111 Cat Facts – Interesting And Funny Feline Trivia 

Updated: August 9, 2022 by Kristen Chapple

Obviously, I think that my cat is the cutest and smartest feline ever, and you probably feel the same way about your cat. But how much do you actually know about your kitty and cat species in general?

Until recently, I considered myself an expert for all cat-related things, but I was wrong! For example, did you know that feline and human brains are biologically almost the same? Or that your kitty can become seriously ill if you disrupt its daily routine?

Clearly, there is more to cats than people give them credit for. And to help you figure out all those great things about your pet, I decided to share 109 of the most amazing cat facts with you.

General Cat Facts

1. The fact is, you already know that they are cute, fluffy, and cuddly. But did you know that they can’t taste sweetness?
2. Or that they learned to meow just to communicate with humans?
3. Americans love their cats. There are 98.2 million owned cats in the US compared to 89.7 million owned dogs, according to Statista.
4. Based on research from Queen’s University in Belfast, male cats tend to be left-handed. Female cats are more likely to be right-handed.
5. Did you know that male cats are called “toms”, and females “queens” or “mollies”?
6. Their night and peripheral vision are much better than that of humans, but they are nearsighted.
7. Most cats have 18 toes. Five toes on each front paw and four toes on each back paw.
8. Polydactyl is a term used for cats that have more than 18 toes. According to Guinness World Records, Jack and Paws are recognized as two cats with the highest number of toes – 28 each.
9. Cats spend 70% of their lives sleeping. People only sleep about 20% of their lives.
10. Despite common beliefs, cats are lactose intolerant. It would be a good idea to stop giving your adult cat milk.
11. They can have up to 100 different sounds. Dogs only have 10.
12. On average, a cat can jump about six-time its length, which is about eight feet. The taller the animal, the higher it will jump.
13. There are 45 recognized domestic feline breeds. But Ecology Global Network estimates that there are about 600 million cats in the world.
14. The average litter size has three to five kittens. Most mollies will have between one to nine kittens per litter.
15. An average cat spends 12 to 16 hours a day sleeping.
16. Neutering your pet increases its life expectancy by two to three years.
17. An indoor cat has an average life span of 12 to 18 years. Stray and feral cats that live outdoors, on average, live only two years.
18. Cats typically have, an average of 244 bones. The number of bones is dependent on the number of toes and the length of the tail.
19. Does getting two cats of opposite sexes sounds like a bad idea? You would be wrong. A male and female cat will get along better than two male or two female cats.
20. When born, all cats have blue eyes. As a kitten grows, their eye color will change.
21. Upwards of 65% to 85% of all white cats with blue eyes are deaf, according to Cornell University.
22. Cats are meticulous when it comes to personal hygiene. On average, one will spend 30% to 50% of its day grooming itself.
23. They don’t only purr when they are happy. They will often make this sound when they are sick, hurt, stressed, or giving birth.
24. It’s well known that cats don’t like water, but some of them do know how to swim.
25. According to the State of Pet Health Report, neutered males live 62% longer than unneutered ones.
26. Cats can’t chew larger pieces of food since their jaws can’t move sideways.
27. Adult cats never meow at each other. They hiss, purr, spit, and chirp to communicate with other cats.
28. Females can mate with several different males when in heat. Thus, a litter of kittens can have a few different fathers.
29. Studies discovered that they do recognize their owners’ voices. They just don’t care to react when called as dogs do.
30. Even if you don’t suffer from cat allergies, your cat can become allergic. Approximately one in every 200 has asthma due to being exposed to cigarette smoke and dust in its home.
31. According to researchers at Tufts University School, the brains of felines and humans have a very similar structure.
32. A cat’s tail serves as a steering wheel. They used to keep balance when jumping or walking on high narrow ledges.
33. Since their claws curve downward, cats can’t come down from trees head first. Instead, they need to go back down the trunk.
34. Cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents on the air.
35. Felines can change their meow so it imitates a human baby’s cry. They often employ this manipulative tactic when they need food.
36. A group of cats is called a “clowder”, but a group of kittens is called a “kindle”.
37. Allogrooming is a term used when cats are grooming each other, or people.
38. When your pet approaches you with a straight, almost vibrating tail, it means she is happy to see you.
39. A cat’s rough tongue can lick an entire bone completely clean of meat.
40. While gross to look at, uncovered cat poop is a sign of aggression. This is your pet’s way of saying that she isn’t afraid of you.
41. Cats have three eyelids. The third one is only visible when a cat is sick.
42. They sweat through their paw pads. They will pant only if it is extremely hot.
43. A cat will go on a food strike till the point of starvation if given a tasteless meal.
44. A study at Oxford University states that cats have a lower social IQ than dogs, but they are better at solving cognitive problems.
45. Every cat’s nose is unique, just like a human fingerprint.
46. Approximately 40,000 people in the US get bitten by a cat annually, reports the CDC.
47. Basically, cats don’t have to chew food. They can digest and swallow it whole.
48. It comes as a bit of a surprise, but most kitties don’t have eyelashes.
49. In relation to their head size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
50. They can drink sea water. Their kidneys have the ability to filter salt from it, making it perfectly safe.
51. Felines have the skillset of a two-year-old child. Thus, they can learn how to use a toilet.
52. A cat’s heart beats from 110 to 140 beats per minute, which is almost double the rate of a human heart.
53. A study from Minnesota University have shown that owning a cat lowers the risk of having a heart attack by a third.
54. Kittens sleep even more than adult cats because their growth hormones are only released then.
55. An average domestic cat can run at speeds of 29.8 mph. By comparison, the record set by Usain Bolt as fastest human speed is 27.4 mph.
56. They can’t produce fats on their own, which means that they need good fats in their diet to stay healthy.
57. Despite common beliefs, cats and dogs can get along if introduced properly.
58. Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that 60%of cats in the US are obese.
59. A study concluded that a feline can become seriously ill if her regular routine is disrupted.
60. Chocolate is toxic to cats and can be potentially lethal.
61. They are natural born carnivores – they can’t survive being vegetarians.
62. Research has shown that cats never forgive. So, try to be on your best behavior when around your pet.
63. Normal feline pregnancy lasts nine weeks, compared to nine months in humans.
64. A cat has about 12 whiskers on each side of their face.
65. Cats have better hearing than dogs. They also can hear higher pitches than humans do.
66. A cat’s front claws are sharper than its back claws.
67. “Bezoar” is a technical term used for hairballs.
68. Crème Puff is the oldest cat ever recorded by Guinness World Records. She lived for 38 years and three days.
69. Cats also have whiskers on the back of their legs.
70. Cats are crepuscular – they are most active during dusk and dawn.
71. Don’t stare into your pet’s eyes. They find it threatening when someone looks directly at them.

