pampered pet will carry a higher price.
It has been scientifically proven that owning cats is good for our health and can decrease the occurrence of high blood pressure and other illnesses.
It has been scientifically proven that stroking a cat can lower one's blood pressure.
It is a common belief that cats are color blind. However, recent studies have shown that cats can see blue, green, and red.
It is believed that a white cat sitting on your doorstep just before your wedding is a sign of lasting happiness.
It was illegal to slay cats in ancient Egypt, in large part because they provided the great service of controlling the rat population.
Jack & Donna Wright of Kingston, Ontario made their way to the Guinness Book of Records for having 689 cats.
Kittens begin dreaming at just over one week old.
Kittens have baby teeth, which are replaced by permanent teeth around the age of 7 months.
Like birds, cats have a homing ability that uses its biological clock, the angle of the sun, and the Earth's magnetic field. A cat taken far from its home can return to it.
Many Egyptians worshipped the goddess Bast, who had a woman's body and a cat's head.
Many cats cannot properly digest cow's milk. Milk and milk products give them diarrhea.
Mohammed loved cats and reportedly his favorite cat, Muezza, was a tabby. Legend says that tabby cats have an "M" for Mohammed on top of their heads because Mohammad would often rest his hand on the cat's head.
Most cats adore sardines.
Most cats don't like water because their coats do not insulate them well enough.
Most cats give birth to a litter of between one and nine kittens. The largest known litter ever produced was 19 kittens, of which 15 survived.
Most cats had short hair until about 100 years ago, when it became fashionable to own cats and experiment with breeding.
Most cats prefer their food at room temperature.
Most deaf cats do not meow.
Most lively, active kittens grow up to be friendly, outgoing cats.
Mother cats teach their kittens to use the litter box.
Multi-colored male cats are very rare. For every 3,000 tortoiseshell or calico cats born, only one will be male.
Napoleon was terrified of cats.
Neutering a cat extends its life span by two or three years.
Neutering a male cat will, in almost all cases, stop him from spraying, fighting with other males, lengthen his life and improve its quality.
Newborn kittens have closed ear canals that don't begin to open for nine days.
Normal body temperature for a cat is 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not every cat gets "high" from catnip. If the cat doesn't have a specific gene, it won't react (about 20% do not have the gene).
On 7th August, 1970, a four year old Burmese gave birth to 19 kittens (15 survived, 1 female and 14 males).
On average, cats spend 2/3 of every day sleeping. That means a nine-year-old cat has been awake for only three years of its life.
One legend claims that cats were created when a lion on Noah's Ark sneezed and two kittens came out.
One reason that kittens sleep so much is because a growth hormone is released only during sleep.
Only 11.5 of people consider themselves "cat people."
Only 24 of cats who enter animal shelters are adopted.
Only a mother cat should pick a cat up by the scruff of the neck.
Original kitty litter was made out of sand but it was replaced by more absorbent clay in 1948.
Owning a cat can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack by a third.
People who are allergic to cats are actually allergic to cat saliva or to cat dander. If the resident cat is bathed regularly the allergic people tolerate it better.
People who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
Perhaps the most famous comic cat is the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. With the ability to disappear, this mysterious character embodies the magic and sorcery historically associated with cats.
Phoenician cargo ships are thought to have brought the first domesticated cats to Europe in about 900 BC.
Polydactyl cats are also referred to as "Hemingway cats" because the author was so fond of them.
Pregnant women are advised not to come in contact with cat feces, because it can contain an organism which can affect the unborn child and even cause miscarriage.
Relative to its body size, the clouded leopard has the biggest canines of all animals' canines. Its dagger-like teeth can be as long as 1.8 inches (4.5 cm).
Researchers are unsure exactly how a cat purrs. Most veterinarians believe that a cat purrs by vibrating vocal folds deep in the throat. To do this, a muscle in the larynx opens and closes the air passage about 25 times per second.
Researchers believe the word "tabby" comes from Attabiyah, a neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq. Tabbies got their name because their striped coats resembled the famous wavy patterns in the silk produced in this city.
Siamese kittens are born white.
Similarly, the frequency of a domestic cat's purr is the same at which muscles and bones repair themselves.
Sir Isaac Newton is not only credited with the laws of gravity but is also credited with inventing the cat flap.
