Attention all cat lovers: get ready to sink your claws into some feline fun with a collection of cool facts about cats! These precious pets have been captivating the hearts of humans for centuries, and it’s no wonder why. Mysterious and independent, cats have a rich history and a host of unique qualities that, alongside dogs, make them an all-time favorite companion for humans. From their cunning hunting skills to their playful personalities, all about cats makes them endlessly fascinating, and the countless cat facts out there shouldn’t come as a surprise.
But there’s so much more to these adorable animals than meets the eye. Have you ever wondered what the oldest cat breed is or if cats can be potty-trained? Did you know that cats have been domesticated for over 9,000 years? Or that Freddie Mercury dedicated an album to his cats?
Today we’ll explore a wide range of fun facts about cats that will feed your love for felines and deepen your understanding of these incredible creatures. From their evolutionary history to their quirky habits, these cat trivia are the perfect tidbits of knowledge to satisfy your craving for all things feline. Whether you’re a seasoned cat lover or a curious newcomer, there’s certainly something you didn’t know on this list. So curl up with your furry companions, and get ready to get whisked away on a journey of fun cat facts!
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Freddie Mercury Dedicated His 1985 Album Mr. Bad Guy To His Cats
“This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry — also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany, and all the cat lovers across the universe — screw everybody else!”
That's what Freddie Mercury wrote in the album’s notes.
The Oldest Cat In The World Was 38 Years And 3 Days Old
Creme Puff lived from 1967 to 2005. The same owner also had another cat, Grandpa Rex Allen, who was 34 years old.
Welsh Folklore Says That Blacks Cats Bring Good Luck To A Home
According to Welsh folklore, black cats may also be able to predict the weather.
Britain and Ireland also consider them good luck. The gene that makes them black also protects them from some diseases. Scientifically, they're less likely to become sick. That's one reason why I PURRposely chose my MR.🦞 over the others.
Bored Panda got in touch with Applied Animal Behaviourist (ACAAB) Julie Posluns of CatSchool.co. CatSchool.co hosts online courses, tools and tutorial videos for easy and fun cat training, not only empowering cat lovers to train their feline friends themselves, but also providing opportunities and activities that allow the two to connect on a deeper level.
We've asked Julie why she thinks cats make such great pets, and she explained that they meet all the criteria that potential owners are often looking for in a pet:
"They have big personalities in small packages and adapt well to our lifestyle. People are attracted to their 'cute' features—their soft fur, sweet faces, and comforting purrs make us want to nurture them. But since cats retain much of their wildness, they captivate us with their intelligence and independent spirit. Sharing our homes with them is amusing, entertaining, and conveniently also makes for great content on social media."
Your Cat Knows Your Voice, But Most Of The Time Ignores It
The Cat Marlon Brando Was Holding In The Opening Scene Of "The Godfather" Was A Stray Cat
Francis Ford Coppola found the kitten on Paramount property. The cat wasn’t supposed to be included, and the purring even muffled some of Marlon Brando’s lines, which had to be looped.
A Cat Survived Three Sinking Ships In WW2 And Was Named Unsinkable Sam
Taking a scared cat ... on water ... off a boat ... to another boat in water ... I can only imagine the scratches
Your Cat At Home Shares 95% DNA With A Tiger
But, getting a cat for the sake of being able to post pics on Instagram should never be the sole purpose of a feline companion at home. Like any other pet, cat companionship is rewarding, but it can also be challenging, as elaborated Julie:
"The goal is to keep our precious pets safe, so having indoor-only cats is becoming more mainstream. However, finding ways to meet an indoor cat's need for exercise and enrichment can be challenging. Playtime, food puzzles and clicker training are a few ways to burn an indoor cat's energy."
Besides this, folks should consider a number of other crucial factors before adopting a cat. At the very least, there's the financial strain of all the various cat foods and carriers and toys you'll need to get and vet visits you'll have to go to. But there's also understanding that you can't go vacationing without a cat-sitter. And, last, but not least, you will have to adapt to a life with a cat as much as the cat will have to adapt to you—so if the little furry friend decides it wants to have an intense jog around your flat 800 times at 3AM, brace yourself.
Adult Cats Meow Primarily To Communicate With Humans, But Rarely With Other Animals
Thank you , one of my bans was based on me saying one of our cats talked to us !!!!!! JUSTICE ...finally :) x
Cats Can Solve Problems Better Than Dogs
They can create problems better than dogs too 🙃 Still cannot not love them..
