“As curious as a Cat” - Cat Realities – and what’s going on in that feline Brain!
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Curious Cat
The adjective “curious” has numerous synonyms ranging from inquisitive, prying, questioning and nosy to strange, weird, unique or rare. Many of these describe our lovable yet curious cat and kitten friends. As such, many interesting cat facts pique our own curiosity about these unusual but most common of all house pets. In fact, cats beat dogs when it comes to domestic pets. Worldwide, there are an estimated 500 million domestic cats with 88 million living with our fellow citizens in the United States alone.
So let’s take a look at our curious cats and how they justifiably earned that title and many more.
Why are Cats so Curious?
If you own a cat, you may have tripped over her just a few times as you walk around or go about your daily chores. One reason your cat frequently follows you at close proximity is they are simply inquisitive as to what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Here’s just a few brainy facts about cats:
- Cats are highly intelligent. Their brains are structurally developed and equivalent to 90 percent of a human’s brain.
- Cats can remember things from up to 16 hours beforehand! (No wonder they always remember that dreaded cat carrier from the last trip to their veterinarian.)
- For all of you digital device geeks, the Apple iPad can’t compete with cats for data storage and operations. According toScientific American, a cat’s brain operates a million times faster and stores 1,000 more data than Apple’s famous tablets.
Lions and Tigers and… House Cats? Oh My!
Our cats evolved from tigers almost 11 million years ago. But our friendly, furry pets still retain almost 96 percent of a tiger’s genetic makeup according to a study fromThe Christian Science Monitor.
Cat Got Your Tongue?
Cat Grooming
Cats spend an enormous amount of time licking and grooming themselves, at an estimated 30 to 50 percent of their awake time. This is a fairly amazing statistic since cats sleep about 12 to 18 hours a day. Many people prefer cats as pets because they keep themselves clean. But there are other important reasons for this licking and grooming behavior.
Cats lick themselves to stay clean. But it’s also part of their natural instincts from the wilds related to their tiger ancestors. Their tiger ancestors cleaned off any residual blood or odors after killing their prey. Now, why don’t our dogs and horses do that? they’re just happy rolling in manure and staying that way!! Cats are smart enough to get rid of the evidence before they become victim to another animal. Sometimes, they clean themselves off after a friendly human pets them. Survival instinct kicks in again to get rid of any human scent on their fur.
He’s a Cool Cat and She’s the Cat’s Pajamas!
For thousands of years, cats earned the distinction of being cool, unique, funny, exotic and wild. Some of the world’s most famous presidents, celebrities and inventors would certainly agree.
- Legendary author and journalist Ernest Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat, called “Snow White” by a ship’s captain in Key West. Today, about 60 cats live at The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Many of these cats are Snow White’s descendants, according to the museum’s website. Hemingway named his cats after famous people, a tradition that lives on until today.
- According to the Presidential Pet Museum, President Abraham Lincoln’s cats, Tabby and Dixie, kept him comforted and served as a listening companion throughout his difficult time serving during the Civil War. President Lincoln often took in strays and is attributed to once commenting that, “Dixie is smarter than my whole cabinet! And furthermore, she doesn’t talk back!”
- Sir Isaac Newton invented the “cat door” to eliminate his cats from constantly scratching at the door and interrupting him while working on experiments at the University of Cambridge.
- We may get a lot of laughs watching cat videos on YouTube and TikTok, but it was back in 1894 that Thomas Edison made the first known cat “video” of two cats in a boxing match.
- Pop music diva Taylor Swift’s cat, named “Olivia Benson,” is one of the richest cats in the world. Her estimated net worth as a 21stcentury cat influencer is $97 million based on her “likes” on social media such as Instagram.
- About 200 feral cats or a “clowder” make the Happiest Place on Earth home. Yes, the Disneyland Cats have been living and working in Disney’s California park since 1955 as “employees” on rodent patrol, primarily at night, (except for Mickey and Minnie, of course). The cats are well cared for by park staff. To keep the population under control, the Disney cats are neutered, but if a litter does occur, the park staff often becomes adoptive parents.
Bannix – Always Here for Your Cats and Kittens
Banixx Pet Care Spray for Cats
Cats and kittens have many quirky and interesting behaviors. Occasionally, our funny but mysterious friends need a little help if they get themselves into trouble. This trouble may involve jumping too high (an average cat can jump up to 8 feet or five times their height), or acting like Sylvester in the Looney Tunes chasing Tweety Bird. Lots of cats imagine that he/she is Speedy Gonazles, tearing through your house as if chased (house cats can run in short intervals of up to 30 mph!)
If you had cats as part of your family for many years, or are new to our amazing feline friends,Banixxis always here for you and your cat. Check out ourFrequently Asked Questionson caring for your cats and kitties when you they need some tender loving care! Or, if you ever wondered Whycats just can’t resist catnip, we have that one covered!
References
How Does a Cat Brain Compare With a Human Brain? – Petful
Computers versus Brains – Scientific American
100 Facts About Cats That You Should Read Right Meow – The Fact Site
163 Cat Facts That Will Blow Your Mind | Fun Cat Facts (welovecatsandkittens.com)
Presidential Pets – Presidential Pet Museum – Photos and Information
Isaac Newton invented the cat door and other facts about cats | Dublin City Council
