Cats are the most popular pets in the world, with more cats owned by households around the world than any other animal, including dogs.
A cat's tail can tell you a lot about its mood. Fast wagging often means the cat is irritated or frightened, while slow side-to-side movements can indicate indecision or focus, such as when watching prey. A lowered tail typically signifies contentment, whereas a raised tail, especially when rubbing against an object or person, is a sign of happiness and affection.
The reason that cats rub against people and objects is to leave their scent. This scent can be picked up by other cats and is a way for the cat to claim ownership of whatever they have rubbed against.
Cats were worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. In some parts of Egypt, killing a cat was punishable with death, even if the cat was killed accidentally. Cats would be mummified, a treatment given to preserve the dead as a mark of respect. This was usually only done to important and powerful people. The fact that over one million mummified cats are estimated to have been found in Egypt shows the importance that they had to the people of the country.
The cat flap is said to have been invented by Sir Isaac Newton! He also invented the reflecting telescope and came up with the three laws of motion, which explained things like how the planets move and how gravity works.
A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human's, beating between 120 to 180 times a minute. A human heart beats on average 72 times a minute.
A group of cats is called a "clowder." A kitten is a young cat, but in medieval times, may also have been called a "catling."
The way that cats' eyes reflect light inspired the invention of the reflective studs found on roads, also known as cat's eyes. They were invented by English inventor Percy Shaw in 1934.
Cats like their sleep. On average, they sleep for 16 hours a day.
The average life expectancy of a cat is 15 years. This is nearly double the life expectancy of cats born 80 years ago when they lived for an average of 8 years.
