Weird Cat Facts

Cats are cute and charming creatures that many people consider as part of their families. But do you know that there is more to cats than just purring, jumping, and chasing mice? We’ve compiled 10 weird cat facts that are just as interesting as our furry friends.

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1. Cats are 95.6% tiger. Well, at least in terms of the DNA they share with their jungle ancestors. This is also the reason why they have similar behaviors, including pouncing, scent marking by scratching, prey stalking, and chinning among others.

2. Cats use their whiskers to feel the space around them. These facial features help them determine if a space is big enough for them to fit in. This is why you shouldn’t even think about cutting your cat’s whiskers!

3. Cats can taste scents in the air. Referred to as flehmen response, the action of cats ‘tasting the air’ has something to do with identifying subtle chemical markers or pheromones.

4. Cats walk like giraffes and camels. Observe how when they walk, they move their right feet first, followed by their left feet. No other animals walk the same way.

5. Cats are crepuscular. They are most active — and can be the noisiest — during dusk and dawn.

6. Many cats are lactose intolerant. Despite the popular belief that they like milk, food with dairy substances can actually cause them pain or discomfort after ingesting.

7. Female cats can get pregnant as young as 4 months old. Keep that in mind if you plan on spaying your female kitten!

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8. Cats can tell you if they want to play. Just observe your pet’s tail. If it’s in the shape of a question mark, she is probably asking, “Want to play?”

9. Cats can feel threatened if you make direct eye contact with them. They view eye contact as an act of aggression that can make them feel intimidated. Similarly, this is the reason they out-stare each other to resolve conflicts.

10. A cat’s yawn has a deeper meaning (than just feeling sleepy). Cats yawn when they want to end a confrontation with another animal. It’s like a way of shutting the other creature out and giving them the “talk to the hand” gesture.

Cats may have weird behaviors at times, but it is these unique and interesting things they do that make them more lovable to humans.