Ailurophilia is the "love of cats" The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with 33 different breeds A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute 25% of cat owners blow dry their cats hair after a bath The largest cat breed is the Ragdoll. Males weigh 12 to 20 pounds, with females weighing 10 to 15 pounds The smallest cat breed is the Singapura. Males weigh in at about 6 pounds while females weigh about 4 pounds Calico cats are almost always a female If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed - time to distance yourself Cats knead with their paws when they are happy Your cat loves you and cat "read" your moods. If you are sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking An average cat has 1 to 8 kittens per litter, and 2 to 3 litters per year During her reproductive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens In 1952, a Texas Tabby named Dusty set the record by having more than 420 kittens before having her last litter at age 18 The largest known litter (with all surviving) is that of a Persian in South Africa named Bluebell. Bluebell gave birth to 14 kittens in one litter A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just seven years More than 35,000 kittens are born in the United States each year. Spay or neuter your pet Cats have 290 bones in their bodies, and 517 muscles A cat has five more vertebrae in her spinal column than her human does Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door A cat will almost never "meow" at another cat. This sound is reserved for humans If your cat is 3, your cat is 21 in human years. If your cat is 8, your cat is 40 in human years. If your cat is 14, your cat is 70 in human years The average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years The oldest cat on record was Puss, from England, who died in 1939, just one day after her 36th birthday A cat's normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees. This is slightly warmer than a human's temperature People who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks The behaviors shown by most house cats have a parallel in the wild A cat will kill its prey based on movement, but may not necessarily recognize that prey as food. Realizing that prey is food is a learned behavior The first cat show was held in 1895 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York 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, and then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing "Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day The most popular names for female cats in the United States are Missy, Misty, Muffin, Patches, Fluffy, Tabitha, Tigger, Pumpkin and Samantha Cats hate the smell of lemon or orange 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." Cats get their sense of security from your voice. Cats know when you're yelling at them (although they may not care) The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you The giraffe, camel and cat are the only animals that walk by moving both their left feet, then both their right feet, when walking. This method of walking ensures speed, agility and silence It is believed that a white cat sitting on your doorstep just before your wedding is a sign of lasting happiness. White cats are a symbol of good luck in America, while black cats are a sign of bad luck Cats can see in color Cats don't see detail very well. To them, their person may appear hazy when standing in front of them Cats need 1/6 the amount of light that humans do to see Cats can see up to 120 feet away. Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees Cats eyes come in three shapes - round, slanted and almond The color of a kitten's eyes will change as it grows older At birth, kittens can't see or hear. Cats open their eyes after five days and begin to develop their eyesight and hearing at approximately 2 weeks. They begin to walk at 20 days Kittens begin dreaming at just over one week old A cat's ear pivots 180 degrees. They have 30 muscles in each ear, and use 12 or more muscles to control their ear movement A group of kittens is called a "kindle" A group of grown cats is called a "clowder" Cats rub up against other cats, and people, in an attempt to "mark" them with their scent glands. They most often use the scent glands between their eye and ear, or their scent glands near the base of their tail Most cats prefer their food at room temperature Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals. They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping Cats are more active during the evening hours Cats spend 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves 95% of all cat owners admit they talk to their cats Backward-pointing spikes on a cat's tongue aid in their grooming The average cat weighs 12 pounds If you can't feel your cat's ribs, she's too heavy 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" long and 2.75" tall Only 40% of cats are ambidextrous while another 40% are either right-pawed or left-pawed Cats love high places Domestic cats are essentially loners Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed 21% of U.S. households have at least one cat A cat that bites you after you have rubbed his stomach is probably biting out of pleasure, not anger An adult cat has 32 teeth It is said that a cat uses the earth's gravity to determine "their place" in the world, and to develop the ability to return there when necessary According to myth, a cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under their body means cold weather is coming Each year Americans spend 4 billion dollars on cat food Expect to spend an average of $80 per year on vet bills for the lifetime of each cat you own Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat 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 The fumes from moth balls destroy a cat's liver cells. Use cedar in your closet instead [return to top]