Yes, Your Cat Is Weird And Here Are 15 Facts That Prove It
Let your perfect weirdo know how much you love them.
zossia / Shutterstock Cats are the most popular pet in the United States. Around 74 million cats have found their forever home with a devoted human. Historic evidence shows that cats have been domesticated for over 10,000 years.
Ancient Egyptians believed that cats were divine creatures who held magical powers. When a pet cat died, its human companions shaved their eyebrows in mourning. Cats were often mummified to accompany their people in their afterlife.
Yet cats weren’t always seen in such a positive light. During the Middle Ages in Europe, cats were considered demonic creatures, connected to witchcraft.
Despite having lived among humans for centuries, cats still retain their own unique habits and strikingly independent personality traits. Cat lovers know that beneath their pets’ snuggly exterior lies a laser-focused bug-hunter who gets the midnight zoomies, and the 2 a.m. zoomies, and the 5 a.m. zoomies.
Here are 15 facts that prove your cat is, indeed, weird
1. Cats sweat through their paws
Your cat’s precious toe beans don’t only exist for you to squish. They serve a functional purpose, too — cats sweat through their paws. You might notice little wet pawprints tracked along your floor on especially hot days, or if your cat is feeling stressed out.
2. Cats can’t taste anything sweet
Cats only have 470 taste buds, compared to humans, who have 2,000 to 10,000 taste buds. Due to a genetic defect, felines can’t taste sweet food.
3. Cats spend up to half their lives grooming themselves
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then cats definitely think highly of themselves.
Photo: SJ Allen / Shutterstock
They spend up to half their lives grooming themselves. It takes time and effort to look good, and cats know that no strand of fur can be out of place if they want to keep their status as the most handsome beast in your house.
4. Cats spend 70% of their lives sleeping
In addition to their constant spa days, cats spend a huge amount of time asleep, just not in the middle of the night, when you’re trying to sleep.
Photo: Alena Ozerova / Shutterstock
5. A cat’s purr is between 25 hertz and 150 hertz
The frequency of a cat’s purr is the same hertz that regenerates bone and muscle tissue. Their purr is thought to be a survival instinct.
6. Cats share 95.6% of their DNA with tigers
When your cat prowls down the hallway, chasing after a speck of dust in the sunlight, it could be due to their connection to their big cat relatives.
Your feline friend shares almost all of its genetic makeup with tigers, which could explain why they pounce and snarl and stalk through their comfortable surroundings like tiny wild beasts.
7. Cats have an extra organ on the roof of their mouths
The organ is called the Jacobson’s organ, and it’s used to detect smells.
8. Cats don’t meow at other cats
Cats are vocal creatures, but they only meow at humans, not at other cats. Meowing is their form of inter-species communication and how they let you know just how hungry they are.
9. Cats have dominant paws
Just as humans can be right or left-handed, cats have one paw they favor over the other. Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed and female cats are more likely to be right-pawed.
10. Cats see the world in shades of blue and green
Cats are dichromatic, which means they see in shades of blues and greens. They have fewer color receptors in their eyes than humans. We’re trichromatic, meaning that we can see reds and yellows, too.
11. Your cat’s fat belly isn’t actually fat
Maybe you’ve noticed your cat’s glorious underbelly, swaying in the wind as they race from one room to the next. Don’t be alarmed — there’s no need for a diet.
Their belly fat is actually a primordial pouch, and it has nothing to do with weight. All cats develop a primordial pouch at six months old. The pouch is made up of fat, skin, and fur, and it runs along the length of their belly. While the exact purpose of the pouch is a mystery, there are three possibilities for its existence.
It might give your cat extra flexibility and speed. It might protect your cat’s vital organs, due to the fat layer and loose skin. It might also function as a fat storage area, so your furbaby has sustenance in lean times.
House cats aren’t the only ones with primordial pouches! Jungle cats, like tigers and lions, also have them.
12. Your cat’s nose has its own special print
Much like a human fingerprint, cats’ noses have a specific design that’s unique to them.
Photo: savitskaya iryna / Shutterstock
13. Cats’ whiskers are as sensitive as human fingertips
Your cat’s whiskers are connected to their muscular and nervous systems. They act as touch receptors, helping your feline friend take note of any changes in their environment.
Most cats have 12 whiskers, in 4 rows, on each cheek, but that’s not all. They also have a set of whiskers along the back of their front legs.
Cats use their whiskers as a measuring tool, helping them determine if they can fit into small spaces, like that cardboard box or plastic bag you left on the floor, just for them.
14. Cats can jump 5 times their own height
Your cat is more than just an alien from another planet, who stares into your soul to get you to turn the faucet on so they can have fresh water. They’re also athletic and agile aliens, who can jump up to five times their own height.
Photo: Rita_Kochmarjova / Shutterstock
15. Cats can drink seawater
Unlike humans, cats can drink a bowl of water from the ocean and feel refreshed and hydrated. Cat kidneys are able to filter out the salt from the water itself. While a cat can sip on the seawater all they want, they can’t actually drink milk, as they’re lactose intolerant.
So, break out the catnip and toss some feathers in the air. Your cat is truly one-of-a-kind. Take some time to celebrate the stone-cold weirdo that is your one and only feline friend.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture and all things to do with the entertainment industry.