Cats are hilarious, mysterious, perplexing, and altogether amazing! Here are 15 cool cat facts for every cat lover!
They fill our homes with love, laughter, and mischief, but how much do we really know about our feline friends?
Whether you’re an old pro at being a human cat slave or a brand new cat parent – I hope you will find these cool cat facts surprising and entertaining!
Take a stretch, get cozy and lets begin our …
Cool Cat Facts Countdown
# 15 – Your cat’s purr can help heal your body and theirs
Do you find the sound of your cat purring to be relaxing? I do! Turns out, there’s a reason we humans (and kitties) respond this way.
“Purrs at a frequency of 25-100Hz correspond with established healing frequencies in therapeutic medicine for humans,” explains Gary Weitzman, Veterinarian and author of “How To Speak Cat.”
Our cat’s purr lowers our blood pressure, stress levels, reduces pain, and can even help heal infections!
What’s even more incredible? Our favorite felines reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 40%!
With all that purr power, no wonder they hold themselves in such high esteem! 😁
There is a big myth to be aware of, however. Cats don’t always purr from happiness. Purring can signal pain, anxiety, disease, or distress in many forms. Pay attention to purrs. Could your cat be trying to tell you something?
Need some purr therapy of your own? Here you go, my friend!
# 14 – Cats can jump over 5 times their own height!
You’re not imagining things! That crazy leap your cat just took and landed is one of the most impressive feats of our felines!
Watch as this kitty jumps 9 times its own height to grab that toy mouse!
How’s that for athleticism?
# 13 – A cat can’t see directly below their nose
Ever tossed your kitty a tasty treat, only to find them seemingly oblivious?
Cats have a blind spot directly below their nose like we do below our chins.
# 12 – Your cat shares 95.6% of their DNA with tigers!
Jong Bhak, a geneticist at the Personal Genomics Institute in South Korea, recently discovered something amazing.
You read it right, our charmingly adorable house companions shared 95.6% of their genomes with tigers.
Just look at that face! It’s pure “catitude!”
If you’re a cat parent, somehow, I’m betting it’s a familiar look!
# 11 – Female cats tend to be right-pawed and male cats tend to be left-pawed.
In our home, we’ve joked that one of our cats, Jinkx, taught Dizzy how to use her ‘left hook’ punch.
Little did I know, there’s some science to back up why this is!
Curious which paw your feline prefers? “It’s just a matter of being observant,” says scientist Deborah Wells.
Over a period of months, watch these behaviors:
- Which paw does your cat lead into the litter box with?
- When walking/running up or down stairs – which paw do they lead with?
- When grabbing, swatting, or pulling on toys – which paw do they prefer?
Whichever paw your kitty tends to favor is probably their dominant one. 🙂 Pretty neat, huh?
# 10 – Cats can’t taste sweetness
Cats lack the Tas1r2 gene which gives other mammals the ability to savor the sweet things in life.
Curious why your cat still loves to nibble on ice cream or other sweet treats? It’s possible that your feline is using their Tas1r3 receptors to taste high concentrations of sweetness.
“It’s a very rare thing [cats enjoying sweets], but we don’t know yet,” says Joe Brand, biochemist and associate director at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.
Related Reading: 10 Human Foods Cats Can Eat & Enjoy!
# 9 – Black cats on average have fewer health problems
Our black cat, “Dizzy,” just danced all over my keyboard about this cool cat fact!
This research by the National Institute of Health finds that a genetic mutation in black cats makes them much less susceptible to common cat diseases like FIV.
Those same studies show some promise for understanding the genetic role and possible cure for HIV in humans!
# 8 – Your cat’s whiskers match the width of their bodies
In general, your feline’s whiskers are as long as their body is wide.
For your cat, this serves as the perfect way to figure out whether or not she’ll fit into that tight space she’s been eyeing!
If her head goes in and her butt wiggles back out, she’s decided the risk of getting stuck is simply too high!
That extra cat food was still worth every bite though! 😉 All this hard work calls for another cat nap!
# 7 – A cat’s brain and our brains are about 90% similar
In my post, “How Smart Are Cats, Exactly?,” we talk about this very topic.
Turns out, cats process information, and especially, emotion, in similar ways to us. How’s that for great minds thinking alike?
# 6 – Nose-Print vs. Finger-Print
By now, I’m sure you’re aware that no two fingerprints in humans are alike. You are literally one of a kind. (We need to celebrate this!)
Our felines have a unique identifier mark as well: their nose-prints! You might find similar markings, but you’ll never find two that are identical.
# 5 – Your cat probably has a better sense of smell than you do
Dogs have long been the celebrated sniffers in our lives, right? Well, okay, dogs still win in this category. 😉
Cats do have a very powerful sense of smell, though. In fact, “Cats have a sense of smell 14 times greater than a human,” says Jim Carlson, DVM.
# 4 – Cats mainly sweat through their paws
Curious how cats cool down in hot weather? Do they sweat like we do?
The answer is yes, but differently. Cats have sweat glands in a few hairless parts of their body: paws, lips, chin, and tissue around the anus, explains PetMD.
Little wet paw prints on your hard floors in hot weather are evidence of how cats release excess heat.
Grooming themselves is another way cats cool down when the heat cranks up. As their saliva evaporates on their fur, it cools their bodies.
# 3 – The ‘zoomies’ release excess energy not spent in the great outdoors
Have you ever seen your cat dart from one room to another out of nowhere, back and forth? It’s hilariously entertaining to watch. Unless of course, it happens across your face at 3AM. 🙀
In the wild, cats have all sorts of activities to release excess energy. Stuck at home alone, they can get bored.
Too much energy + not enough routine = the ‘zoomies.’ Some cats, like our Dizzy, get the zoomies before or after a rewarding bathroom trip too!
# 2 – Your cat has more bones than you do
On average, our feline companions have 245 bones. 18-23 of those bones can be found in the tail alone! Our cats have an amazingly complex skeletal design allowing them to contort and accomplish great acrobatic feats.
In comparison, the human body, on average, has only 206 bones!
# 1 – Move over monkeys!
When it comes to cool cat facts, there’s no way I could leave this one out!
Did you know a cat has been launched into space? Félicette, the brave French kitty, did just that on Oct. 18, 1963!
I wonder how excited this cat was at the thought of dominating a planet other than Earth? Surely, there must be worthy servants in Space too!
I’ll admit, I’m genuinely amazed by this precious tuxedo kitty!
Take a look for yourself…
Did you enjoy these cool cat facts?
Cats really are amazing creatures. Just when you think you’ve learned all there is to know about them – they’ll surprise you again!
What was your favorite from this list? Do you have any favorite cool cat facts you’d like to share with me?
I’d really love to hear from you in the comments section below. If you found these facts fascinating, please be sure and share this on social media, will you?
Thank you!!
Think you know cats? Here are 15 cool cat facts to test your knowledge! #cats #cat #catlife #catlovers #kitty Share on XWith Love From All Of Us,
