Healthy Happy Body
The Magical Life of Kitties
Cats captivate us with their enigmatic nature and instinctive behaviors. The more time humans dedicate to observing these feline companions, the more astonishing facts we uncover about them. Although we might never fully decipher all their mysteries, what we have learned reveals the remarkable nature of cats. Whether it’s their unique gait or their distinctive means of communication, there’s no denying it: cats are truly exceptional.
Kitties at PLay
Adult cats can jump distances up to six times their body length, meaning they can cover approximately 5-6 feet in one leap, especially if they’ve got a running start.
Like camels and giraffes, cats walk in what’s known as a pacing gait. This means the front and back legs on one side of a cat’s body move in unison, followed by the dual movement of the legs on the other side to complete the stride.
Kitties Love Expression
Adult cats don’t typically meow at each other, the meow is used to communicate with humans. Felines read body language and other small cues to chat with other kitties.
Cats give their humans kisses with long, slow blinks. When cats feel at ease in your presence, they’re not afraid to close their eyes. Closed eyes in the wild are a vulnerability, so if a cat feels comfy enough to give your those long blinks, feel honored, it’s her way of giving you a kiss.
Sleepy Kittie
On average, cats sleep 12 – 16 hours a day. This equates to cats sleeping for 2/3 of their lives. But Animal Planet points out, cat sleep is different than human sleep as felines remain far more alert to threats while they doze.
Cats dream and, like us, science believes feline dreams consist of everyday events. When their paws twitch while fast asleep, cats might be dreaming about hunting a bird or even running for the food bowl when you fill it.
Kitties Effect on Humans
It’s a heart-warming cat fact to know that owning a cat reduces the chance of cardiovascular disease and lowers your risk of a heart attack.
Another heartening fact is that owning a cat has also been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure.
Cats actually reduce allergies and asthma. While it may seem like a counter-intuitive cat fact — like the fact that cats can hear better than dogs — it’s true. Studies have shown that infants and kids exposed to cats are less likely to develop allergies and asthma later in life. Being exposed to cats early in life triggers a child’s immune system to begin developing immunity.
These little feline healers are holistic practitioners. Owning a cat is good for both your body and your mind. Cat owners frequently report lower levels of stress than other people, and cats have even been shown to help provide therapy for autistic children.
The Marvelous Miracle of Kittie's Body
Cats can run at speeds of up to 30 mph. However, they can only maintain such speeds in short distances.
Cats have approximately 230 – 244 bones, with 18 – 23 bones in the tail alone. The number of bones in the bodies of cats varies as cat bones can fuse together over time.
Like human fingerprints, a cat’s nose print will differ from cat to cat. Thanks to the bumps and ridges on the nose, feline nose pads are each unique.
With 32 ear muscles, cats can rotate their ears 180 degrees.
Kitties in History
Cats have been friends to humans for more than 10,000 years. In Cyprus, an unearthed grave dating to 9500 B.C. revealed a human and a cat purposefully buried together.
It seems Isaac Newton may have invented the cat door. Apparently, when busy with work, Newton was often interrupted by his cat scratching at the door. With help from a carpenter and a saw, the cat door was born.
In a display of mourning, Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows when their cats died. The Egyptian word for cat is mau.
Ancient Rome viewed cats as symbols of liberty, honoring them with the phrase libertus sine labore, liberty without labor.