20 Cat Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Every 6 seconds, someone watches a cat video on Instagram - yes, that is exactly how popular our feline companions are! From their fascinating gaze to the ways in which they somehow unconsciously perform some of the most comic tricks of all time, cats have carved a niche in the hearts of all animal lovers. From Hello Kitty to the Studio Ghibli obsession with cats, it has been 6500 years since ‘hoomans’ have been going gaga over these tiny balls of fur. Found mummified alongside pharaohs to considering themselves to be the real kings or queens of any household (cue Garfield), pop culture has crowned them the undefeated rulers of us mere humans. 

Therefore, if you consider yourself an ailurophile and find yourself spending hours upon hours scrolling down your social media feed and laughing yourself silly watching cats make absolute fools out of humans, then this might be just the article for you. Here you will get a bunch of the most amusing facts about cats that if you perform a cat loaf test for this article, you will award it a perfect 10! 

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1. Those of you who have a house cat or two, do you know that you are actually cohabiting with tigers? Yes, you heard right. House cats share around 95.6% of their genetic makeup with tigers. If you see your cat showing behaviours such as using its scent and urine for marking territory, prey stalking or hunting, then know that you have brought home a mini tiger. Don’t worry - your cat will still meow and not roar! 
2. Pick up your bundle of fur, if you have one, and measure their height. Then notice carefully when they jump the next time - usually, their jumps are 5 times their height. Now, isn’t that a massive feat? 
3. Kind of annoyed by this new development where your house cat is bringing their rear end close to your face? Don’t be, because it’s just them showing you how much they trust and love you. We know it can be uncomfortable for a lot of people, but they are your babies after all, right? 
   
4. Aren’t cat toes the cutest? They are pink and soft to the touch. Most cat owners often count the number of toes their house cat has. Usually, cats have 18 toes in all - 5 on their front paws and 4 on their hind paws. Sometimes, however, some cats are born with more toes - a phenomenon referred to as polydactylism. Go count the number of toes on your cat now. Do remember, it’s always better to do this while they are asleep or you might end up with, ahem, scratches. 
5. This one is just trivia, but it is too good to not share with fellow cat-lovers. The oldest cat to ever live spent its entire life in Austin, Texas, from August 3, 1967, to August 6, 2005 - a whopping 38 years and 3 days. Creme Puff was a very good cat and is definitely in cat heaven now!  
6. Have you ever wondered why the ears of your house cat perform that adorable twitch when you say something? That is because cats have 32 muscles in just their ears, enabling them to zero in on exactly where the noise is coming from. They can also rotate their ears to an extreme 180 degrees. So, yes, they know exactly when you call them. And yes, they know where you are. They just don’t care most of the time. 
7. Kitty radar is not just the stuff of movies and lore, it is one of the many fun facts about cats. The whiskers on your cat are not just to show that they are pompous and wise, they are, but these whiskers also serve to help them detect and respond to the changes in their surroundings, especially at night. Cat whiskers are deeply embedded in the cat’s body and are connected directly to their sensitive muscular and nervous system. This kitty radar is the reason you have smashed furniture and dead rats in your room in the morning. 
8. Back to cat celebrities now. The wealthiest cat in the world was one by the name of Blackie. This cat extraordinaire had a whopping 12.5 million USD in its name. When Blackie’s owner, a millionaire, passed away, they refused to let anyone except Blackie have full and final control of their immense fortune. We aspire to be this Aristo-cat every day! 
9. You leave your house to go to work. You see your house cat curled up on the sofa, all calm and asleep. You come back from work. You find them in the same position, minus the food and water you left for them. Worried? You need not be. Cats are notoriously lazy and can sleep for 17 hours straight. That is some beauty sleep for sure! 
   
10. This next celebrity cat is pawsome and oh so responsible. An orange tabby cat named Stubbs was elected as the mayor of the tiny town of Talkeetna in Alaska. He remained the uncontested mayor of this town for a total of 20 years. Cat power, oh yeah! 
11. Next, we have the longest and tallest cats in the world. The longest cat in the world was measured to be an astounding 48.5 inches long. It was a Maine Coon cat named Stewie. Imagine the size of the harness for this one, huh? The record for the tallest cat in the world, on the other hand, belongs to Arctus, who was around 19.05 inches tall. 
12. Your cat could be the next Usain Bolt. With their speeds reaching up to 30 miles per hour, they would vanquish Bolt in a 200-metre race with ease. How about we start a petition for Cat Olympics? 
13. Ancient Egyptians took cats seriously, and so must you. When house cats died in ancient Egypt, their owners would shave off their eyebrows to pay homage to them. We recommend you shave your eyebrows too and show your cat that they are definitely the boss! 
14. You thought your cat only said meow? Wrong. Your cat can make around 100 different sounds, and they are all unique. Their purr is different when they are hungry, distressed, or just plain curious. They also hum when they are calm and comfy, especially on your lap. Dogs can make only around 10 different sounds, so cats for the win, we bet! 
15. Ever had your heart stop because your cat just decided to launch itself like a projectile from your roof to chase a couple of birds in the garden? Live in the higher storeys of a building but desperately want a cat? Do not be worried because cats have this awesome phenomenon called the Right Reflex which will ensure that they end up on their feet as they get ready to touch the ground. This minimises impact and enables the cat to survive. In fact, cats are proven to be able to jump off of 32 storeys and still survive. They do really have nine lives, don't they! 
    
16. Have you ever looked at the Sphynx or the Canadian Hairless and wondered if it is indeed hairless? You would be surprised to know that is not exactly the case. In fact, there are tiny stubble-like hair on their bodies, all soft and furry. They also have whiskers and eyebrows! 
17. Have you ever thought that you would like a replica of your beloved house cat? That is quite possible now. For an exorbitant 50,000 USD, you can now get the pet-cloning company Genetic Savings & Clone to make your dreams a reality. We are not kidding - Little Nicky is a hearty example of such successful genetic cloning. 
18. The people in the Middle Ages killed so many cats during the Spanish Inquisition that it led to a ten-fold increase in the number of rats in the towns. This turned out to be one of the major reasons behind the disastrous Black Plague that almost halved the population of Europe. Cats will have their revenge, it is said! 
19. All of us cat owners usually have these tiny cat doors through which our cats can go in and out of the house unhindered. But, do you know who invented the first cat doors? Issac Newton! Yes, the same guy who discovered gravity. Talk about massive achievements! 
20. Next time a neighbour complains about your cat purring loudly, just tell them that this purr has self-healing properties. The frequency of a cat’s purr usually ranges between 25 and 150 Hertz, the same frequency at which bones and muscles repair themselves. Your cat is quite literally a lifesaver! 

Here we go! Now that you know these fun facts about our beloved feline creatures, we are sure you finally understand why not only you but so many people around the globe are obsessed with cats and why humans have been trying since the onset of civilisation to understand these deceptively simple creatures. And on that happy note, have a pawlicious time with your furry little friend. 

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