10 fun facts about cats you probably didn’t know yet

Cats are very ancient animals that have accompanied humanity for thousands of years. And in all this time, of course, there have been several curiosities about cats , myths, stories and fun facts.

Do you love kittens? So, you’ll like to know some of these curiosities about cats that you might not know yet!

10 Curiosities about cats: Curious and funny facts

Discover some interesting facts about cats!

1. Millions of cats around the world

It is estimated that there are currently 500 million domesticated cats around the world , with an average of 40 officially recognized breeds, in addition to mongrel cats (SRDs).

2. Cats are very old animals

Wild and domestic cats have existed for 130,000 and 160,000 years and have accompanied humans on hunts, imperial conquests, colonizations and other activities since antiquity.

In Ancient Egypt, they were revered and considered sacred. According to Egyptian mythology, the goddess Bastet, who represented fertility, dance and pleasure, was the only deity capable of becoming a cat.

The oldest cat in the world that has records was found in Cyprus, in a grave that is more than 9,000 years old.

3. Born of a lion?

A very curious Hebrew legend says that cats were born in Noah’s ark. Desperate with the mice and to protect the ship’s food, he prayed to God, who heard his prayers and made a lion sneeze, giving rise to a cat.

4. Big brood

An interesting curiosity about cats is that females give birth to a litter of 1 to 9 kittens, on average. But the largest litter ever recorded was 19 puppies, of which only 15 managed to survive.

In addition, cats can have quite a large “family”. To get an idea, after just 7 years, a couple of cats and their next descendants are capable of generating around 420,000 kittens! Scary number, isn’t it?

Therefore, castration is so indicated. To avoid stray overpopulation of cats and to prevent various diseases.

5. Major and minor races

The smallest breed of cat that exists is the Singapura, which reaches only 1.8 kg. On the other hand, the Maine Coon, the largest domestic cat in the world, can weigh up to 12 kg. In relation to felines, in general, the Siberian Tiger is the largest, with its 300 kg and more than 3.6 meters in length.

6. Cats and their heightened senses

A cat’s hearing is better than a canine’s and, above all, ours. They can hear high frequency sounds, about 2 octaves higher than any human being.

This hearing also allows them to perceive an earthquake up to 15 minutes before it happens, as they can feel the vibrations.

A cat’s sense of smell is also very good. They have about 200 million sensitive olfactory cells, while we only have 5 million.

When it comes to feeding, cats rely more on smell than taste to identify food. That’s because the taste is not that good. They only have 470 taste buds, while we have over 9,000. Did you know they don’t taste sweet?

7. Companions for a long time

The average life expectancy of a cat is 20 years , a number greater than that of dogs, which live about 13 years.

If we are going to count in human age, 10 years of a cat is equivalent to 50 years of a person.

8. Good and relaxed life…

Cats spend about 2/3 of the day sleeping! Yes, it’s 12 to 16 hours of sleep , and these rests are lighter and shorter throughout the day.

If they live about 20 years, in reality they only spend approximately 7 years awake. During the day, his favorite activity is licking himself. They can spend up to 8 hours a day grooming themselves.

A curiosity about cats and their sleep is that they are crepuscular animals , that is, they tend to stay awake between night and dawn.

9. …. but also very busy!

But, it’s not just resting that the cat lives. They love to jump, play and run – which are natural feline instincts – and they need it to have a healthy life. That’s why it’s so important to encourage your pet to do physical exercises.

Cats can run at speeds of up to 49 km per hour and jump up to 5 times their own size.

Symbology

Mysticism accompanies the history of cats over the years and in all civilizations, see some of them:

• In Ancient Egypt , it was believed that cats could see everything, so Egyptians installed feline sculptures outside their homes to protect their territory.
• Although there is no scientific proof, many people believe that cats are capable of absorbing negative energy from the environment.
• According to shamanism , the cat is considered a totem of strength, healing, good luck and spiritual protection.
• For the Oglala people , Native American, cats would have the ability to curse people.
• For Chinese Astrology , people who were born under the influence of the cat sign will have the personality of this animal, such as independence, elegance, flexibility and other characteristics.

Truths x Myths about kittens

Along with so many stories and curiosities about cats, there are also many myths cultivated over time. See some of them:

Black cats are bad luck

There is a belief that the black cat brings bad luck. But this is just a myth that causes a lot of suffering to animals in this coloration. Did you know they are the least wanted for adoption?

In the Middle Ages and the witch hunt period, black cats were believed to be witches turned into animals. And that belief extended over the years.

However, in Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom, for example, cats black are synonymous with good luck!

Cats have seven lives

Cats are very resilient animals, with a high capacity for recovery after illness or injury. And that’s why the myth of the 7 lives was created.

Because it has a very good reflex, the cat can survive a fall of up to 20 meters, landing on its feet.

felines hate water

While many cats really don’t like water, as their coats can’t insulate heat when wet, breeds like the Maine Coon and the Turkish Van (a variation of the Turkish Angora) do. The coat of these breeds has a texture that makes it resistant to water.