I know a little about cats. Tell me something I DON'T know about cats.

[bertha katzenengel]

I want to learn!

I won't have time to reply to everyone today, but I'll probably be reading.

[bicentennial_baby]

1. i can tell you something you don't know about MY cat...

she uses the toilet instead of the litter box...we have no idea how she figured that one out :wow:

[bertha katzenengel]

2. Wow!

I'm still trying to figure out how tiny kittens know to use a litter box!

[Heidi]

5. Don't they learn it from watching their mothers?

We were around Ginger daily from his birth, and it seemed that his mother (my mother-in-law's cat) was literally demonstrating _everything_ for the kittens, and giving them a good scolding when they didn't follow suit. :hi:

[barb162]

63. Cat mommies are very good mommies.

:hi:

[mikeytherat]

7. Cats are "hard-wired" to bury/cover waste in substrate material

As cats are solo hunters, they have to approach their prey by stealth. Burying waste helps them to stay "invisible." Same reason why cats groom just before AND after they eat. They are programmed to be squeaky clean, as to approach their quarry without any scent of a recent kill on them.

mikey_the_rat

[cynatnite]

4. Can she flush yet?

The cat on 'Meet the Fockers' got the flushing down, but I think a special button or something like that was installed. He's also had underwater aquatic training, too. :)

But he's a little sadistic, too. He flushed the dog down the toilet, so there are some drawbacks as well.

[bicentennial_baby]

6. i haven't gotten her to that point as of yet...

:rofl:

but the period of time where we dicovered her newfound 'talent' was hilarious!! someone would hear her in there, and creep around the corner to catch a glimpse...if she saw you, she'd run off! but, i caught her a few times, and finally convinced my family that this was indeed occurring. smart cat, say i! :D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

47. I want that cat.

[DainBramaged]

86. Both my babies learned to use the potty

But they only pee in it. It still saves a lot in litter costs. I found that the new pine litters are great and cheap. Compressed sawdust pellets. Kitty odor replaced by pine trees. Nice tradeoff.

[Heidi]

3. Some bengal cats like water.

We know a breeder in Zurich whose bengal showers with him. :eyes:

[Patiod]

8. If you have a calico-tabby, you know its parents

There's only one possibility -- a calico mother and tabby father

[bertha katzenengel]

13. We have a calico tabby, and we know that her parents are

a calico-tabby mother and a tabby father. Fascinating! Thanks

[KamaAina]

35. Funny, the only Talico (R) I ever knew had a part-Siamese mom

Merri's father was, indeed, a tabby, as was her brother Pippin.

Did Samantha (mom) have a third color? Hmm... she was mostly white with irregular Siamese "point-color" markings -- and Liz Taylor violet eyes... mmmeeeooowwwwrr!

[mikeytherat]

9. When your cats "chatter" at the birds outside the window

they are using the exact same jaw motion they use to kill prey. In essence, your cat is "killing" the birdies without being able to actually kill the birdies.

mikey_the_rat

[huskerlaw]

22. So THAT'S

what they're doing! I always wondered. I thought it was kinda counter-productive, what with the noise and all.

And oddly, the indoor/outdoor cat I had as a child never did it. He'd watch the birds outside in absolute silence. My indoor-only kitty, on the other hand, chatters a LOT.

[In_The_Wind]

10. Some cats like to go for car rides.

I had a figure 8 harness and leash for Billie. I didn't like leaving her home alone anymore than necessary so she went with me for years.

BTW ~ most of 'em like to play with brown paper bags.

:hi:

[Patiod]

19. Mine hates the car unless she can drive

My S.O. got the bright idea that she might want to get out of her carrier on the way home from the vet one day.

The State Trooper who pulled up next to him at the light near our house was surprised to see that there was a cat climbing the steering wheel. Fortunately, he must have gotten a call or something, because he didn't pull him over and haul him away to jail for Driving While Incredibly Stupid, like he deserved (or slap the cat with a citation for Driving Without a License/Driving While Nonhuman)

[Brewman_Jax]

11. Ours locked my dad in the basement

btw, I don't live /w my parents.