Smuggling a cat out of ancient Egypt was punishable by death. Phoenician traders eventually succeeded in smuggling felines, which they sold to rich people in Athens and other important cities.
Some Siamese cats appear cross-eyed because the nerves from the left side of the brain go to mostly the right eye and the nerves from the right side of the brain go mostly to the left eye. This causes some double vision, which the cat tries to correct by "crossing" its eyes.
Some cats have survived falls of over 65 feet (20 meters), due largely to their "righting reflex." The eyes and balance organs in the inner ear tell it where it is in space so the cat can land on its feet. Even cats without a tail have this ability.
Some cats will actually knead and drool when they are petted. The kneading or marching means that the cat is happy.
Some cats, males in particular, develop health problems if fed dry food exclusively.
Someone who is allergic to one cat may not be allergic to another cat. Though there isn't currently a way of predicting which cat is more likely to cause allergic reactions.
Spanish-Jewish folklore recounts that Adam's first wife, Lilith, became a black vampire cat, sucking the blood from sleeping babies. This may be the root of the superstition that a cat will smother a sleeping baby or suck out the child's breath.
Still, cat people are more open to new experiences than typical "dog people."
Stroking a cat can help to relieve stress, and the feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.
Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it is 30% less likely to survive than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself.
The Egyptian Mau is probably the oldest breed of cat. In fact, the breed is so ancient that its name is the Egyptian word for "cat."
The Egyptian Mau is the oldest breed of cat.
The Egyptian word for cat is, in fact, "mau."
The Maine Coon cat is America's only natural breed of domestic feline.
The Pilgrims were the first to introduce cats to North America.
The ability of a cat to find its way home is called "psi-traveling." Experts think cats either use the angle of the sunlight to find their way or that cats have magnetized cells in their brains that act as compasses.
The ancestor of all domestic cats is the African Wild Cat which still exists today.
The average lifespan of an outdoor-only cat (feral and non-feral) is about 3 years.
The biggest wildcat today is the Siberian Tiger. It can be more than 12 feet (3.6 m) long (about the size of a small car) and weigh up to 700 pounds (317 kg).
The cat family split from the other mammals at least 40,000,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest mammalian families.
The cat who holds the record for the longest non-fatal fall is Andy. He fell from the 16th floor of an apartment building (about 200 ft/0.06 km) and survived.
The cat's front paw has 5 toes, but the back paws have 4. Some cats are born with as many as 7 front toes and extra back toes (polydactl).
The catgut formerly used as strings in tennis rackets and musical instruments does not come from cats. Catgut actually comes from sheep, hogs, and horses.
The catnip plant contains an oil called hepetalactone which does for cats what marijuana does to some people.
The cheetah is the only cat in the world that can't retract it's claws.
The chlorine in fresh tap water irritates sensitive parts of the cat's nose. Let tap water sit for 24 hours before giving it to a cat.
The claws on the cat's back paws aren't as sharp as the claws on the front paws because the claws in the back don't retract and, consequently, become worn.
The color of the points in Siamese cats is heat related - cool areas are darker.
The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking.
The earliest ancestor of the modern cat lived about 30 million years ago. Scientists called it the Proailurus, which means "first cat" in Greek. The group of animals that pet cats belong to emerged around 12 million years ago.
The female cat reaches sexual maturity within 6 to 10 months; most veterinarians suggest spaying the female at 5 months.
The first breeding pair of Siamese cats arrived in England in 1884.
The first cartoon cat was Felix the Cat in 1919. In 1940, Tom and Jerry starred in the first theatrical cartoon "Puss Gets the Boot." In 1981 Andrew Lloyd Weber created the musical Cats, based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
The first cat in space was French. She was named Felicette, or "Astrocat." She survived the trip.
The first cat in space was a French cat named Felicette (a.k.a. "Astrocat") In 1963, France blasted the cat into outer space. Electrodes implanted in her brains sent neurological signals back to Earth. She survived the trip.
The first cat show was organized in 1871 in London. Cat shows later became a worldwide craze.
The first commercially cloned pet was a cat named "Little Nicky." He cost his owner $50,000, making him one of the most expensive cats ever.
The first formal cat show was held in England in 1871; in America, in 1895.
The group of words associated with cat (catt, cath, chat, katze) stem from the Latin catus, meaning domestic cat, as opposed to feles, or wild cat.