Cat Called Stubbs Has Been Honorary Mayor Of An Alaskan Town For 20 Years
In case you’re wondering, Stubbs had no authority to make or enforce laws.
Cats Might Seek Out Boxes In Order To Cope With Stress
A study conducted with shelter cats found that providing them with boxes helped them acclimate to their new environment more quickly, reduced their stress levels, and increased their interest in interacting with humans.
If you're trying to desensitize your cat to car rides, having a clean, empty vehicle will be detrimental for this exact reason. Fill the back seat up and let them hang out there instead.
Siamese Kitten Fur Color Changes Depending On Body Temperature
Siamese cats have an albino gene that activates when their body temperature increases above 30°C. As a result, if a Siamese kitten lives in a hot environment, the fur will remain light instead of turning into the characteristic darker coat.
Julie continued: "Cats are known to be aloof and independent, so when a cat shows us affection and a desire to communicate, it can feel rewarding—who doesn't want to be chosen as a cat's favorite person? Cats also hijack our day in the best way; whether demanding food, playtime or sitting on our computer, these constant companions ensure we take lots of breaks in our workday to entertain them."
And even if you don't have a cat around the house, they can still manage to hijack your time online, like in these 24 times cats surprised humans with their heroic acts, these 114 of the most famous cats on the internet, and these 50 "I don't own a cat" moments.
Cats Spend Between 12 To 18 Hours Sleeping A Day
As cats age, they tend to sleep for longer periods of time each day than they did when they were younger.
About 200 Feral Cats Roam The Disneyland Grounds, Where They Help Control The Theme Park's Rodent Population
Cats Also Have Whiskers On The Back Of Their Front Legs
Aoshima Is Probably Japan's Most Famous Cat Island
Known as “Cat Island,” it truly lives up to its name, as about 220 cats live there — far outnumbering the human population of just six residents.
Researchers Found That Upwards Of 65 To 85% Of White Cats With Blue Eyes Are Deaf
If the cat has one blue eye, the percentage drops to 40%.
but how can we be so sure they aren't just using their superpower of selective hearing? (jk, if this is true, its interesting, but kind of sad. I wonder why that is, is there something that went wrong with people trying to breed them for aesthetic, because that wouldnt surprise me :/)
Now, you'd think that you can't train a cat—remember, a cat can recognize your voice, but more often than not it will ignore it because it supposedly has a higher level of sentience than humans do and you ain't the boss of me. Probably. But just like dogs, it is possible, and Julie elaborates on this:
"Cats are highly trainable, and training will change your relationship, allowing you to take better care of your cat and have a stronger bond. Whether using carrier training to reduce your cat's stress with vet visits or improving your cat's comfort with nail trims, your cat can learn to be a cooperative partner in their care. Training is also an excellent form of feline enrichment; for example, teaching your cat to wear a harness and walk on a leash can be a perfect way to allow them to explore the outside world safely."
A House Cat Is Much Faster Than You And Can Reach Speeds Of Up To 30 Mph
Cats Run Around After Using A Litterbox Due To Instictive Behavior Against Predators
It’s part of cats’ instincts to try and confuse predators who smell their feces.
Abraham Lincoln Kept Three Cats In The White House
Oscar The Cat Appeared To Be Able To Predict The Imminent Death Of Terminally Ill Patients
It seems that Oscar could notice the lack of movement in some patients. Another theory affirms he was able to smell the biochemicals released from dying cells.
Cats Have Over 400 Taste Buds
And they can taste something that we can't... Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which is present in all living tissue. I guess that, for an obligate carnivore, that is good to have.
Scientists Still Don't Fully Understand How Cats Generate And Control Purring
While it is known that cats purr through the use of their larynx and diaphragm muscles during both inhalation and exhalation, the specific mechanism by which these muscles work together to produce purring remains unknown to researchers.
"Sissom, et al. (1991) demonstrated that the primary mechanism behind the sound and the vibration produced during purring is a centrally driven laryngeal modulation of respiratory flow [10]. The sound is generated by a sudden build up and release of pressure as the glottis is closed and then opened, resulting in a sudden separation of the vocal folds, which generate the sound [11]. The laryngeal muscles, which move the glottis, are driven by a free-running neural oscillator, generating a cycle of contraction and release every 30-40 ms [10]. Fundamentally, purring arises from the gating of respiratory flow by the larynx. Gibbs (1936) was able to elicit purring when he stimulated the infundibular region of the cat brain, suggesting that the laryngeal muscles are controlled by the central nervous system [12]. " https://www.reed.edu/biology/courses/BIO342/2011_syllabus/2011_websites/Purring%20CH&JP/mechanism.html — so it looks like some researchers have a better grasp than others :-)
Be sure to check out more from CatSchool.co (even more so if you have a cat), and follow them on Instagram and YouTube because nobody wants to break their cat (let alone be broken by it) and CatSchool.co is the best place to turn to for that.
