Cat Facts You May Not Know

Here are some interesting cat facts you may not know:

• A cat’s mood is reflected in his eyes. When frightened or excited,  cats will have large, round pupils. When angry,  cats will have narrow pupils. The pupil size is related as much to the cat’s emotions as to the degree of light.
• A majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. White cats with only one blue eye are deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye. White cats with orange eyes do not have this disability.
• A cat retracts his claws by flexing his toes. This protects their sharpness and lets him walk quietly when stalking prey.
• Cats have the best vision and in the dark their eyes become more like “Ears”, the reason being that their pupils can pick up acoustic vibrations.
• Cat saliva contains a detergent that keeps their fur clean.
• One reason kittens sleep so much is because a growth hormone is released only during sleep.
• Andy the cat holds the record for the longest non-fatal fall. He survived a fall from the 16^th floor of an apartment building (about 200 ft).
• The claws on cat’s back paws aren’t as sharp as the claws on the front paws because the claws in the back don’t retract and, consequently, become worn.
• A cat’s brain is biologically more similar to a human brain than it is to a dog’s. Humans and cats have identical regions in their brains that are responsible for emotions.
• It is commonly believed the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats, but the oldest known pet cat was recently found in a 9,500-year-old grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This grave predates early Egyptian art depicting cats by 4,000 years or more.

Photo source:  animal-photos.org user Wind_of_Change

Facts source:  facts.randomhistory.com