Cats are one of the most beloved animals in the world. They are graceful, agile and playful, and they make wonderful companions. There are also many intriguing facts about cats that you might not know! From their amazing sense of smell to their extraordinary jumping abilities, here are the Top 10 Facts about cats.
1. Cats can jump up to 6 times their height.
That’s right!
Cats are really good jumpers and can jump really high.
You can often see them on the top of a garden fence or on a really high wall!
They have very strong muscles in their legs which catapults them into the air
2. They have a total of 18 toes.
That’s a lot of toes!
Cats have 5 toes on each of their front paws.
They then have four toes on their back paws.
3. There are hundreds of millions of pet cats!
There are lots of cats across the world as they are one of the most popular pets to have.
In the UK, about a quarter of adults own a cat, according to the PDSA.
4. Cats sleep for around 13 to 16 hours a day (70% of their life).
Have you ever noticed that cats are always sleeping?
They do this to save their energy.
In the wild they would be saving their energy to go and hunt for their food.
House cats obviously don’t need to do this but it just comes naturally to them.
5. A catβs first year is like 15 human years.
Cats age much faster than humans and live for a shorter amount of time.
By its first birthday, a cat is about as grown up as a 15-year-old person!
6. One of the largest domestic cat breeds is a Maine Coon.
The Maine Coon is one of the largest domestic cat breeds there is.
In fact, the Guinness World Records gave Barivel, a Maine Coon, the award for being the longest domestic cat ever!
Barivel was measured at 120cm long, and lived in Italy.
7. The smallest cat breed is a Singapura.
The smallest cat breed is the Singapura.
It originates from Singapore.
They are around half the size of a normal house cat.
8. Purring means a cat is content.
A cat will often purr when it is happy and content.
This is mostly when it is getting a nice stroke from it’s owner.
They use their purr as a way of communication.
9. A cat can run up to 30mph.
Cats are very speedy.
They can run up to 30mph.
That’s about as fast as a car will travel on a typical road!
10. The oldest cat was 38 years old.
The oldest recorded living cat lived up to 38 years old.
She was called Creme Puff!
Most pet cats live for around 12 to 18 years.
More things about cats to read:
π Words to know
- Mammal
- An animal with hair or fur whose babies drink their motherβs milk.
- Domestic
- Living with people, rather than in the wild.
- Breed
- A type of cat or dog that has been bred to look a certain way, like the Maine Coon.
- Predator
- An animal that hunts other animals for food.
β οΈ Watch out!
How much do you know about cats?
How many toes does a cat usually have altogether?
- 18
- 20
- 16
- 12
Which is one of the biggest pet cat breeds?
- Maine Coon
- Singapura
- Siamese
- Sphynx
Does purring always mean a cat is happy?
- No
- Yes
- Only at night
- Only kittens purr
Which group?
Cats are mammals. They have fur, and mother cats feed their kittens on milk.
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