By Nicky LaMarco.
If you are planning on getting a kitten, or even an adult rescue or shelter cat, it is good to know some very basic facts about cats and kittens.
Kittens
Kittens are adorable little bundles of fur. There are, however, some things that are very different between kittens and cats. Most of the facts about cats will also pertain to kittens, but here are a few good ones to know:
- Kittens have 26 teeth once they come in.
- Kittens have underdeveloped immune systems, and are more prone to illness than their adult feline counterparts.
- Kittens will double their size in their first 12 months of life.
- Kittens need six weeks of time on their mother’s milk before they can be weaned off to start eating soft cat food.
- Kittens should be at least two months of age before they begin to eat dry kibble.
- After being weaned from their mother’s milk, kittens are lactose intolerant.
- Kittens no longer benefit from their mother’s immunity after they are weaned.
- Kittens are more active and playful than adult cats.
- Kittens need extra calories in their food from two months of age through 9-12 months of age.
Cats
- Cats have 30 permanent teeth.
- Cats can live up to 25 years or longer.
- Indoor cats tend to have a longer life span than outdoor cats.
- Cats settle into new situations faster than kittens do.
- Cats sleep about 18 hours out of every 24 hours.
- Female cats are frequently right pawed, and male cats are often left pawed.
- Cats run with their heads up when chasing prey. Humans and dogs tend to bob their heads when they run.
- It is believed that cats have a genetic mutation that prevents them from appreciating sweet tastes the way humans and dogs do.
- A cat has to come down a tree backwards due to the curve of their claws.
- Cats can vocalize almost 100 different sounds, while dogs can only vocalize around 10.
- There are 40 recognized breeds of cats in the world, and about 500 million cats.
- The cat has a brain that is closer to the human brain than the cat’s brain is to a dog.
- The region of the brain that is responsible for emotions is the same in cats and humans.
- The oldest known domesticated cat was found on the island of Cyprus, though Egypt was the home of the domestication of the entire species.
- The oldest cat skeleton is thought to be about 9500 years old on Cyprus, while the oldest Egyptian cat art is about 5500 years old.
- Over 30 percent of all North American households include a cat. Experts theorize that cats outnumber dogs in North American households by at least 10 million.
- A cat running flat out has a top speed of about 31mph or 49km.
- Cats have better hearing than dogs, with the ability to hear at two higher octaves than humans.
- Cats are known to ‘always land on their feet’, and though this is not true, they do have what is known as a ‘righting reflex’ that allows them to turn right-side up when falling. This is due to the balance organs they have in their ears and the nature of their sight. It does not matter if they have a tail or not.
These are just some of the interesting and amazing facts about kittens and cats. Now you know more about your precious cat or kitten.
Photos: Courtesy of Nature’sAura – C.McKee via Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)