Have you ever wondered why cats sleep so much? Or why do they lick each other? Why on earth do they rub against your leg? To help you get a better understanding of the weird nature of these feline sweethearts, here are 15 interesting cats facts that will only make you love them more. Is this even possible?
1. How Long Do Cats Live?
Although it’s widely believed that cats have 9 lives, they actually have one and it lasts for 10-15 years. This is the average lifespan of a well-cared-for indoor kitty that receives proper nutrition and vet care. However, cats who spend significant unsupervised time outdoors tend to live for about 7 years. Outdoor cats are exposed to outside dangers, including predators, diseases, and unhealthy nutrition.
2. Why are Cats Scared of Cucumbers?
If you thought that dogs were cats’ biggest enemies, you were wrong! Cucumbers seem to invoke terror in these furry creatures. Why? Animal behaviorist Dr. Roger Mugford thinks that this reaction is due to the novelty and unexpectedness of finding a strange object nearby while their heads were down in the food bowl. According to Jill Goldman, it’s also possible that cats assume that the cucumber is a snake. Whatever the reason may be, make sure you don’t pull this prank on your pet as it can be hazardous to their health.
3. Why do Cats Sleep so Much?
Everyone likes a good restful sleep, especially cats! They enjoy a comfy couch and a warm pillow. Scientists believe this has to do with their physiology as predators. They’re hardwired to chase and hunt, mainly at night. They hide and wait for their pray, pounce on things, and when they get their food, they simply rest for the day. But don’t be fooled, they always have one eye open!
4. When do Cats Stop Growing?
Even though we love our adorable little fluff balls when they’re tiny, they will grow into their full sizes soon enough. Generally, a cat is considered to be fully grown when it reaches 1 year of age. After this, cats tend to grow at a slower rate until they’re 18 months of age. Keep in mind that larger breeds, including Maine Coon, Egyptian Mau, and Burmese, take even longer to reach their full size.
5. How to Introduce a Kitten to a Cat?
Introducing a kitten to a cat is not as easy as shaking a hand and exchanging a name, as we humans do. As first impressions are highly important, you have to do it right. The introduction is not going to happen overnight, so be ready to put some effort into it. After all, your cat won’t have the whole house to herself anymore and will have to learn how to share food and share its parents’ love. Animal behaviorists advise that introducing a new kitten to an older cat should be done slowly and with care. You also want to make sure that the cats’ personalities will connect in order to avoid having one hyperactive kitten bouncing off the walls and a solitary cat hiding in quiet places.
A great idea would be to create a separate “territory” for each cat before letting them smell and hear each other. If this passive introduction works out well, the next step is to introduce them visually and continue with supervised playtime sessions. With luck, these two darlings will become besties in no time.
6. Why do Cats Hiss?
You probably know that cats hiss when they feel stressed out or frightened, but you might not know why. Animal behaviorists think that this is a defensive mechanism. Cats don’t like physical confrontations, so they rely on vocalization to warn their opponents. Your cat is trying to tell you that if you don’t back off, the hissing is going to transform into clawing or fighting. They mimic the sound of snakes, and when their opponents hear this sound they associate it with venomous snakes and think twice before attacking.
7. Why do Cats Eat Grass?
Does your kitty ever stop to eat grass? Why would it do that? Although we associate grazing with cows and horses, turns out that given the chance, cats will graze too. Scientists believe that cats are not entirely carnivores, they are actually omnivorous. When we observe cats, we can see that they enjoy eating lots of meats and the occasional plant. When they need to flush a certain food out of their system, they’ll eat grass to help it go down. Grass juice contains folic acid, a vitamin that supports cats’ growth and helps increase oxygen levels in their blood. Sometimes, after eating large amounts of grass, your cat might vomit. There’s no need to panic as your kitty is only clearing its stomach of fur, feathers, parasites, or bones.
8. What Smells do Cats Hate?
Cats react strongly to smells. They are basically a nose that walks on four legs. Keeping cats away from your garden is as easy as leaving a piece of citrus where you don’t want them to go. Cats don’t like the smell of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits, as these are toxic to cats if ingested. These feline fluffballs also detest the smell of spicy plants and foods like mustard. The list goes on with most plant smells, including lavender, rue, geranium, and absinthe.
9. Why do Cats Like Boxes?
The science behind why cats love boxes is simple: they’re bored! Our houses are a strange place for these predators to stay 24/7 so they engage in all these different activities to keep themselves busy. Jumping in and out of boxes is a classic hunting behavior, a typical feline ambush performance. Cats don’t chase after their prey but are hidden predators. The boxes are their secretive hiding spots where they can lie in wait and observe the world around them.
10. Why do Cats Have Tails?
Did you think that your cat’s tail only serves as a communication tool to tell you: “Welcome back! I missed you so much!” However, your cat’s tail does much more than help you understand its feelings. Felines utilise their tails to help with their balancing. For example, when they’re moving along narrow areas such as a fence or a ledge, their tails will act as a counter-balance. What’s more, if the cat gets injured, the tail will act as an additional limb and become even more important for maintaining proper balance.
11. How to Keep Cats out of a Garden?
Do your neighbors’ cats love your garden so much that they regularly use it as a litter box? If you wish to prevent other cats from ruining your beautiful garden, there are several options for you to try. You can cover the garden with twigs, wooden chopsticks, or plastic forks. You can also try embedding chicken wire in the soil, covering the soil with an uncomfortable material, or simply putting up a barrier fence. Another, more refined option, is to use scents to drive the cats away. Cats don’t like the smell of lavender, geranium, absinthe, lemon thyme, and citrus peels. Or, you can scare the cats away by using a motion-activated sprinkler or an ultrasonic device that emits a high-frequency sound. If everything else fails, get a dog!
12. Why are Cats so Cute?
Cat cuteness evolved over the course of 30 million years. Today, we can’t seem to get enough of their big green eyes, playful attitude, and purring sounds. To most of us, cats are cute because of their small noses, adorable paws, and fluffy fur. Oh, and let’s not forget all the funny things they do to entertain us!
13. Why do Cats Lick Each Other?
Because they’re incredibly hygienic animals! They’re basically the epitome of cleanliness. Felines regularly lick themselves to remove dirt accumulated over the day or to detangle knots from their fur. However, sometimes there are places they can’t reach themselves, so they would lick each other. It’s simply an instinctive tendency of sorts that exists to help each other stay clean and to minimize parasitic infestation.
14. How Long are Cats Pregnant?
If you notice a steady growth of your cat’s midsection, painful meows, and enlarged nipples, congratulations! Your cat is pregnant with babies! Cat’s pregnancy usually lasts for about 63-65 days. It’s important to know that females can get pregnant when they’re only 4 months old. If you wish to reduce the number of cats killed in shelters, you should consider spaying or neutering your cat. This can improve your cat’s health, and reduce the chances of injury and disease.
15. Why do Cats Rub Against You?
Why do bears rub on trees? Or why do wolves urinate on rocks? They’re scent-marking their territory! What’s more, if a kitty rubs against you close to its feeding time, it might be a reminder to fill the food bowl. In many instances, a rub can be a feline equivalent of a hug, so take it as a gesture of affection towards you.
Share these fun facts about cats with your friends and family and unwrap the mystery that surrounds them. Have anything to add to the list? Tell us in the comments below!