I make sure not to leave the credit card and computer access, just in case.

[mikeytherat]

12. Cats respond to "crinkly" sounds because it sounds like prey

Mice, birds, and crickets make high-pitched noises, so cats often respond to crinkle noises (tinfoil, plastic bags) as they mimic these sounds.

Also, cats have some of the best hearing among mammals (they can hear up to 65 kilohertz, much higher than even dogs). Additionally, their ear flaps (pinna) are used just like radar dishes to pinpoint sounds (notice how these flaps move independently when your cat is listening - she's using her built-in triangulation devices to zero in on the location of the sound).

mikey_the_rat

[bertha katzenengel]

16. News!

I didn't know that about the crinkly noises.

You are a font of good info, Mikey! :hi:

[caty]

14. Did you know that the total

number of humans and cats in your household should be an even number? Cats tend to pair up with a human or another cat. If there is an odd number in the household, either one cat or one human will be left out of the loop.

[purr]

15. My cats arent shaved :)

They are a genetic mutation from a domesticated farm cat.

My home security company had to come out yesterday to fix my system and he said I have a question. I'm like sure, what? Expecting to ask where the control panel is or whatever. He looked at me, completely serious "WHY did you shave your cats?" :rofl: I'm like umm. I didnt - "THEY'RE BORN THAT WAY???" Yup. "You paid MONEY for that?" Yup. "WHYYYYY???" Cuz I like them and I wanted one. "OOOOK....."

He kept looking at Osiris and she even jumped on his back and I thought he was going to shit himself for sure.

[bertha katzenengel]

20. "I thought he was going to shit himself for sure" --

:rofl:

She was being friendly, right? Too bad he was scared.

:rofl:

[khashka]

17. Well I just learned something interesting

A lot of those cute, affectionate things they do. It's actually an integral part of their mating ritual.

Kinda weird, huh?

(Bertha I was gonna PM you this- have you read Biological Exuberance? It's about homosexuality in animals. A little dry but such an awakening! It can be a little hard to get through, but I think you'd appreciate it.)


Khash.

[khashka]

18. Self delete

double post. This computer sucks.

Khash.

[hiaasenrocks]

21. If you have a female cat, when you greet her...

put your head close to hers and she'll softly head-butt you. That's a greeting that runs through every cat species, I believe. And I think it's exclusive to females. (Some cat expert will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure. :) )

[begin_within]

24. We have a male cat that does that, he loves to rub his head against mine.

[yellowdogintexas]

57. mine too, especially my black one. nt

[Arugula Latte]

25. Yes, my boys do that, too, as well as my princess.

I love it. :loveya:

[DainBramaged]

66. My 12 year old does it all the time, he is very weird about it

Sometimes he reaches up to pull my head closer so he can head butt me. My little girl just rolls over to have her belly scratched.

[thinkingwoman]

84. I do too, but...

one of our girls does it REALLY hard. You have to make sure she's butting your forehead and not your nose. That smarts a bit. :-)

[WolverineDG]

31. nope

all my males have done that too. i heard that it's how they greet "family," so ages ago when a small male kitten showed up on our doorstep at christmas, i started giving him a "head butt" & he returned the favor. since then, i've done that to all my cats when they're kittens, male or female.

dg

[Jokerman]

37. We have a tomcat that loves to head-butt

He was a kitten when we got him and he bonded with our other male cat but he wasn't particularly affectionate to us. One day when he was about a year old I stopped at the back of the chair where he was standing and gave him a gentle head-butt. He returned the gesture and almost immediately became much more affectionate to his humans.

Now he is a big, lovable lap cat and I swear it was all because of a head-butt.

