On August 8 every year we celebrate International Cat Day.
Cats are one of the smartest animals and one of the earliest domesticated animals. Their domestication began as early as 8,000 years ago.
In Ancient Egypt, cats were deified. The ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats to use them for pest control.
On the occasion of International Cat Day, we offer you some interesting facts about the beloved creatures of many.
The genetic roots of the domestic cat can be traced back to the Middle East. Research has found a significant similarity between their DNA and that of feral cats that inhabited Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Cats rely on exceptional hearing. This is partly due to the fact that they have 32 different muscles in their ears.
White cats, however, are prone to deafness. Not all of them suffer from hearing loss. According to a study by specialists from the University "Cornell" between 65 and 85 percent of white cats with blue eyes have hearing impairment.
If a man lives alone with a cat and remembers, his pet probably won't bother to feast on his body, unlike a dog, which will hang around a corpse.
The largest domestic cat in the world with a length of nearly 123 centimeters is Stewie from the Maine Coon breed.
A cat named Oscar, who lives in a nursing home in Rhode Island, has predicted the deaths of 25 residents by showing care and concern before their deaths. According to experts, the dying body emits an odor to which cats are particularly sensitive.
Veterinarians compare cutting a cat's nails to amputating a limb.
Cats "sleep" about 70 percent of its life. For comparison - only 30 percent of human life passes in sleep.
When they are awake, cats spend most of their time grooming.
Cream Puff is the longest-lived cat in the world - 38 years.
In 1837, 37 cats were employed as postmen in Belgium. It is hardly a surprise that the initiative did not work.
President Abraham Lincoln loved cats to such an extent that his pets Tabby and Dixie regularly ate at the table.
Cats sweat through their paws, which are also equipped with scent glands, and use trampling and scratching to mark their territory.
Olives "go crazy" written because they contain a similar chemical compound to catnip.
Is it possible for cats to deliberately ignore their owners? According to the authors of a Japanese study, the answer is "Yes". Researchers have found that pisanas recognize their owners' voices and can choose to deliberately ignore them.
Cats are unable to taste sweet because they do not have the corresponding receptors.
A ten-year study by specialists from the University of Minnesota has found that for cat owners, the risk of heart attack and stroke is 30 percent lower.
Actor Nicolas Cage once revealed to talk show host David Letterman how he and his cat once shared hallucinogenic mushrooms and lay staring at each other for hours.
Calico cats are almost always female.
Red cats are usually male.
In most female cats, the right paw is dominant, and in males, the left paw.
The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia relies on 70 stray cats employed to control the mouse population and prevent them from gnawing on the artworks.
In reality, cats can be loyal. A cat named Toldo became famous in Italy and around the world for visiting his master's grave every day for a year.
Despite popular belief that cats love milk, they are actually lactose intolerant.
Cats are extremely good manipulators. When they are desperate for attention, they resort to a purr that resembles a baby's cry.
Cats don't just purr when they're happy, but also to signal stress and fear. Most interestingly, their purring at a frequency of 27 hertz is beneficial for their bone health.
Cats sometimes suffer from toothache, which makes them angry.
During her lifetime, a female cat can give birth to up to 100 kittens.
Black cats, which frighten many, are considered lucky in England, Ireland and parts of Asia.
Cats are responsible for the demise of 33 different species of animals. Fluffy killers take the lives of 2.4 million birds a year.
Cat owners know that their pets tend to constantly "hang" in the sun. There is a scientific explanation for their behavior - the sun's heat helps them save energy for restful sleep, during which their basal metabolism drops. For the same reason, plus providing them with shelter and reminding them of life in the natural environment, cats are "crazy" by boxes.
Source: dariknews.bg