60 Vet-Verified Fun Cat Facts You Will Love to Know

Given how popular cats are worldwide, you’d think that we would know everything that there is to know about these adorable creatures by now. However, they are nothing if not continually surprising, and it seems like every day, the world stumbles on a new fact about our furry friends.

So, here’s a round-up of a few interesting factoids about felines. This information may not completely change how you interact with your cat, but it should at least help you understand them better.

The 60 Facts About Cats

The 20 Facts About Cat Behavior

1. 1. Does your cat make a “chattering” sound when they see a bird outside? Scientists aren’t completely sure why they do it, but they think that it’s either due to frustration that they can’t kill the bird or to loosen up their jaw muscles in preparation for killing the bird.¹

1. Cats spend as much as 50% of their awake time grooming themselves.
2. Just like humans, cats can be right- or left-handed (or rather, right- or left-pawed). Also, females are usually right-handed, while lefties are predominantly male.
3. When your cat rubs their head on you, they’re not just showing affection. This behavior, called “bunting,” is a way of rubbing their scent on you to claim ownership by making you familiar.
4. Hissing is a defensive posture, not an aggressive one. It means the cat wants to be left alone, not that they’re looking to start something. In fact, when cats fight, the one that’s hissing is usually the one that wants to run away rather than continue scrapping.
5. Yawning is a behavior that cats use to defuse tense situations. A cat that yawns signals to others that they want to end the current interaction.
6. When your cat kneads your skin, they’re incredibly content. Kittens knead their mothers’ nipples to stimulate milk production, so when your cat makes biscuits on your stomach, they’re mimicking what they did in their happy place.
7. Cats have funny ways of showing you that they consider you a friend. “Friendship cues” include draping their bodies over yours, smacking you with retracted claws, rubbing against you, and of course, sticking their butts in your face.
8. Have you ever wondered why cats meow? It’s to talk to you! Meows are only used to communicate with humans and direct kittens back to their mothers.²
9. Cats can make more than 21 different vocalizations, which are used in different contexts.
10. Most felines hate the smell of citrus for some reason. That’s why the scent is used in several sprays designed to keep cats away.
11. Cats love hanging out in laundry baskets because they’re basically mini-fortresses that come complete with peepholes.
12. According to a study by the University of Tokyo,⁴ cats can recognize their owners’ voices, yet they only come when called about 10% of the time.
13. Unlike dogs, cats wag their tails as a warning. We guess that dogs wag their tails as a warning too, but in their case, the warning is, “You’re about to get your face licked!”
14. Cats are observational learners. Kittens learn to hunt by watching their mothers, and they also learn to trust you by watching their mothers interact with you.
15. Socialization with humans is most effective between the ages of 3 and 9 weeks. Having the mother around helps too, as the kittens need to watch her to see how to respond to you).
16. Most cats rarely pick fights, but when they do, it’s usually about protecting food, kittens, or territory. If you have cats that fight constantly, see if they seem to be protecting something; solving the issue may be as simple as removing the trigger.
17. There are 52 measured personality traits in cats, most of which are organized into five categories: neuroticism, extroversion, dominance, impulsiveness, and agreeableness.
18. Does your cat bring you “gifts” like dead mice? Some cat behaviorists believe it’s your cat’s way of providing a gift or showing you how to hunt.⁵
19. If you see your cat lying with their stomach facing up, they’re comfortable in their surroundings. It does not mean they want you to rub their belly!