But the list doesn't end here, so keep on scrolling to learn more fun facts about cats. And while you're at it, share some of your own fun facts about cats in the comment section below!
An Average Sized Adult Cat Can Jump 5 To 6 Times Its Height
Kittens Start Dreaming Very Young, As Early As Week Old
Some Cats Lack The Gene That Makes Them React To Catnip
Cats also respond differently. Some mellow out and watch the pretty colors ... others become angry drunks
Most Adult Cats Are Lactose Intolerant
It can cause nausea, bloating, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. And is one cause of those mystery stains behind the couch and in your closet. Animals tend to hide their pain and illness due to their "Survival of the Fittest" mentality. Cats bury the evidence. Sitting in a corner and staring at the wall also means that they're probably not feeling well.
Egyptian Mau Is The Oldest Known Cat Breed
Egyptian Maus were found mummified and placed alongside pharaohs. They were thought to act as companions and guides in the afterlife for the late kings.
Mau means cat, (sorry if you already knew this) and is thought to be named after the sound of meow, but I couldn't find any verification for this.
99.9% Of Calico Cats Are Female
Cat Claws All Curve Downward, Preventing Them From Climbing Down Trees Headfirst
Felines don’t know how to properly climb down and must resort to going backward. Others may know how to do it, but their claws, designed for climbing upwards, don’t provide sufficient support for a safe descent.
My cat usually just aim for my head and jump down from the tree, scratching my face
Wealthiest Cat Had A Fortune Of £7-Million
In May 1988, a wealthy man from the UK passed away, leaving his cat, Blackie, an estate worth £7 million.
Cat Hair Helped Solve A Murder Case
Shirley A. Duguay, who lived on Prince Edward Island, Canada, and owned a white cat went missing from her home. The police believed that Douglas Beamish, the father of Duguay’s three children, had killed her. When they examined Beamish’s jacket, they found it was covered in Duguay’s blood and white cat hair. This evidence was strong enough to convince a jury that Beamish was guilty of murder.
When I read the title my first thought was that a cat killed someone
Cats Have A Special Nasal Organ Called Jacobson’s Organ That Detects Specific Chemicals
Jacobson’s organ’s odor receptors do not respond to ordinary smells. The receptors detect chemical substances with no odor.
So that’s why you see all the stories about the cats saving their owners from like natural gas leaks in their house and stuff?
Cats Can Drink And Process Salt Water
The Oldest Known Domestic Cat Lived 9,500 Years Ago
In 2004, French researchers discovered a 9,500-year-old cat grave in Cyprus, making it the oldest pet cat ever found. This discovery is 4,000 years older than any known cat-related Egyptian artwork.
80% Of Orange Tabby Cats Are Male
The color of a cat’s coat is often linked to the X chromosome. As females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y chromosome, male cats only need to inherit the orange gene from their mothers to be ginger-colored. This means that male cats are more likely to pass on this trait to their offspring.
A similar situation exists with tortoiseshells & calicoes, who are usually female. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat#Genetics for the underlying genetic mechanism.
Maine Coon Called Stewie Still Holds The Record For The Longest Domestic Cat At 123 Centimeters
Stewie’s full name was Mymains Stewart Gilligan. Sadly, he passed away in January 2013.
That looks more like an Abyssinian to me. Nothing like a Maine C o o n cat. C'mon BP, you can do better than that🤦♀️
Ernest Hemingway Gathered Polydactyl Cats
In the 1930s, Hemingway adopted his first cat and continued to adopt many more throughout his lifetime. Today, about 40-50 polydactyl cats roam the Hemingway Home estate.
I have to admit that's why I visited the estate ... for the polydactyl cats ... not Hemingway
Isaac Newton Is Anecdotally Attributed With The Invention Of Cat Door
Newton’s cats would often interrupt him by scratching at the door, so he requested that a hole be made to allow them to come and go as they pleased. One hole was made for the adult cat and a smaller one for the kitten.