[barb162]

64. I had a female that did that a lot, like 20 times in a row.

It was her overall affection

[begin_within]

23. Here are some...

The saliva of cats contains an antibacterial substance.
People who are allergic to cats are allergic to the proteins in the cats' saliva, which can get anywyere because the cat's fur has it and the fur can get all over.
Cats can distinguish between blue and green, but cannot see red very well.
Cats have uniquely flexible spinal columns that can twist and bend in almost any direction.
Cats have extremely sensitive and accurate hearing capabilities. They also have a highly sensitive sense of smell, and very skilled at balancing themselves.
Cats cannot see in the dark but can see in black-and-white in very low light situations such as hunting at night in the moonlight, etc.
Cats sleep for about 13 to 18 hours a day depending on the cat, and more when they get old.
Domestic cats cannot fend for themselves in any situation, and must be fed and cared for. Cats that live outside live shorter lives than cats kept indoors.
People who own cats tend to have lower blood pressure than people who don't own pets.

[Misunderestimator]

26. Cats are the only domestic animals not mentioned in the Bible.

Or so I've heard. And here's an interesting list:

http://www.penmarric.ns.ca/cattails/facts2.htm

[DainBramaged]

67. Cats are the pets of Satan, don't 'cha know?

[leftofthedial]

27. thyme complements their flavor nicely

but you should always use a couple of bay leaves in any braised feline.

Avoid oregano. It accentuates a natural pungency in the meat.

turnips are a rather nice complementary vegetable.

[calico1]

28. You may know this but..

calicos are almost always female. The rare male calico will be sterile. Or so I've been told. Also, calicos and tortoise shells tend to be a little "kooky." My gal likes to bring stuff up from out basement to the kitchen and then meow excitedly. If someone knows why she does this I'd really like to know. I also learned it is absolutely not true that cats always land on their feet when they fall. All of mine can be klutzes and land on their butts often when they play "trapeze" on the sofa back.

[calico1]

29. Oh, I also remembered a couple more:

When a cat drinks water its tongue curls downward instead of upward as we would think.

A cat has a blind spot somewhere in the eye area. This is why they often make a mess with their kibble. And why if you hold something close to their face they often look as if they are looking for it.

[Gormy Cuss]

32. Is this true too: orange tabbys tend to be high strung and goofy

Most of the ones that I've encountered seem to be this way but I don't know if it's a known trait for these guys.

Also I've noticed that Maine Coon cats tend to be fairly quiet and don't like to be lap kitties, although they'll follow you around like a dog.

[calico1]

34. Well, mine is!

(In picture in sig). Not necessarily high strung as in nervous but he is a goofball. I have a coworker who had one that was high strung and he would sometimes jump up on her back and cling to her and he would do this suddenly. No my gray tabby on the other hand is very mellow and laid back. It takes a lot to get her ruffled.

[KamaAina]

36. Our Seanie was about the least high-strung cat on the planet

Mom called him a "sponge". You could do pretty much whatever you liked with him. Purrrrrrrr....

[Gormy Cuss]

53. That plays into my other theory about orange tabbys.

4 out of 5 have Irish names (Clancy, Murphy, Paddy, etc.)

[KamaAina]

55. Sean Timothy Michael Murray, 'twas!

Our friend who was with us when we found the kitties named the orange striped kitty after a long-ago acquaintance of hers of that name. He (the cat) was also known as "Furry, Purry Michael Murray".

Why might that be? After all, as Mom reminded me (and Sean), it is very un-Irish to wear orange on St. Paddy's Day!

[Gormy Cuss]

56. Aye, but I believe it's a nod to the fine red tresses of many Irish.

I've known at least six Clancys meself.

[CAcyclist]

52. Some color stats

4 out of 5 orange cats will be male

The black allele and the orange allele are on the X chromosome, so if you have a calico cat, it has two Xs.So the rare male calico is either a "superfemale" Kleinfelter XXY or is a chimera XX-XY.

[Digit]

75. My maine coon is extremely affectionate.

If I am lying down on the couch, she is on top of me....at the waist/hip area.
If I am just sitting down watching TV, she is as close as she can be next to me, or trying to lie on my chest/shelf wanting to be cuddled.
The problem arises when my parrot is having her "out time" between 8pm and 10 and my kitty becomes jealous and neither wants to share my body parts.