The 20 Facts About Cat Health

21. Kittens are born with closed eyes, when they open them, and are inicially nearsighted. But adult cats have excellent peripheral vision, though, so don’t think that you can sneak up on them!
22. Your cat sweats through their paws. They also pant occasionally, but unlike dogs, panting is generally a sign of stress rather than overheating in cats.
23. The tongues of tabby cats are covered in backward-pointing spines. The purpose of these strange spines is to help them groom themselves to thermoregulate.
24. Although cats purr for various reasons, one may be to self-soothe. The vibrational frequency of a cat’s purr helps promote bone density and healing.
25. Cats have highly efficient kidneys—so much so, in fact, that they can drink ocean water without any problems. You should still give your cat salt-free H2O, of course, but rest assured that if you and your cat are ever stranded at sea, at least your cat will have plenty of water to drink.
26. Every cat’s nose is unique, just like human fingerprints. The next time you’re trying to figure out which cat knocked your philodendron off the ledge, don’t bother dusting for paw prints—look at their noses instead!
27. Keeping your cat indoors is one of the best things you can do for their health. Studies have shown that indoor cats can live as much as seven times longer than outdoor cats, so if you value having your little friend around, don’t let them go outside.
28. This is less about your cat’s health and more about the health of wild animals in your neighborhood: Cats are an invasive species. They can decimate bird, mammal, and reptile populations, so keeping your kitty indoors won’t just help them live longer; it will also help everything else in the area live longer.
29. It’s estimated that as many as 60% of American housecats are obese or dangerously overweight. Carrying too many extra pounds is terrible for your cat’s health, so if you have a little Garfield on your hands, ramp up the exercise and cut back on the lasagna (i.e., cat treats).
30. Cats have baby teeth too! As kittens, they have 26 baby teeth, but as they mature, they’ll end up with 30 permanent teeth.
31. Speaking of your cat’s mouth, don’t ignore bad breath. Felines shouldn’t have bad breath (unless they’ve recently eaten something that they shouldn’t have), so if your cat has a chronic case of halitosis, it could mean they have a rotten tooth, gum disease, or something else. Take them to the vet immediately.
32. Whiskers serve a purpose. They’re connected to the cat’s nervous system, acting as touch receptors and enabling your kitty to detect changes in their surroundings. That’s why you should never trim or pull on a cat’s whiskers.
33. It’s normal for cats to sleep as much as 20 hours a day. You should only be concerned about your cat’s sleep if it changes. Cats that sleep much more than usual could be ill or depressed, and those that sleep less than usual may also be ill.
34. Hairballs are technically known as “bezoars.” A bezoar is any foreign material mass that accumulates inside the digestive tract. Some bezoars are relatively harmless, but others can be life-threatening (including hairballs). If you suspect something is lodged in your cat’s stomach, immediately take them to the vet.
35. Cats’ claws point backward, so if your cat’s in a tree, don’t try to force them down head-first.
36. If your kitty’s constantly getting stuck in trees, declawing them isn’t the answer (but keeping them inside is). Declawing cats is terrible for them because it makes it impossible for them to express the natural behavior of their species and leaves them defenseless. Just trim their nails regularly instead.
37. Cats can only move their jaws up and down, not sideways. As a result, they can’t chew large chunks of food. If you’re sharing table scraps with your cat (even though you shouldn’t be), make sure the pieces are small enough for them to munch on easily.
38. Felines have free-floating collarbones, which is why they can squeeze through any opening that’s as big as their head.
39. Cats reproduce quickly. A single female can lead to a descendant of up to 5,000 kittens in just 7 years if they are left unspayed. That is why it’s so important to get your pets spayed or neutered.

In addition to keeping the stray cat population down, spaying or neutering is good for your cat’s health. Altered cats live longer, behave better, and are less likely to run away from home.

The 20 Random Cat Facts

41. Over 200 cats work at the Disneyland resort in California! Their job is to catch and eat any rodents that may appear, helping keep the park clean. Of course, they spare Mikey and Mimi!
42. Cats are notoriously picky eaters and will refuse food that they don’t like to the point of starving to death. If your cat isn’t a fan of their new kibble, don’t try to wait them out because starved cats are at high risk of developing a fatal condition called fatty liver disease.
43. Like people, cats have active dream lives.
44. Kittens from the same litter can have different fathers, as female cats release multiple eggs after they’re mounted during their receptive period or heat.
45. Abraham Lincoln was a huge cat lover and had two cats in the White House, Tabby and Dixie.
46. There have been several famous cat haters throughout history, including the likes of Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler.
47. Catnip is thought to trigger euphoria and dopamine release in cats. Nepetalactone, an oil in the herb, activates the “happiness receptors” in your cat’s brain.
48. Not all cats react to catnip, and it only affects about 50 % of cats. You won’t know if your kitten is one of the lucky ones until they’re between 4 and 6 months old.
49. Some wild cats, such as lions, tigers, and leopards, also react to catnip.
50. There’s a dispute about the number of purebred housecats. The International Cat Association recognizes 73 individual breeds, while the Cat Fanciers’ Association only recognizes 45.
51. Around 25% of cat owners hold birthday parties for their cats, and 47% take pictures of them almost daily.
52. A cat named Dusty holds the world record for most kittens; she gave birth to a staggering 420 kitties over her lifetime.
53. The world Guinness record for the oldest cat ever lived was 38 years and 3 days! Creme Puff was born on 3 August 1967 and lived until 6 August 2005.
54. A male cat named Andy holds the record for the longest non-fatal fall, as he survived falling from a 16-story apartment.
55. There is an online legend about a notable male cat named Hamlet, who escaped from his carrier in the middle of a flight. He hid on the plane for nearly 2 months, and by the time he was found, he had traveled nearly 373,000 miles.
56. Felicette was a French cat launched into space (on purpose, we presume) in 1963. She flew over 100 miles above the Earth and briefly achieved weightlessness before landing safely back on her home planet.
57. In Scotland, there’s a tower commemorating a cat named Towser. Towser caught almost 30,000 mice in her lifetime, saving people from countless diseases.
58. A Snowshoe cat in California named Dusty earned notoriety for his bravery, which included breaking into neighbors’ homes and stealing things. Over a span of 2 years, Dusty’s haul included 213 dish towels, four pairs of underwear, eight bathing suits, and 73 socks (so that’s where all our socks go!).
59. Americans love their cats, and every year, they spend more money on cat food than their own food.

About one in three people are allergic to cats, but that can go both ways. It turns out that cats can also be allergic to humans.

Conclusion: There’s So Much to Love About Cats!

These facts may or may not have been news to you, but one thing’s for certain: Cats are lovely, mysterious creatures. They brighten our lives and never fail to entertain us. We expect to continue to learn strange facts about our feline friends for many years to come, so don’t be surprised if this list keeps growing!

You may also be interested in: 

• Why Do Cats Roll Around in Litter Boxes & How to Stop It
• Why Your Cat Is Staring at the Ceiling

Featured Image Credit: Sarah Fields Photography, Shutterstock