(E.B.W.) Critter Corner: June 29/2022

‘Did You Know’: 30 Facts About Cats That You Might Not Have Heard Of (Part 2)

"#16 Cats can dream. They are probably dreaming about hunting, according to scientists. Cats also have nightmares about bad experiences.

#17 A cat's nose has a unique 'print' like a human fingerprint. No 2 cats have identical nose prints (even litter mates have unique prints)

#18 Cats spend roughly 2/3 of their day sleeping. This means that a 3 year old cat has only been awake for about 1 year of its life.

#19 About 40% of cats are either right or left 'pawed' just like humans. Males are more likely to be left pawed, females are more likely to be right pawed.

#20 Cats do not like their water being located near their food. In the wild, cats do not drink water near their food (dead animals) because it could be contaminated. This instinct is present in house cats.

#21 Cats actively choose to ignore us sometimes. Studies suggest that cats often hear us call for them but decide to ignore us. They believe it is because they were not bred to listen to humans, like dogs.

#22 Cats are responsible for the extinction of at least 63 animal species. This has landed them a spot on the '100 worst invasive species' list.

#23 A house cat is over 95% tiger (genetically). They have many of the same behaviors, like play hunting, scent marking, & pouncing.

#24 Cat whiskers are WAY MORE than just cute. They pick up vibrations that help cats navigate their environment & determine spaces they can fit through (they are about the same width as their body).

Trimming a cat's whiskers causes them to become very disoriented.

#25 Cats get the 'zoomies' from built up energy. They are like a wind-up toy: once energy is built up, they must let it out.

#26 Cats often carry the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes rats to be attracted to cats. T. gondii makes its way to the rodent’s brain, & stops the natural fear response to cats...

#27 Cats can find their way home even if they have traveled many miles. Scientists don't know how they do it. Some believe they can sense the earth's magnetic field, others believe they use their strong senses.

#28 Cats can develop depression (usually caused by external stressors). Some symptoms include loss of appetite, reduced energy levels, & changes in litter box usage.

#29 Cats communicate with their whiskers. Whiskers that are still usually mean relaxed, forward usually means curious, & back usually means upset.