[LynneSin]

30. I own the world's dumbest and the world's snobbiest cats

Seriously, I've met cement blocks smarter than Abbott. And Evita is so damn snobby that the only time she's nice to me is if she's hungry or has an itch on her forehead that she needs scratched

[calico1]

40. Stop stating that you "own" your cats.

Especially Miss Evita and maybe she'll be nicer to you. You know it can't be true. Your purpose is to feed them, scratch their heads and otherwise do as they command you to do. End of story. :7


spelling

[calico1]

41. Dupe post, sorry n/t

[barb162]

33. when they look at you and you think they love you, they really

want food

[Patiod]

39. Or warmth

Sometimes they want a big heater to curl up near.

[barb162]

62. LOL, or a warm lap

[KamaAina]

38. Cats are starting to break in to the world of service animals

which has hitherto, of course, been dominated by dogs.

Some cats can detect an impending seizure in their human. Others serve as "threapy cats" (well most of them do, actually, but these are doing it officially :-) )

[mongo]

42. During the depression

It was fairly common to sell cat meat and say it was rabbit.

Butchers had to start leaving one of the back feet on the carcass of the rabbits so consumers could be sure it wasn't cat.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

46. Poor kitties...

:cry:

[Patiod]

50. Wow -- very "Sweeney Todd'"

Mrs. Mooney has a pie shop!
Does a business but I notice something weird.
Lately all her neighbors' cats have disappeared!
Have to hand it to her --
Wot I calls
Enterprise
Poppin' pussies into pies!
Wouldn't do in my shop!
Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!
And I'm tellin' you, them pussycats is quick!

[Skittles]

43. the only other animals that walk like cats

are the camel and the giraffe. Yes INDEED!

[bertha katzenengel]

44. SKITTLES!!

I did not know that! How wonderful for you to be the one to bring that to me. :bounce:

I hope you're well.

[Skittles]

65. yes

they are the only animals that move both left legs forward, then both right legs; lots of people aren't even aware cats don't walk like dogs. Yes INDEED!!! Hey I should have a picture of my feral kitty Riff Raff soon - he still won't let me pet him but he gets along very well with my 8 year old pound kitty Clancy. :D

[Rob H.]

45. Supposedly the only place a cat can't reach for grooming

with either his or her tongue alone or with a combination of tongue and paw is the small area between his or her shoulderblades.

Other cat facts:

Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.

A cat's brain is more similar to a man's brain than that of a dog.

A cat can jump 5 times as high as it is tall.

A domestic cat can sprint at about 31 miles per hour.

[mtnsnake]

70. "A cat can jump 5 times as high as it is tall"

My wife and I used to live along a small river and we'd watch our neighbor's black cat come out at dusk and crouch in our backyard....waiting to leap. Every few minutes it would leap higher than high, and every so often it would come down with its prize and eat it.........bats.

[AngryAmish]

48. When you die they will eat you

[Patiod]

51. Mine trys to eat me if I sleep too late

My S.O. claims she's trying to wake me up, but I think she's starting to feast...

[Maine Mary]

49. Some like to get atop Christmas trees and

ride it back and forth. He'd usually get a gleam in his eye and go nuts on something that catch his eye. But Maine Coons are pretty nutty like that... Somehow, he not only survived life, but life w/my ex who HATED him! Thank God we all got away from the real nut! :-)

[ChoralScholar]

54. Well....

you know that cats always land on 4 feet...

and you also know that buttered bread always falls butter side down,

so if you strapped buttered bread to a cats back, the end result is that the cat would hover.

This is the answer to our energy crisis. Purring, buttered tabbies powering our nations energy needs.

[no name no slogan]

58. only domesticated cats meow

because they are trying to immitate human speech. Cats in the wild (without ANY human contact) do not meow.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

59. I have noticed that my cats only meow at me.

When they communicate with each other they chirp or trill, but they never meow. Very interesting.

