Cats are the most popular pet in the United States. Around 74 million cats have found their forever home with a devoted human. Historic evidence shows that cats have been domesticated for over 10,000 years.
Ancient Egyptians believed that cats were divine creatures who held magical powers. When a pet cat died, its human companions shaved their eyebrows in mourning. Cats were often mummified to accompany their people in their afterlife. Yet cats weren’t always seen in such a positive light. During the Middle Ages in Europe, cats were considered demonic creatures, connected to witchcraft.
Despite having lived among humans for centuries, cats still retain their own weird habits and strikingly independent personality quirks. Cat lovers know that beneath their pets’ snuggly exterior lies a laser-focused bug-hunter who pounces on you at 5 am for unspecified, often demonic (kidding!), reasons. Cats are divas, cats are iconics, cats answer to nobody, and here are some quirks that help explain why they’re such mysterious creatures.
Here are 15 strange quirks about cats that explain why yours acts so weird:
1. Cats sweat through their paws
Your cat’s precious toe beans don’t only exist for you to squish. They serve a functional purpose, too: cats sweat through their paws. You might notice little wet pawprints tracked along your floor on especially hot days.
Veterinarian Dr. Kim Haddad noted, however, that while cats have sweat glands on the bottom of their paw pads, like dogs, “cats do not have a great way to thermoregulate.”So if you’ve ever noticed your cat has damp paws after a vet visit, their stress levels are more than likely the culprit.
2. Cats can’t taste anything sweet
Cats only have 470 taste buds, compared to humans, who have 2,000 to 10,000 taste buds. Due to a genetic defect, felines can’t taste sweet food.
3. They spend up to half their lives grooming themselves
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then cats definitely think highly of themselves. They spend up to half their lives grooming themselves. It takes time and effort to look good, and cats know that no strand of fur can be out of place if they want to keep their status as the most handsome beast in your house.
4. They spend 70% of their lives sleeping
Patrick Slade / Unsplash
In addition to their constant spa days, cats spend a huge amount of time asleep, just not in the middle of the night, when you’re trying to sleep. According to veterinarian Dr. Richard Goldstein, senior cats just sleep more on average than younger cats, and modern cats’ sleep habits can be traced back to their desert ancestors, who used sleep to regulate their body temperature.
5. A cat’s purr is between 25 hertz and 150 hertz
The frequency of a cat’s purr is the same hertz that regenerates bone and muscle tissue. Their purr is thought to be a survival instinct.
Dr. Elizabeth con Muggenthaler, an expert in the field of bioacoustics, the study of natural sound, found that “domestic cats, servals, ocelots, and pumas produce fundamental, dominant, or strong frequencies at exactly 25 Hz and 50 Hz, the two lowest frequencies that best promote bone growth and fracture healing.”
6. Cats share 95.6% of their DNA with tigers
When your cat prowls down the hallway, chasing after a speck of dust in the sunlight, it could be due to their connection to their big cat relatives. Your feline friend shares almost all of its genetic makeup with tigers, which could explain why they pounce and snarls and stalks through their comfortable surroundings like a tiny wild beast.
7. Cats have an extra organ on the roof of their mouths
The organ is called the Jacobson’s organ, and it’s used to detect smells. “This organ processes pheromones and hormones secreted by other animals,” explained veterinarian Dr. Krista Seraydar, meaning the opening of their mouth or the slight curl to their upper lip is just your furry child analyzing the smells around them more deeply.
8. They meow at humans, but not at other cats
Daniel Pelaez Duque / Unsplash
Cats are vocal creatures, but they only meow at humans, not at other cats. Adult cats “will purr, yowl, growl and hiss at one another, but not meow,” explained an article from VCA Animal Hospitals. Meowing is their form of inter-species communication and how they let you know just how hungry they are.
9. Cats have dominant paws
Just as humans can be right or left-handed, cats have one paw they favor over the other. Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed, and female cats are more likely to be right-pawed.
10. Cats see the world in shades of blue and green
Cats are dichromatic, which means they see in shades of blues and greens. They have fewer color receptors in their eyes than humans. We’re trichromatic, meaning that we can see reds and yellows, too.
11. Your cat’s fat belly isn’t actually fat
Maybe you’ve noticed your cat’s glorious underbelly, swaying in the wind as they race from one room to the next. Don’t be alarmed; there’s often no need for a diet. Their belly fat is actually a primordial pouch, and it has nothing to do with weight.
All cats develop a primordial pouch at six months old. The pouch is made up of fat, skin, and fur, and it runs along the length of their belly. While the exact purpose of the pouch is a mystery, there are three possibilities for its existence.
It might give your cat extra flexibility and speed. It might protect your cat’s vital organs due to the fat layer and loose skin. It might also function as a fat storage area, so your furbaby has sustenance in lean times. House cats aren’t the only ones with primordial pouches! Jungle cats, like tigers and lions, also have them.
12. Their nose has its own special print
silvia / Unsplash
Much like a human fingerprint, cats’ noses have a specific design that’s unique to them. The shape of their nostrils, combined with the lines and creases that pattern the surface of the nose, creates a one-of-a-kind signature that forms as kittens.
13. Cats’ whiskers are as sensitive as human fingertips
Your cat’s whiskers are connected to their muscular and nervous systems. They act as touch receptors, helping your feline friend take note of any changes in their environment.
Most cats have 12 whiskers, in 4 rows, on each cheek, but that’s not all. According to Cats on Broadway Veterinary Hospital, “whiskers send information about the cat’s surroundings directly to their sensory nerves, helping cats detect and respond to changes in their surroundings.”
They also have a set of whiskers along the back of their front legs. Cats use their whiskers as a measuring tool, helping them determine if they can fit into small spaces, like that cardboard box or plastic bag you left on the floor, just for them.
14. Cats can jump 5 times their own height
Your cat is more than just an alien from another planet, who stares into your soul to get you to turn the faucet on so they can have fresh water. They’re also athletic and agile aliens who can jump up to five times their own height.
15. They can drink seawater
Unlike humans, cats can drink a bowl of water from the ocean and feel refreshed and hydrated. Cat kidneys are able to filter out the salt from the water itself. While a cat can sip on the seawater all they want, they can’t actually drink milk, as they’re lactose intolerant.
So, break out the catnip and toss some feathers in the air. Your cat is truly one-of-a-kind. Take some time to celebrate the stone-cold weirdo that is your one and only feline friend.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango’s news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.