As the most popular pet in the United States, the cat enjoys a certain level of fame as the ideal pet. (Of course, if you are a dog owner you might object!) Easy to care for, affectionate when they want to be, and super intelligent, the cat has made it’s way into millions of people’s hearts. But this lovable animal has its secrets. Some of its secrets are mere curiosities; others however, are a bit darker and more sinister. On today’s list we’re going to share with you 25 curious facts about cats that most people might not know. After this list, you might not see your lovable furry friend the same again.
Note: All images from Shutterstock.com unless otherwise noted.
25
Every cat owner knows cats love to sleep, but how much they actually sleep may be a bit of a surprise. It’s estimated that cats spend about 70% of their lives sleeping.
Source: Brainjet.com, veterinaryhub.com, 24
Next time you visit Disneyland, keep an eye out for mice and rats (besides Mickey and Mini that is). Chances are, you won’t find any. That’s because 200 cats live on Disney property with the task of eliminating any sight of a rodent.
Source: Brainjet.com 23
Humans can’t drink seawater, but cats can. They have special kidneys that can filter out salt.
Source: Buzzfeed.com, Brainjet.com 22
It’s believed that cats can hear ultrasonic noises. Theoretically speaking, they can hear the ultrasonic “language” of rodents and dolphins.
Source: Buzzfeed.com 21
A female cat is called a “Molly” or a “Queen,” and male cats are called “toms.” (Tom and Jerry anyone?)
Source: Buzzfeed.com, Factretriever.com, 20
The most expensive domestic cat so far is an Asian Leopard cat – Domestic shorthair hybrid named Zeus. At 90% Asian leopard and 10% Domestic Shorthair, Zeus has an asking price of $154,000. However, there is concerns as to the legitimacy and reasoning behind such an asking price.
Source: theguardian.com, factretriever.com. Note: Pictured cat is not Zeus and is used as a visual representation. 19
Cat’s have a third eyelid called a “haw”.
Source: scientificamerican.com 18
Domestic cats have been documented to run at 30 mph. That’s about 3 mph faster then Usain Bolt. (Usain’s record is 27mph.)
Source: Buzzfeed.com 17
Black cats may be bad luck in the United States, but in the United Kingdom and Australia, they are actually good luck.
Source: Buzzfeed, cat-world.com.au, ancientsuperstitions.com 16
There are cats that have survived falls from over 32 stories onto concrete. In fact, the record holder for the longest non-fatal fall in the feline world is a cat which fell from the 46th floor of an apartment building and survived.
Source: Factretriever.com, Moscow-pullman daily news 15
Cats have magnetized brain cells that act like compasses which enables them to easily find their way home.
Source: Buzzfeed Want even more facts about cats? Check out our list on 25 bizarre and crazy facts about cats by clicking on the link.
14
Cats are the most popular pet in the US. It's estimated that there are 74 - 96 million cats. In comparison, there are about 70 - 80 million dogs.
Source: ASPCA.org 13
Cat’s may have evolved their tone of voice to communicate with humans. In fact, it’s said that the more you talk to your cat, the more your cat will talk back (meow back if you will).
Source: Buzzfeed 12
Speaking of cats talking, cats are known to have 100 vocal sounds…dogs only have 10.
Source: Buzzfeed.com, factretriever.com 11
A croup of cats is called a clowder
source: Factretriever.com 10
A cat has been the mayor of Takeetna, Alaska for 15 years! It’s name is Stubbs (Mayor Stubbs). That’s one step closer to world domination! (Bonus fact: One ran for mayor of Mexico city in 2013.)
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Image: commons.Wikimedia.org 9
Cats can’t taste sweet things.
Source: Buzzfeed, Factretriever.com 8
The world’s largest domestic cat measured 48.5 inches long.
Source: Buzzfeed 7
Adult cats only meow to communicate with humans.
Source: ASPCA.org 6
For the most part, cats are lactose intolerant. Milk for cats is a no-no.
Source: Yourcat.co.uk 5
Domestic Cats are effective hunters. Free-ranging domesticated cats have contributed to the extinction of 33 different species. Consequently, they are listed as one of the top 100 most invasive animals.
Source: Bbc.com, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), IUCN Red List 4
According to Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine researchers, a cat’s brain is similar to a human’s. In fact, some sources claim cats brains are about 90% identical to humans'. Cats and humans have nearly identical sections of the brain such as the cerebral cortices with similar lobes.
Source: Buzzfeed, Wikipedia.com, Petful.com, petmd.com 3
Speaking of a cat’s brain, cats have 300 million neurons firing away in their cerebral cortex. By comparison, dogs only have about 160 million.
Source: Livescience.com, huffingtonpost.com 2
The first cat in space was French. Its name was Felicette (AKA “Astrocat”). And yes, it survived the trip.
Source: Buzzfeed.com, Factretriever.com 1
Though it is commonly believed that cats were domesticated by ancient Egyptians, a recent discovery is casting doubt on this belief. A pet cat has been found in a 9,500-year old grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyrprus. This grave predates early Egyptian art depicting cats by about 4,000 years.
Source: national geographic, CBS news, BBC news, Sciencedaily.com 
