| Interesting Feline Facts The cat was the symbol of liberty in ancient Rome. Rome has more homeless cats per square mile than any other city in the world. Since housecats are clean and their coats are dry and glossy, their fur easily becomes charged with electricity. You can see sparks if you rub your cat's fur in the dark. Cougars can kill animals eight times their size. A group of cats is called a clowder. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear - and can turn that ear to catch noise much faster than the most alert watchdog. During the reign of Kublai Khan, the Chinese used lions on hunting expeditions. They trained the big cats to pursue and drag down massive animals, including bears and wild bulls, and to stay with the kill until the hunter arrived. The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. Wild cats hold their tail horizontally, or tucked between their legs while walking. There is no single cat called the panther. The name is commonly applied to the leopard, but it is also used to refer to the puma and the jaguar. A black panther is really a black leopard. Cats cannot move their jaws sideways. Cats have over 100 vocal sounds, while dogs have only 10. The calico and tortoiseshell coat patterns are sex linked. All three-color cats are female, except for the occasional male, which is almost always sterile. Neutering your tomcat increases his life expectancy by up to three years. The normal body temperature of a cat is 38.6 C. Cats are the only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible. In Egypt 4,000 years ago, the penalty for killing a cat was death. Tigers have striped skin as well as striped fur. A cat uses its whiskers to determine if a space is too small to squeeze through. The whiskers act as feelers or antennae, helping the animal to judge the precise width of any passage. Why can Tiger arch her back so high when she's frightened? This is because she has five more vertebrae in her spine than you do. Also, they are more loosely connected than yours. The cheetah is the fastest animal on four legs, which races at speeds up to 110 kilometers per hour in short distances. It can accelerate to 70 kph in two seconds, and cover 7 to 8 meters in a single stride while completing four strides a second. White tigers are not albinos - they have black stripes and blue eyes. A true albino is pure white with red or pink eyes. Cats have 6 blood types. Cats can't chew their food, they just cut into it and swallow. Cats in Japan say "neow" or "nee-yahn." In Thailand they say "mao," and in Germany they say "miaou." Napoleon was terrified of cats. A wild cat, known as "the fishing cat" actually swims to catch fish. Called the Bengali Mach-Bagral, this cat has extra-long claws that it uses like fishhooks. The fishing cat is found in Nepal, Burma, Southern China, and parts of India. Cheetahs are the easiest of the big cats to tame. Cats can hear ultrasound, and can hear higher frequencies than dogs can. The average cat's teeth are harder than the average human's. Main Page Cats Home Tiger Home |
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