CAT FOLKLORE AND INTERESTING INFO

1. Cats have the largest eyes of any mammal in relation to their body size, but they cannot really see in total darkness. They can see far better than humans in semi-darkness.

2. Cats spend about 30 percent of their time grooming and rarely need baths. Over use of shampoos (which must be formulated specifically for cats) may wash away some of the natural oils that the cat depends upon to guard against infections. Cat saliva is said to contain a deodorizing and detergent-like substance that keeps the coat clean.

3. A cat’s memory is more than 200 percent more retentive than that of a dog.

4. The cat population in the U.S. outnumbers dogs by about 9 million because cat owners tend to have more than one cat. According to the Pet Institute, the U.S. cat population was about 62.4 million in 1999.

5. A Sanskrit manuscript in 1000 B.C. mentions cats and there are tales and stories about cats in Indian epics from as early as 5000 B.C. The first domesticated cats were found in Egypt about 4000 years ago. According to legend, tailless cats came about when a pair of cats due to enter the Ark were late arriving. Noah was just closing the door and when doing so, nipped off their tails.

6. Most U.S. cat lovers are concentrated in the Northeastern and Northwestern states. Vermont has the most, with cats in 47 percent of households. Wisconsin has the lowest, with only 25 percent of households having cats.

7. A cat’s arching back is part5 of a complex body language system. The arch is able to get so high because a cat’s spine contains nearly 60 vertebrae (humans have about 34) which fit together loosely, giving incredible flexibility.

8. In the animal kingdom, a cat’s IQ is surpassed by only chimps and monkeys. Cats learn by imitation, observation and trial and error.

9. Cat’s eyes shine green or gold in the dark. A membrane, called tapetum lucidum coats the eye and reflects light. In the dark, the pupils open wide and light is reflected off them, but they aren’t actually “glowing”. This ability, along with an extraordinary sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, enables them to see so well in the dark.

10. When a cat sniffs catnip, the “intoxicated” state produced is actually a response to the herb’s powerful chemical, trans-nepetalactone. Cat’s aren’t attracted to catnip until they are at least 2 months old. The herb valerian is a mild stimulant and will give cats the same sense of ecstasy.

11. A cat’s tail contains between 14 and 28 caudal or tail vertebrae, linked like a string of beads. Even the tailless Manx has 3 tail vertebrae.

12. Research in paw-preference tests has indicated the majority of cats consistently used their left paw, making them right brain dominant. The right brain hemisphere controls the left side of the body. Right brain dominance also indicates that cats are highly intuitive. Conversely, other experts contend that cats are ambidextrous.

13. Cats sleep about 16 hours daily, more than twice the average sleeping time of humans. These sleep patterns evolved from the hunting success of cat ancestors. Their bodies are designed for short bursts of energy. Cats are so efficient in stalking and killing prey, they end up with time to spare. Cats also sleep lightly, so length of sleep makes up for lack of depth of sleep.

14. A cat’s hearing ability is five times that of a human. Dogs have a greater range of pitch, but cat’s hearing far exceeds a dog’s for high pitched sounds (like the squeal of a mouse). Cats can and do hear ultrasonic sounds that precede a noisy event, such as an earthquake of storm.

15. The largest recorded litter of kittens which survived totaled 14 persians, born to a South African queen. During a female cat’s life, she could produce more than 100 offspring. This is a prime reason to alter all pets as overpopulation is a continuing and serious problem.

16. Kittens born in the same litter can look very different because they may have different fathers. A female can even carry two litters at once in different stages of development.

17. Most animals walk by moving alternating legs (left front/right rear, then right front/left rear. Only three animals walk by moving the two legs on the same side, then repeating the movement on the other side. They are the camel, giraffe and cat. This method of walking uses minimal energy and helps give speed, agility and silence.

18. The Egyptians were the first to domesticate and keep cats in the home. Kings had trained lions both as a symbol of power and as defense against enemies. Egyptians viewed cats as awe-inspiring and mysterious and thought cat’s eyes could protect them from evil. The cat’s habit of sleeping curled up with the head touching the tail came to symbolize eternity. Cats funerals, were so elaborate in Egypt that cats were buried in their own tiny coffins with mice mummies included for an afterworld snack. By 950 B.C. the foremost Egyptian deity was Bastet, goddess of fertilityi and love, who took feline form. Domestic cats were thought to be her earthbound representatives and killing a cat, was considered a crime punishable by death.

19. Modern day superstitions still exist regarding cats. Simply dreaming of a cat is supposed to have magical meaning. Dreaming of a black cat brings luck, a tortoiseshell cat brings luck in love and a red cat indicates luck in business and money. Dreams of a black and white cat brings luck with children, a tabby luck in the home and a multicolored cat means luck at making friends.

20. The idea of a cat having nine lives in well known worldwide. It may have been the result of people noticing how often cats manage to have all sorts of accidents and still come out “smiling”. Nine has always been a mystical number and it’s also possible that the aura of mystery and magic which has always surrounded cats led to this theory.

21. According to the Guiness Book of Records, heaviest documented weight of a cat is 45 lbs for an Australian feline, in 1986. Weights up to 53 lbs have been claimed, but not documented.