10 things you don’t know about cats
Cats are known for their mysterious ways… it’s part of their appeal but how well do you know your feline friend? Here are 10 little-known facts about cats.
1. Cats are no sweet tooths and are in fact one of the few animals that lack taste buds for sweet things.
2. A slow cat-eye blink is commonly called a “kitty kiss” because it’s their way of showing love. While a narrowed eyes convey aggression, eye blinks show their intentions are not hostile. The slower the eye blink the more affection it indicates. Next time you notice a cat gazing at you, look back and slowly shut your eyes and open them again
3. Evolved from low-light hunting, cats have great night vision and only need a sixth of the amount of light humans need to see.
3. Cat whiskers are the same width as its body to help them gauge if they can fit into narrow spaces.
5. You know how your cat’s tail can perk right up sometimes? Only domesticated cats do that. Their wild cat cousins hold their tales horizontally or between their legs while walking.
6. Cats are obligate carnivores which means they get their energy from protein rather than carbohydrates.
7. Cats use certain vocalisations to communicate with humans. A 2009 study found cats can modulate their meows to sound more urgent by imitating the sounds of babies crying. They do this because it elicits quicker response in humans such as when they’re hungry and are demanding food. You’ll find that adult cats rarely meow at each other, instead communicating with a different repertoire of sounds.
9. Do you know how old your cat is in “human years”? By the time a cat is one year old it’s basically a sullen teenager and by the time it’s two it’s the equivalent of a 24-year-old human. After that, every cat year age is equivalent to about four years.
10. Ever wonder how cats manage to squeeze into the tiniest of openings? Cats have free floating collarbones that allows them the flexibility to fit into holes the size of their head.
Image: Getty Images