People around the world will always argue about whether cats or dogs or better, but everyone has their preference. Cats are considered beloved pets to have around the home since they’re low maintenance, they’re quiet, and they help alleviate feelings of loneliness in single folks who live alone.
Cats are highly independent creatures who don’t always respond when you call their name, but that doesn’t mean they don’t hear you. A cat who truly loves its owner will often be super cuddly and affectionate. Taking the time to build a trustworthy relationship with a pet cat is all that’s required. There are a slew of things cats are capable of that you might not be aware of. Click here to learn interesting facts you might not already know about cats.
To gather this list of things you didn’t know cats were capable of, 24/7 Tempo consulted several animal-centered sources. These include Pet MD, Daily Paws, and Viagen Pets.
Cats can jump up to six times their length
When it comes to taking leaps, jumping isn’t something cats are afraid of. They’re capable of jumping between six and eight feet into the air. On average, that comes out to about five or six times their body length. Cats jump to get from point A to point B wen necessary. They move around to different places until they feel safe and comfortable. Jumping to new locations might simply be a cat’s way of exploring their environment in moments of curiosity.
Cats can safely drink sea water
Although drinking sea water is completely unsafe for human beings, cats can lap it up without any issues. Sea water is far from refreshing for humans since it’s full of salt — which is highly dehydrating. Cats have kidneys that naturally filter salt from water, which means the fear of dehydration isn’t a factor for them. Any cats stranded by the ocean will be able to survive just fine.
Cats can move their ears separately
Since there are 32 muscles in each ear of a cat, it’s possible for cats to move their ears separately. As odd as it sounds, separated ear wiggles are completely normal for felines. They can rotate their ears by 180 degrees based on distinct noises they’re hearing. The movement of their individual ears is independent, which is why you might notice one ear turned a certain direction while the other isn’t.
Cats can make more than 100 different sounds
Plenty of people assume that meows and purrs are the only sounds that cats makes. In reality, cats are capable of producing more than 100 different noises. Many cats come across as quiet and aloof, but they’re capable of being “chatty” and communicative when they feel like it. Different sounds will come out based on their circumstances. They’ll growl when they are threatened, hiss when they’re in distress, and muster up several other noises in between.
Cats can see in the dark better than humans
Cats certainly don’t have night vision, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of seeing in the dark better than humans. Humans need the help of flashlights whenever their surroundings get too dark, but that simply isn’t the case for cats. Their night vision is decent enough to get around without sunlight. Since their pupils expand wider than humans, more light is capable of entering their eyeballs.
Female cats can produce 49,000 kittens within 10 years
One of the most important reasons to get pet cats spayed and neutered is that female cats are capable of producing 49,000 kittens with an every 10 year period. If 49,000 kittens were born from every female cat every decade, thousands of cats would grow up without finding forever homes. A lot of them would be put down since there wouldn’t be enough resources to take care of them.
Female cats can become pregnant as young as four months old
The importance of getting pet cat, spayed and neutered should be prioritized again upon learning how old female cats can be to get pregnant. Female cats can be impregnated as young as four months old – which is alarming. A four month old kitten only weighs about 4.5 pounds. They certainly shouldn’t be placed in positions to carry pregnancies term. Still, this has happened in the past.
Cats can get elected as mayor
A funny moment in history occurred when a cat name Stubbs was elected as the honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska. Stubbs maintained his position from July 18, 1997, until he died in 2017. Although Stubbs didn’t have any real authoritative power, the residents of Talkeetna supported the scenario because they found it incredibly endearing. Although Talkeetna is a small town with only about 2,000 residents, Stubbs’ position was enough to attract tourist attention.
Cats can be Disneyland “employees”
Are you curious to know how a massive theme park like Disneyland stays rodent-free? The answer is cats. About 200 feral cats roam through Disneyland daily making sure the theme park remains void of rats and mice. The cats who handle this job are given food and medical care when needed. It’s been reported that Disneyland cats are a better pest control team than human exterminators.
Cats can inherit $9 million dollars
The wealthiest feline to ever live was a cat named Blackie. When Blackie’s millionaire owner died in 1988, he left 7,000,000 pounds behind for Blackie to inherit. That translates to approximately $9 million American dollars. Blackie’s owner, Ben Rea, was an antiques dealer with a family of his own. Instead of leaving his family members anything behind, Rea wanted Blackie to inherit everything.
Cats can outrun Olympian superstar Usain Bolt
When you think of cats, their speed probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The truth of the matter is that cats can be super fast when they run. They might never be as fast as other felines like leopards, cheetahs, or jaguars, but they’re still speedy. House cats are capable of reaching speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Since they’re so quick on their feet, cats can beat Usain Bolt in the 200 meter dash. As a reminder, Bolt is an Olympian superstar.
Cats can go to space
Astronauts aren’t the only living creatures to venture off into space. Back in 1963, a cat named Felicette took a trip to outer space as well. She was launched into the sky on October 18th of that year as part of the French Space Program. Out of 14 female cats trained for spaceflight, she was the one chosen for launch. Felicette made it safely back down to earth, but scientists chose to euthanize her a couple of months later so they could analyze what the trip did to her brain.
Cats can dream the same way humans do
Experiencing vivid dreams at night isn’t something solely reserved for human beings. It’s something cats are capable of as well. Cats use dreaming as a way to mentally process the events are unfolded throughout their day. Sometimes, they dreaming about what their next meal will be while other times they relive playful moments they experienced with their owners while they were awake.
Cats can live up to 38 years old
The oldest cat to ever live (on record) was named Creme Puff. She died at 38 years old after making it into the 2010 edition of the “Guinness World Records.” Creme Puff was born in 1967, but didn’t die until 2005. Her owner, Jake Perry, said she consumed a diet full of broccoli, eggs, and bacon. Occasionally, he also serve her coffee, cream, and eyedroppers full of red wine.
Cats can detect early signs of pregnancy
It’s possible for a cat to notice a woman’s pregnancy before early signs or symptoms have started up. Cats can detect bodily changes typically associated with pregnancy, which means their attitudes and behaviors around pregnant women can adapt. This is possible is because cats have such strong senses of hearing and smell. Click here to uncover the states with the most cats as pets.