Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
Cats have long captivated our curiosity. We love their random bursts of activity, apparent ability to see the invisible, and talent for completely disappearing even in the tiniest of spaces. Plus, they’re pretty cute.
If you’re an ailurophile, hopefully, this collection of 10 cat facts will leave you satisfied.
1. Cats can’t taste sweets:
Image Credit: Pexels
If you’ve ever let your cat lick the remains of your ice cream clean off the bowl, it’s the cream, not the taste, that appeals to him.
According to Scientific American, the sweet receptor in our taste buds is actually made up of two coupled proteins generated by two separate genes: known as Tas1r2 and Tas1r3.
All cats, including lions and tigers, lack 247 base pairs of the amino acids that make up the DNA of the Tas1r2 gene. No gene, no sweet toothe.
2. Cat shows have been around since at least 1987:
Image Credit: Pexels
In July 1871, one of the world’s first major cat shows was held at London’s Crystal Palace.
Between 150 and 211 exotic cats were shown, and the event attracted some 200,000 ailurophiles.
3. Cute cat videos have been around for more than a century:
Image Credit: YouTube
Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, motion picture camera, and the lightbulb, also happened to invent the cat video. This little loop, featuring two cats in tiny boxing gloves, was originally recorded in July 1894, at Edison’s Black Maria Studio.
4. There was a video game based on former President Clinton’s cat:
Image Credit: Kickstarter
Socks, former President Bill Clinton’s black and white rescue cat, captivated a nation.
So much so, that game entitled Socks the Cat was developed for Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990… but never released.
A Kickstarter campaign launched in 2016 and successfully raised $33k to revive the defunct game!
5. Some cats have extra toes:
Image Credit: Cat Bridge
Most cats have five toes on their front paws but polydactyly cats have six or sometimes even seven!
Polydactyly cats have an easier time balancing and were considered good luck by the sailors who used them to catch mice onboard.
No wonder Ernest Hemingway is a fan!
6. Male cats have barbed penises:
Image Credit: iStock
It’s not as scary as it sounds.
Male cats develop barbs on their penis at about six months old.
The barbs help stimulate ovulation in the female cat and prevent the female from escaping mid-coitus.
7. Your cat has more bones than you do:
Image Credit: iStock
Cats have 244 bones in their body! Humans only have 206 bones.
Most of these bones are found in the spine and tail.
8. Most cats don’t like getting wet because they lose control:
Image Credit: Unsplash
Cat hair doesn’t dry quickly, and most cats prefer to have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
The feeling of bouncy can be disconcerting to them.
9. But some cats love the water:
Image Credit: iStock
But some cats enjoy the water, including Bengals, Turkish Vans, and Maine Coons!
The cat above is a Bengal, btw. And trust me… they’re gorgeous cats.
10. Adult cats don’t need to meow:
Image Credit: iStock
Kittens mewl to get the attention of their mothers, but full-grown cats don’t need to meow to communicate with one another. So why do they do it?
Veterinarian Dr. John Bradshaw suggests that adult cats continue meowing as a way to get attention from their human companions. Which, if you own a cat, you know makes complete sense. Cats are masters of manipulation.
And yet, we love them. Despite their barbed penises, or maybe because of their extra toes, we love our cats.
Do you have a cat? What do you love the best about them?
Let us know in the comments!
