50 Facts About Cats Every Cat Lover Should Know

Suppose you’re a true cat person through and through, then you probably more than the average person when it comes to cats. And why wouldn’t you?! Cats are super interesting, intriguing, and fascinating…there are so many flattering adjectives to describe our feline friends. Want to learn more about cats? Check out this lengthy list of facts about cats that every cat lover should know. Because when it comes to cats, you can never know too much!

1. Your cat can make over 100 different sounds. Canines are only up to produce up to ten sounds.

2. Your cat is quite the athlete. So much so that they can jump up to six times the length of their body.
3. A cat’s claws all point downward. Because of this, if they were to climb a tree going up face first, they wouldn’t be able to come down that way.
4. It is believed by experts that catnip can produce the same effects as hallucinogens, or even marijuana.
5. Spaying and neutering your pet not only works to control the pet population—it also helps to extend the life of your cat.

6. If your cat slow blinks at you, this is the ultimate sign of trust. Give them a “kitty kiss” back!

7. Despite the common misconception that cats are nocturnal, the truth is, they are considered a crepuscular animal. This means they are most active at dawn and dusk.
8. There is actually a term for when cats groom other cats. This is know as allogrooming. Your cat might even choose to allogroom you sometimes!
9. When you’re away, your cat will choose to lay on your clothing because it reminds them of you and your scent—awww!
10. Most cats actually love the taste of olives. And not just any olive, but green olives in particular. This is because they contain a chemical compound called nepetalactone, which can produce similar affects to catnip.

11. Most cats do not like citrus smells. This is because the oils in citrus fruits can be overpowering—which can be too much to tolerate for your cat’s delicate sense of smell.

12. Your cat’s sense of smell is actually the most powerful of all their senses.

13. Cats will often chew/lick plastic because they want to “taste” what contents have been inside of it. They will also chew/lick plastic because tallow (an animal byproduct) is often used in the production of these plastic products. This is especially true for plastic grocery bags.
14. Not all cats hate cucumbers, but for the ones that do, this is because it can remind them of a snake due not only to the shape—but also because of the smell. This is because it’s believed that copperhead snakes emit a cucumber-like aroma when they become angry/threatened.
15. A group of cats is referred to as a “clowder”; a group of kittens is referred to as a “kindle”.
16. Don’t the litter box fool you, cats can actually be successfully toilet trained.

17. Many languages around the world refer to the word “cat with a meow sound. (More on that here.)

18. Your cat’s cute little nose is the feline version of a fingerprint. No two will ever be truly identical.
19. Cats that are solid white in color are prone to deafness.
20. Your cat’s purr has healing properties. The average feline has the power to purr up to 150 Hertz. This incredible ability can even aid in repairing fractured bones! Your cat has purr variations, ranging from 25 to 150 Hertz.

21. Not all cats hate water. In fact, Maine Coon and Bengal cats are actually known for their love of water!
22. The oldest cat breed on Earth is suspected to be the Egyptian Mau, with records dating back all the way to 1200 B.C.
23. The hairless cat is considered to be the only cat breed that originated in Canada.
24. No two ginger tabby cats will ever have identical coats and markings.

25. Your cat has the ability to run up to 30 mph for a short period of time.

26. There are several cat breeds that were bred by crossing from a the naturally occurring Siamese cat breed. Some of these breeds include: the Balinese, Burmese, Oriental Shorthair, and Cornish Rex.
27. Your cat does not have the ability to taste sweetness in foods.
28. Although some might argue this fact, it’s believed that cats only meow as a way to communicate with humans.
29. Your cat has a free-floating collarbone.
30. A cat uses their whiskers to sense whether or not they can make it through a tight space.

31. Your cat spends roughly one third of their life bathing himself.

32. A cat’s jaw can only move up and down, not sideways.

33. Cats can live on average from 13-20 years, and sometimes even longer. Creme Puff takes the cake, having lived to the super duper senior cat age of 39 years and 3 days.
34. They don’t call them cat naps for nothing. With that being said, it’s suggested that cats sleep anywhere from 12-16 hours per day.
35. Adult cats have 30 permanent teeth.
36. The average cat has a total of 18 toes, with five on their front paws; 4 on their back paws. However, there are many cats out there with polydactylism. These cats will have extra toes on their paws.

37. Every cat has 32 muscles in each ear—which they use to selectively ignore you with.

38. Your cat’s whiskers are embedded deep into their body. These whiskers have powerful senses, and can even detect air pressure changes in the environment.
39. In Ancient Egypt, it was illegal to inflict harm on cats. Cats were so admired by Ancient Egyptians, that if a beloved cat were to pass away, their humans would shave off their eyebrows as a symbol of mourning.
40. It is estimated that there are over 500 million cats in the world.

41. The average cat weighs 10 pounds.

42. Cats have approximately 470 taste buds, while humans have 9,000. But despite this, your cat has an extra organ in their mouth known as a Jacobson’s organ that helps them to taste and smell better.
43. The reason cats typically land on their feet is due to their “righting reflex” which allows them to contort their bodies in mid-air.
44. The domesticated cats of today are descendants of desert cats. If you know a thing or two about desert climates, then you know that the temperature drops a great deal when the sun goes down. Because of this, ancient desert cats naturally craved warmth. And since the house cats today are hardwired like the cats from the past, they gravitate to warmth, too! Just be sure to watch out for white cats or cats with super short coats going out in the sun. Unfortunately, cats can sunburn and these kitties are prone to it.

45. Despite common misconception, cats don’t always purr whenever they are happy. Cats can also purr when they are stressed—and female cats can even purr when they are in active labor.

46. Cats knead because it relaxes them…even though it might hurt when those murder mittens poke into your skin.
47. Your cat has great peripheral vision. But when it comes to their vision up-close, they cannot see anything clearly that is 6” or closer to their face.
48. Most cats are lactose intolerant, so be mindful when allowing them bites or licks from dairy products.
49. A “bezoar” is actually the technical term for a hairball.
50. Cats only have the ability to sweat through their paw pads.