Funny Cat Facts

If you enjoyed reading these cool facts, don’t go anywhere! There are many more funny facts you need to know about.

Here We Go:

1. 72. Stubbs the cat was a mayor of Talkeetna, a small town in Alaska for 20 years!
   73. The richest cat in the world, Olivia Benson, is reportedly worth $96 million. In her case, being a cat really pays out.
   74. You are, in fact, living with a mini apex predator since house cats share 95.6 percent of their genetic makeup with tigers.
   75. A cat named Didga is a feline Houdini. It can do 24 tricks in a single minute.
   76. Ginger tabbies can have freckles on eyelids and around the mouth.
   77. Cats have 32 muscles in their ears, which allow them to rotate their ears 180 degrees.
   78. In the 1870s a town in Belgium tried to use them to deliver mail and failed.
   79. Their clavicles aren’t attached to anything, which allows them to squeeze through tight spaces.
   80. In 1963 a French cat named Felicetta was the first feline in space. She survived the trip and got the nickname “Astrocat”.
   81. The first cloned pet was a cat named CC – short for Copy Cat or Carbon Cat. At 17 years old (at the time of writing) she is still alive and going strong.
   82. A molly called Dusty gave birth to more than 420 kittens during her life.
   83. Kitty was 30 years old when she gave birth to two kittens. As far as the records go, she was the oldest cat to give birth.
   84. Cats use their whiskers to measure gaps and openings, which helps them to determine if it’s a tight fit or not.
   85. Your cat doesn’t bring you dead mice to gross you out – she is just concerned about your abilities to find food.
   86. A cat can become addicted to tuna if it eats it too often.
   87. Cats say hello to one another by rubbing their noses together.
   88. More than half of the world’s cats don’t respond to catnip. Scientists still haven’t figured out why.
   89. Persian cats were exhibited at the first ever cat show in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London.
   90. There are two types of Persian cats – flat-faced and traditional.
   91. Persian cats come in more than 80 different colors.
   92. Some Siamese cats have crossed eyes to compensate for a genetic flaw in their eye structure.
   93. Many are born with a kinked tail. The breeders are working to eliminate this trait via selective breeding.
   94. A Siamese cat named Katy reportedly weighed 50 pounds and is considered one of the world’s fattest cats.
   95. A Burmese/Siamese cat gave birth to 19 kittens – the largest litter ever, according to Guinness World Records.
   96. In Thailand, they are called wichien matt, which translates to “Moon Diamond”.
   97. The current official longest cat in the world in a Maine Coon named Berivel. He is 3 ft. 11.2 in long!
   98. Main Coon is the largest breed of domestic cats.
   99. A Main Coon brown tabby named Cosey was the winner of the first American cat show in 1985.
   100. In 2004 a Maine Coon cat named Little Nicky was a first pet animal to be cloned commercially. His owner paid $50,000 for him, making Little Nicky one of the most expensive cats ever.
   101. Maine Coons are often polydactyl – they are sometimes born with six toes.
   102. Despite common beliefs, Maine Coon cats aren’t in any way related to Raccoons.
   103. Bengal cats are hybrids – the result of matting between an Asian leopard and a domestic cat.
   104. They love water and know how to swim.
   105. A woman in London reportedly paid close to $50,000 for her Bengal cat, earning this breed a nickname of the Rolls Royce of cats.
   106. Ragdolls go limp like rag dolls when picked up, which is how the breed got its name.
   107. They are one of the largest cat breeds. Males usually weigh between 15 and 20 pounds, and females between 10 and 15 pounds.
   108. The famous two-faced cat was a Ragdoll called Frank and Louie and it is the longest-lived Janus cat, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
   109. All purebred Ragdoll cats have blue eyes.
   110. Ragdoll kittens are born completely white. Their color and pattern start to show in between one and two weeks of age.
   111. They don’t reach their full size until they are four years old.

If you’d like to laugh a little bit more, here are some cat jokes to get your belly shakin’.

Final Thoughts

It seems that there isn’t a lot an average cat can’t do; well, that isn’t completely true. Clearly, they aren’t so good at carrying newspapers, or more likely they decided to fail at it on purpose.

But I think you will agree with me, most of these 109 interesting cat facts are pretty amazing, right? Did you know that an average cat can run faster than Usain Bolt? I didn’t, and it made me think about my cat in a different light and appreciate him even more.