Kitty lovers, rejoice: National Cat Day is coming up on October 29th. We’ve been friends with Fluffy for thousands of years, and we’ve gotten to know her pretty well in that time. However, our feline friends are quite secretive and mysterious by nature. They’re also full of interesting and adorable quirks. A local vet goes over some of the more purrplexing ones in this article from Armitage Animal Clinic, your Newmarket, ON animal clinic.
Paws For Thought
Did you know that our furry friends have dominant paws, just as people do with hands? Most boy cats are lefties, while females are right-pawed. If you aren’t sure which side your furball favors, watch and see how she smacks things off your coffee table.
Tiny Tigers
Fluffy shares the majority of her genome—nearly 96 percent—with tigers. If you observe big cats in the wild, you may notice that they act quite a bit like your cute little pet. They groom themselves, pounce, play, sleep a lot, and also cannot resist boxes.
Physiology
All of our animal companions have unique traits. Here are a few about Fluffy: she can jump up to six times her length. She also has an extra organ that allows her to ‘taste’ scents. One thing she can’t taste? Sweetness. Of course, some kitties apparently didn’t get that memo, as we have known cats that love cakes and donuts. Most likely, it’s the fat content your furry pal is craving. (Note: many sweets contain xylitol, which is toxic to cats. Offer your kitty something else, such as plain, boneless chicken, instead.)
Video Stars
Long before cat videos took the internet by storm, Fluffy was cracking us up with regular appearances on shows like America’s Funniest Home Videos. As it turns out, our feline pals have been charming us onscreen for much longer than that. The first cat video—Thomas Edison’s Boxing Cats—was recorded in 1894.
Kitty Love
Our feline pals can be very affectionate. Some want nothing more than to be petted and cuddled 24/7. As it turns out, Fluffy sees you as a big, hairless kitty. To put it another way, cats tend to see their humans as second parents. Or servants.
Meowpulation
Did you know that most languages have a similar word for ‘Meow’? Also, our feline pals don’t usually meow at each other: they save their vocalizations for their humans.
Do you have questions about your cat’s health or care? Contact us here at Armitage Animal Clinic, your Newmarket, ON animal clinic, anytime!