The heaviest cat ever recorded was 46 lbs.
The heaviest cat on record is Himmy, a Tabby from Queensland, Australia. He weighed nearly 47 pounds (21 kg). He died at the age of 10.
The largest cat breed is the Ragdoll. Male Ragdolls weigh between 12 and 20 lbs (5.4-9.0 k). Females weigh between 10 and 15 lbs (4.5-6.8 k).
The largest cat breed is the Ragdoll. Males weigh 12-20 pounds, with females weighing 10-15 pounds.
The largest litter of kittens produced 19 kittens.
The life expectancy of cats has nearly doubled since 1930 - from 8 to 16 years.
The lightest cat on record is a blue point Himalayan called Tinker Toy, who weighed 1 pound, 6 ounces (616 g). Tinker Toy was 2.75 inches (7 cm) tall and 7.5 inches (19 cm) long.
The little tufts of hair in a cat's ear that help keep out dirt direct sounds into the ear, and insulate the ears are called "ear furnishings."
The male cat usually reaches sexual maturity between 9 and 12 months.
The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.
The most expensive cat was an Asian Leopard cat (ALC)-Domestic Shorthair (DSH) hybrid named Zeus. Zeus, who is 90% ALC and 10% DSH, has an asking price of 100,000 British pounds ($154,000).
The most popular names for female cats in the U.S. are Missy, Misty, Muffin, Patches, Fluffy, Tabitha, Tigger, Pumpkin and Samantha.
The most popular pedigreed cat is the Persian cat, followed by the Main Coon cat and the Siamese cat.
The most traveled cat is Hamlet, who escaped from his carrier while on a flight. He hid for seven weeks behind a pane. By the time he was discovered, he had traveled nearly 373,000 miles (600,000 km).
The normal body temperature of a cat is between 100.5 degrees and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. A cat is sick if its temperature goes below 100 degrees or above 103 degrees Fahrenheit.
The oldest cat on record was Creme Puff from Austin, Texas, who lived from 1967 to August 6, 2005, three days after her 38th birthday. A cat typically can live up to 20 years, which is equivalent to about 96 human years.
The oldest cat still living is a Burmese called Kataleena Lady who lives in Melbourne, Australia. Kataleena Lady was born on March 11th, 1977.
The oldest cat to give birth was Kitty who, at the age of 30, gave birth to two kittens. During her life, she gave birth to 218 kittens.
The oldest cat video on YouTube dates back to 1894 (when it was made, not when it was uploaded, duh).
The richest cat in the Guinness Book of World Records is a pair of cats who inherited $415,000 in the early '60s. The richest single cat is a white alley cat who inherited $250,000.
The richest cat is Blackie who was left 15 million British pounds by his owner, Ben Rea.
The smallest cat breed is the Singapura. Males weigh about 6 pounds while females weigh about 4 pounds.
The smallest pedigreed cat is a Singapura, which can weigh just 4 lbs (1.8 kg), or about five large cans of cat food. The largest pedigreed cats are Maine Coon cats, which can weigh 25 lbs (11.3 kg), or nearly twice as much as an average cat weighs.
The smallest wildcat today is the Black-footed cat. The females are less than 20 inches (50 cm) long and can weigh as little as 2.5 lbs (1.2 kg).
The tail is used to maintain balance.
The technical term for "hairball" is "bezoar."
The technical term for a cat's hairball is a "bezoar."
The term "puss" is the root of the principal word for "cat" in the Romanian term pisica and the root of secondary words in Lithuanian (puz) and Low German puus. Some scholars suggest that "puss" could be imitative of the hissing sound used to get a cat's attention. As a slang word for the female pudenda, it could be associated with the connotation of a cat being soft, warm, and fuzzy.
The tiniest cat on record is Mr. Pebbles, a 2-year-old cat that weighed 3 lbs (1.3 k) and was 6.1 inches (15.5 cm) high.
The tiniest cat on record was Tinker Toy from Illinois. A male Himalayan-Persian, he weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces fully grown and was 7.25 feet long and 2.75 feet tall!
The typical male housecat will weigh between 7 and 9 pounds, slightly less for female housecats.
The way you treat kittens in the early stages of it's life will render it's personality traits later in life.
