How well do you know your cat?! Here are some interesting facts about cats you may not have known…
Cats hear at a higher frequency – higher than dogs or cats
The sense of smell of a cat is less sensitive than that of a dog
The sensitivity of cats ears are 3x better than a humans
Cats can smell odours 1000x lower than a human can detect
Whiskers are also known as vibrissae
Vibrissae help to detect the proximity of objects
Whiskers are used to help detect prey
Mother cats may chew the whiskers short or off their kittens, so that they cannot wander off too far (they will grow back)
Proper vibrissae do not develop until a cat is 5-6 months old
A female cat can be known as a Queen or a Molly – the term Queen is more common for a mother/ nursing cat
Males are called Tomcats, and occupy a larger territory than females
Cats have scent glands on their face, between their toes, their rump, their shoulders and neck
Cats can tell age, gender, and health from smelling the spray of another cat – as well as how long ago the cat made the scent spray
This is used to mark territory – and can be done by both genders, neutered or not
A cat may spray due to anxiety and stress – even in the home
Cats are an altricial species – born blind, deaf, and fur-less (require nourishment and more development after birth before they can move around much on their own)
Kittens can get food preferences from their mother whilst in the womb and when suckling
Cats are nocturnal or crepuscular hunters – so don’t be surprised if they wander off during the night or dawn/ dusk
They have spectacular night vision
When you see a cats eyes “shine” in the darkness, this is due to the tapetum behind the the eye which reflects the light
If humans had eyes the same size as a cats in comparison to their size, our eyes would be 20cm in diameter!
Cats sleep around 15 hours per day – that’s two thirds of their lives!
Cats switch between dozing and deep sleeping – sleeping deeply for approximately 5 minutes in between 15-30 minutes of dozing
Dozing cats are ready to jump into action if necessary with minimal warning