"And a smaller one for the kitten." 😹🤣😹 As if it couldn't use the bigger hole🤦♀️
The Loudest Purr By A Domestic Cat Is 67.8db(A)
That’s like as loud as a motorcycle! (According to google, correct me if I’m wrong)
Male Cats Are More Likely To Be Left Paw-Dominant
Females are instead more likely to be right-paw dominant.
😺👍Can verify. Mr.🦞, my Polydactyl kitten, always grabs things in his left paw when he runs away carrying them.
Cats Like To Smell Green Olives
Olives contain an active compound similar in structure to nepetalactone, which is found in catnip.
Some even eat them when they can beg one off a human.
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My cat goes absolutely crazy for olives, just the smell on my hands if I've cutting some gives her 10x the high of catnip. She eats them too, I've given her just a tiny bit to test it, she batted it around, rolled on it, then ate it 😆
While olives aren't dangerous for cats, you'll want to limit them to less than one olive at a time. No more than a couple of times a week. And, of course, only if they've never had a bad reaction.
Our two love the smell of garlic. They are not allowed to eat it of course, but they love the smell.
Very wise to keep the alliums controlled!!! 👏🤠👍 Garlic, onions, chives, shallots and leeks can damage the red blood cell membranes. Causing them to become fragile and burst. Symptoms of poisoning are mouth irritation, drooling, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
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It depends on the cat, some like one kind and others other. Some can give zero 🤬s.
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My cat will sprint to the kitchen and meow like a starving heathen if she hears anything resembling the opening of an olive jar. She demands to lick the fork and roll around on the floor with it.
Carrots are good for cats & dogs in moderation (as with most things) no more than 10% of their diet. Just be careful that no pieces are big enough to choke on. That they're cooked for cats. No salt or inappropriate spices/fats. Carrots are said to help deworm pets.
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2 of my 3 cats love green olives. I have to share my olives with them.
Our BC cat love the smell of black olives, he didn't want to eat them, but he LOVED sticking his entire face in the can and just inhaling their scent.
Bleach also makes cats act like they are on nip. When we clean at our house she rolls like she had nip.
Cats Use Whiskers To Measure Space
Yes! So please never interfere with them or for christsake trim them.
Cats Have A Unique Pattern On Their Nose, Which Can Be Used To Identify Them
Cows, pigs and dogs do too! Zebras have unique stripe patterns. Whales are identified by their tail markings. Gorillas and chimps have unique fingerprints like us. And Koalas too, they've confused Australian forensic teams before😹🤣😹
In The 1750s, Europe Introduced Cats To The Americas As A Form Of Pest Control
A Cat's Heart Beats Twice As Fast As A Human Heart
Some Ancient Egyptians Shaved Their Eyebrows When Their Cats Died
Also note that Sphynx cats aren't egyptian. heh. (they're a relatively new breed bred in the 60's in Canada iirc) realistically, the egyptian sun would be awful for their skin ;-;
A Study Discovered That Cats Don't Have Taste Buds For Sweetness
So those videos with the cat having cake or ice cream...what do they taste?
In Case Of An Emergency Cats Can Recieve Dog Blood
After receiving a transfusion, it takes 4 to 7 days for cats to develop antibodies to dog blood. This means using dog blood for life-saving procedures in cats can be deadly if done more than once.
Dogs and cats have blood types, just like we do. But we can't transfuse across species. This dog to cat procedure is ONLY done in rare, extreme cases where cat's blood isn't available and it is a life-threatening situation.
Cats Can Be "Potty-Trained"
i must find out how to train my cat, she still cant use the potty in the litterbox (shes three!)
Note: this post originally had 55 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I think that the comment sections are better than the articles! Animal people are awesome!!!
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And if there's a cat asleep on your FACE, you DON'T move😹🤣😹
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An article about cats and no comments from Shyla Bouche? Is something wrong? Where are you?
I ran through it in extreme exhaustion when it was published, and later didn't remember I hadn't commented. I have now.
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I let him lick my Melody Pop lollipop recently. Unwise, I know - but he loved it 🤷♀️
A little lick won't hurt. How did your "lollipop" like it😏
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I think that the comment sections are better than the articles! Animal people are awesome!!!
Load More Replies... And if there's a cat asleep on your FACE, you DON'T move😹🤣😹
Load More Replies... An article about cats and no comments from Shyla Bouche? Is something wrong? Where are you?
I ran through it in extreme exhaustion when it was published, and later didn't remember I hadn't commented. I have now.
Load More Replies... I let him lick my Melody Pop lollipop recently. Unwise, I know - but he loved it 🤷♀️
A little lick won't hurt. How did your "lollipop" like it😏
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