The world's best mouser was tortoiseshell moggy Towser. From April 21st, 1963 to 20th March 1987 she caught 28,899 mice, plus numerous other unfortunate creatures such as rats & rabbits. Towser worked for the Glenturret Distillery. A statue has been erected in the distillery grounds to honour Towser.
The world's largest cat measured 48.5 inches long.
The world's rarest coffee, Kopi Luwak, comes from Indonesia where a wildcat known as the luwak lives. The cat eats coffee berries and the coffee beans inside pass through the stomach. The beans are harvested from the cat's dung heaps and then cleaned and roasted. Kopi Luwak sells for about $500 for a 450 g (1 lb) bag.
The world's richest cat is worth $13 million after his human passed away and left her fortune to him.
There are 45 Hemingway cats living at the author's former home in Key West, Fla.
There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside.
There are cats who have survived falls from over 32 stories (320 meters) onto concrete.
There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with approximately 40 recognized breeds.
There are tiny, parasitic worms that can live in a cat's stomach. These worms cause frequent vomiting.
There are two cats commonly listed at the longest living. The first is Puss, who was born in 1903 and passed away on 29th November, 1939. The second is Granpa who lived to the ripe old age of 34. was a Sphyx adopted from the Humane Society in Texas.
There are up to 60 million feral cats in the United States alone.
There have been three different cats who have played the famed "Morris the Cat." The first Morris was adopted from a shelter in 1968. In 1969 he landed the role of Morris the Cat in the famous 9 Lives Cat Food commercials...and was an overnight success! The first Morris died in 1978 and was subsequently replaced by two more cats who played "Morris." All three of the "Morris the Cat" cats were rescued from shelters.
They also had elaborate memorials that included mummifying the cat and either burying it in a family tomb or pet cemetery.
They are also very soft.
They can also move their ears separately.
This breed is also the fastest pedigreed cat.
To make sure your cat's collar fits properly, make sure you can slip two fingers under the collar, between the collar and your cat's neck.
Today there are about 100 distinct breeds of the domestic cat.
Two Siamese cats discovered microphones hidden by Russian spies in Holland's embassy in Moscow In Holland's embassy in Moscow, Russia, the staff noticed that the two Siamese cats kept meowing and clawing at the walls of the building. Their owners finally investigated, thinking they would find mice. Instead, they discovered microphones hidden by Russian spies. The cats heard the microphones when they turned on.
Two members of the cat family are distinct from all others: the clouded leopard and the cheetah. The clouded leopard does not roar like other big cats, nor does it groom or rest like small cats. The cheetah is unique because it is a running cat; all others are leaping cats. They are leaping cats because they slowly stalk their prey and then leap on it.
Tylenol and chocolate are both poisionous to cats.
Unlike dogs, cats do not have a sweet tooth. Scientists believe this is due to a mutation in a key taste receptor.
Unlike humans and dogs, cats do not suffer a lot from loneliness. They are far more concerned with territorial issues.
When a cat chases its prey, it keeps its head level. Dogs and humans bob their heads up and down.
When a cat swishes its tail back and forth, she's concentrating on somthing; if her tail starts moving faster, she has become annoyed.
When a domestic cat goes after mice, about one pounce in three results in a catch.
When a family cat died in ancient Egypt, family members would mourn by shaving off their eyebrows. They also held elaborate funerals during which they drank wine and beat their breasts. The cat was embalmed with a sculpted wooden mask and the tiny mummy was placed in the family tomb or in a pet cemetery with tiny mummies of mice.
When a family cat died in ancient Egypt, family members would shave off their eyebrows as they mourned.
When asked if her husband had any hobbies, Mary Todd Lincoln is said to have replied "cats."
When cats grimace, they are usually "taste-scenting." They have an extra organ that, with some breathing control, allows the cats to taste-sense the air.
When cats leave their poop uncovered, it is a sign of aggression to let you know they don't fear you.
When well treated, a cat can live twenty or more years.
When your cat brings home a dead mouse or bird, it may do so to show you that you suck at hunting.
When your cats rubs up against you, she is actually marking you as "hers" with her scent.
While it is commonly thought that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats, the oldest known pet cat was recently found in a 9,500-year-old grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This grave predates early Egyptian art depicting cats by 4,000 years or more.
While many parts of Europe and North America consider the black cat a sign of bad luck, in Britain and Australia, black cats are considered lucky.