[SoCalDem]

60. Some cats are "hairdressers"

Marvin grooms me every chance he gets:)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

61. Cats have eight nipples.

[Maine Mary]

73. LOL!

:rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

68. They go great with steak.

:hide:

[mtnsnake]

69. Our cat does something I've never seen any other cat do

When it's winter, she finds a loose blanket and burrows underneath it completely when she sleeps. The first few times she did this, she burrowed under a loose blanket that we had left on the couch. We walked into the room, not knowing she was under it, and went to sit down on the couch and the damn blanket started moving on its own, scaring the shit out of us! We didn't realize she was under there. Ever since then, we've had to leave loose blankets out in a couple different places for her to burrow under.

[DainBramaged]

71. I had one who did that, couldn't figure out how she breathed

Must have been osmosis.

[fortyfeetunder]

72. Some cat bones look like chicken bones

I had a sadistic biology teacher who would bring his Kentucky Fried Chicken lunch to his classroom, but didn't dispose of the bones. Part of our class involved cat dissection (so you could say I know cats inside and out).

One of the lab exams, the teacher had put the chicken bones out along with the cat bones and we had to distinguish between the two species.

I won't go into detail, but he did have a way of preparing them to look the same!

[BigMcLargehuge]

74. Your cats will put all of your prized posessions up for sale on e-Bay

if they don't like their food.

[Kali]

76. They can see air molecules.

[pokerfan]

77. Cats own you, not the other way around

She or He has simply deigned to live with you for the time being.

Get used to it.

:)

[NMMNG]

78. Some of them like Spanish olives

:9

[radfringe]

79. some trivia....

the number of bones in a cat's tail vary from cat to cat

there are 27 muscles in each ear of a cat

attraction to catnip is genetic - some cats have a catnip gene some don't

cats have glands in their lips/mouth - when they rub they are spreading a scent from the glands. The scent mark indicates acceptance into the family.

black cats are not really solid black - they have black stripes on a slightly different shade of black background. Black cats are also more closely related to siamese cats than other breeds of cats. (ditto for "solid" grey cats) In the right light you can notice the slight difference

Calicos are multicolored which includes white. Tortiseshell's do not have any white on them, although the lighter patches may appear white but closer examination shows these patches to be buff or pale tan color

Cats falling from a greater height have less chance of being injured than cats falling from a lesser height. When a cat falls, they spread out their body and it acts similar to a parachute. The greater the fall, the more "slowing" of the descent which results in less injury.

cats prefer drinking from water sources that are moving (i.e dripping/trickling faucets, fountains etc) than water that is motionless.

Elderly cat's claws do not slough off the "casing" when they sharpen their nails. This results in a build-up on their claws making them very thick, they can continue to grow and eventually curl around and puncture their paws. If you have an Senior cat and hear clicking when they walk - check the claws - they probably need trimming.

[REP]

80. Human and Feline Kidneys Are Very Similar

If you know the normal values for human kidney blood/urine labwork, you know the normal range for feline kidney blood/urine labwork. And as with humans, the low-protein diet for renal failure is being discarded for felines as well (gets a big DUH from me; obligate carnivores on a low-protein diet? Say what?). Cats can get kidney transplants, just like humans, but the donor cat must be adopted by the caretaker of the organ recipient.

Cats can get the same kind of kidney stones humans do (calcium oxalate) and they're treated with some of thr same drugs used to treat humans. They also get struvite stones, which is treated by methionine - unlike humans, who usually form struvites in response to an infection. Kidney stones/crystals in cats is called FUS or FULTD.

[TheBaldyMan]

81. cats cha-cha when you're not looking

nt

[kedrys]

82. Ever see a cat breathe with its mouth open and eyes slightly closed?

They have a chemical analysis lab at the back of their mouths called the vomeronasal gland (AKA Jacobson's organ). A cat that's breathing with its mouth open is oversampling whatever interesting smell it detected, and sending it to the lab for further analysis. Unfortunately, to the human eye it looks like the cat is completely retarded or profoundly disgusted. :D

[amerikat]

83. A litter of kittens can have more than one father.

Strange but true.

[bertha katzenengel]

85. This has turned out to be a fascinating thread. Thank you

to everyone who replied. (Well. Most everyone.)