10 Facts About Cats That Will Make You Respect Your Feline Friend

Cats are among the most popular house pets, yet few people realize how incredible these creatures truly are. Here are 10 facts about cats that will blow your mind. You may start looking at your feline friend a little differently from now on.

1. Ties To Big Cats

Your house cat is more closely related to a big cat than you think. Cvillecatcare shared that "a house cat's genome is 95.6 percent tiger." Not only that, but your house cat also displays many similar behaviors to the tiger. Some examples include scent marking by scratching, prey stalking, pouncing, and even urine marking.

2. Cats Are Superior Jumpers

I am sure anyone who owns a cat already knows this. I don't know about you, but I am always finding my cat in the oddest places. On counters, on top of the fridge. One time, I even found her perched on top of the fence, delicately balancing. While some of these heights seem impossible to us, they are no problem for a cat. That is because cats can jump up to six times their own length.

3. They Are Silent Stalkers

Next on our list of facts about cats, we share one of the reasons they are excellent hunters. They are so skilled at hunting because of their ability to move without making much sound. They have thick, soft pads on their paws, which allow them to sneak up on their prey right before they pounce silently!

4. It's All A Balancing Act

Turns out that a cat's tail is used for more than just a cuteness factor. They also use it to help them balance. That's right, their tail is what allows them to maintain perfect balance when they are jumping or walking along those narrow ledges.

5. Cat Whiskers Are Highly Sensitive

This is one of those facts about cats that many people might not know. While we all know cats have whiskers, did you know their specific function? Whiskers help cats evaluate the environment around them. Each whisker has its own nerve and blood supply, meaning that it can send information to the brain about the environment. One of the primary purposes of the whiskers is spatial awareness. Cats use their whiskers to measure gaps and small spaces, to determine if they will be able to fit.

6. They Are All About The Grooming

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) shares that cats "spend as much as 35% to 50% of their day grooming themselves." While keeping their coat clean is a massive benefit of grooming, it is not the only reason they do so. Grooming also helps "regulate body temperature, strengthen social bonds, and is self-soothing." In fact, your cat's grooming habits can tell you a lot about their health.

7. Your Cat Is Faster Than You Think

I don't know if this is just my cat, but I swear she gets the zoomies. Unfortunatley for me, it usually happens around three in the morning. However, I never realized how fast she was actually running. According to The Drake Center, "a housecat can run at a speed of about 30 mph over short distances."

8. Cats Have Dominant Paws

This is one of those facts about cats that is just plain interesting. Studies have proven that more often than not, male cats tend to favor their left paws, while females favor their right paws.

9. Cats Have Super Ears

Did you know that cats have 32 muscles in each of their ears? These muscles allow them to swivel their ears in towards the exact source of a sound. Additionally, cats can even rotate their ears to 180 degrees.

10. They Are Sleepy Little Things

Cats sleep an average of 15 hours a day! That means they spend roughly 70% of their lives sleeping! Can you imagine? I guess it takes a lot of energy to be that adorable?