A Few Fun Domestic Cat Facts

You know your cat has a personality bigger than most people. It isn’t surprising to you that cats are smart enough to learn tricks…that is if they deem you worthy of showing off too.

However, there are a lot of things you probably don’t know about your kitty. Here are some of the most off-the-wall domestic cat facts to intrigue your friends with next time a trivia contest arises…

They can have A LOT of kittens.

A Persian in South Africa once had 14 kittens in a single litter, and all of them survived. Any healthy female cat can have up to 100 kittens during her productive years, and a pair of cats (with their kittens) can be ultimately responsible for the birth of over 400,000 new kitties in a 7-year span!

Cats hate citrusy scents.

Next time you have a chair or rug you want to mark “off-limits” spray it with something orange or lemon scented and your kitty will steer clear of the offending smell.

Your cat’s eyes are the window to his mood.

More than light, a cat’s mood affects the size and shape of his pupils. A happy feline will have big round pupils. If your cat stares at you with narrow slits in his eyes, you can be sure you’ve done something to offend His Highness.

Cats ARE like husbands!!

Studies show that a cat’s brain is more similar to a human man than to a dog. That actually explains a lot…

You can judge a cat by its body.

A long, lean kitty will usually be more outgoing than a stockier cat. The leaner cats also have a tendency to be more fiercely protective. If you’re looking for a lap kitty, get a fat cat!

Cats can predict an earthquake.

Although there are theories, no one knows exactly how they manage this feat.

There are some things you should NEVER give your cat.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and chocolate are actually poisonous to your cat. Dog food doesn’t have the correct nutrients that your cat needs, and can eventually cause blindness if that’s all you offer for food. Milk is tasty to cats, but straight cow’s milk can cause digestive problems for your cat.

White cats with blue eyes are usually completely deaf.

Furthermore, a white cat with one blue eye will often be deaf on the side the blue eye is on.

The “tale” is in the tail.

Your cat’s tail is a very telling feature. If she’s letting her tail vibrate (like a tremble or shiver), she’s paying you the compliment of letting you know you’re her favoritest human of all! But watch out if it starts swishing back and forth…this means trouble!

Your cat can sparkle.

Cats have fur that’s a magnet for static electricity. If you pet a cat in the dark when she’s “charged,” you can actually see the sparks! Not recommended for a high-strung kitty, though…those sparks can make her mad enough to bite you.

Their ego is HUGE.

Cats sometimes act like members of the family, and they almost always stroll around with a sense of entitlement. However, they aren’t assuming they’re human just like you. Domestic cats are quite convinced they are the big kitties of the jungle or plains, and would be surprised to find out they’re not actually a real tiger or lion.

Cats can see colors.

Most people assume all animals are color-blind. It’s been found that cats can see some colors, though. They can’t see them all (and it’s debated which ones are visible to them), and scientists most often compare them to a human who’s partially color-blind.