Quick answer: Some of the most interesting facts about cats: they sleep around 12 to 16 hours a day. They can’t taste sweetness. They can hear sounds far higher than humans can. And adult cats meow mostly to people, not to other cats. Cats land on their feet thanks to a righting reflex and a very flexible spine. Here are 20 cat facts, each with the science behind it.
Cats have lived alongside people for thousands of years, yet they still surprise us. These facts cover how cats sense the world, how their bodies work and what their behavior really means.
Facts about cats’ senses
- Cats can’t taste sweet things. A gene needed for sweet taste receptors doesn’t work in cats, which fits their meat-only diet.
- Cats hear much higher sounds than we do. Human hearing tops out around 20 kHz, while cats can hear well above 60 kHz, which helps them detect the squeaks of mice.
- Each ear is controlled by about 32 muscles. Cats can swivel each ear independently to pinpoint a sound.
- Cats see well in dim light. A reflective layer behind the retina, the tapetum lucidum, bounces light back through the eye. It is also why their eyes glow in photos.
- Whiskers are touch sensors. Whiskers (vibrissae) sit in nerve-rich follicles and help cats sense air currents, nearby objects and the width of gaps.
Facts about cats’ bodies
- Cats almost always land on their feet. Kittens develop a “righting reflex” at around 3 to 4 weeks old and perfect it by about 7 weeks. It lets them twist mid-air to face downward.
- Their collarbones float free. A cat’s clavicles aren’t attached to other bones, which helps them squeeze through narrow spaces.
- Cats are powerful jumpers. Strong back legs let many cats leap several times their own height.
- A domestic cat can sprint at around 48 km/h (30 mph) over short distances.
- A cat’s nose pad has a unique pattern of ridges and bumps, a little like a human fingerprint.
- Most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Despite the clichΓ©, milk can upset many adult cats’ stomachs.
Facts about how cats communicate
- Adult cats meow mostly to humans. Kittens meow to their mothers, but adult cats rarely meow at each other. They use meows to get our attention.
- A slow blink is a friendly signal. A 2020 study found cats were more likely to slow-blink back at people who slow-blinked at them, and to approach them.
- Cats purr while breathing in and out. The sound comes from rapid twitching of the muscles in the larynx, usually at around 25 to 150 vibrations per second.
- Purring doesn’t always mean happiness. Cats also purr when stressed, hurt or giving birth. Some scientists think purring helps them self-soothe.
- Head-bumps mark you as family. Cats have scent glands in their cheeks, and rubbing against you (“bunting”) leaves their scent on you.
- A tail held straight up usually means a friendly greeting.
More interesting facts about cats: behavior and history
- Cats sleep about 12 to 16 hours a day. As hunters, they save energy for short bursts of activity, especially around dawn and dusk.
- Kneading comes from kittenhood. Kittens knead their mother to help milk flow, and many adult cats keep doing it when they feel content.
- Cats have lived with people for about 10,000 years. A cat buried with a person on Cyprus about 9,500 years ago is among the earliest evidence. Wildcats likely moved into early farming villages to hunt rodents.
Frequently asked questions
Why do cats purr?
Mostly to signal contentment or to ask for care, but also to calm themselves when stressed or in pain. The sound comes from fast vibrations of the muscles in the larynx.
Why do cats sleep so much?
Cats are built for short, intense bursts of hunting, so they rest a lot to save energy. 12 to 16 hours of sleep a day is normal for many cats.
How do cats always land on their feet?
Their inner ear tells them which way is up, and a flexible spine lets them rotate the front of the body, then the back, so they land feet-first. Falls are still dangerous, though.
Do cats recognize their names?
Yes. A 2019 study in Scientific Reports found that cats can tell their own name apart from other similar-sounding words.
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Sources
- Li, X. et al. (2005). “Pseudogenization of a sweet-receptor gene accounts for cats’ indifference toward sugar.” PLoS Genetics.
- Heffner, R. S. & Heffner, H. E. (1985). “Hearing range of the domestic cat.” Hearing Research.
- Humphrey, T. et al. (2020). “The role of cat eye narrowing movements in catβhuman communication.” Scientific Reports.
- Saito, A. et al. (2019). “Domestic cats (Felis catus) discriminate their names from other words.” Scientific Reports.
- Vigne, J.-D. et al. (2004). “Early taming of the cat in Cyprus.” Science.
- Saito et al. (2019), cats recognize their names, Scientific Reports
- Humphrey et al. (2020), the cat slow blink, Scientific Reports