DID YOU KNOW? Cats require 5 times more protein in their diet than dogs. DID YOU KNOW? A cat's IQ is only surpassed by that of monkeys and chimps in the world of animals. DID YOU KNOW? Cats with white fur and skin on their ears are very prone to sunburn. Frequent sunburns can lead to skin cancer. DID YOU KNOW? A cat can recognize her guardian's footsteps from hundreds of feet away. They can also recognize the sound of their guardian's cars. DID YOU KNOW? Chocolate is toxic. As little as a 16 oz. bar can kill a cat. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. DID YOU KNOW? Giving your cat a quality scratching post will deter her from scratching your furniture. Still scratching? Try putting lemon scent or orange scent on the area. Cats hate these smells. DID YOU KNOW? It is reported by research that cats and humans have similar areas of the brain where emotions are formulated. DID YOU KNOW? Ever see your cat looking out the window at a bird, and suddenly start chattering his teeth? This act is what is known as a vacuum activity, in which the cat is performing the killing bite even though that bird isn't really in his mouth. Behaviorists have found that the teeth chattering are the identical movement a cat would use with real prey. This bite is a specialized attack which usually kills immediately, preventing the prey from injuring the cat. DID YOU KNOW? Slapping your car can save a life! If you live in a cold climate, you should adopt and promote a habit that will save many cats from a gruesome end. Slap your car. Bang on the hood a couple of times and listen for movement. If you hear a cat, remove her before you start your engine; a quick trick that will spare you from the horror and grief of finding a mutilated cat in your engine. Many stray cats frequently seek the warmth of a car engine. In milder weather, it might mean sitting on the hood when you arrive home from work. When the weather is brutally cold, Cats (usually smaller cats) will climb up into the engine compartment for warmth and shelter. DID YOU KNOW? Checking under your car is more than just exercise. As with "slap your car", you should check under your car as well as cats love the hide under cars for protection from other animals or the weather. They are sometimes too scared to run out from under when the car starts or will run out as the car starts moving which can end in disaster. DID YOU KNOW? Ailurophilia is the "love of cats." DID YOU KNOW? The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human. DID YOU KNOW? A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute. DID YOU KNOW? Calico cats are almost always female. DID YOU KNOW? If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her. DID YOU KNOW? Cats wag their tails when it is in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. DID YOU KNOW? Don't pick a kitten or a cat up by the scruff of its neck; only mother cats can do this safely, and only with their kittens. DID YOU KNOW? Cats knead with their paws when they're happy. DID YOU KNOW? Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods. If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior. DID YOU KNOW? The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking. DID YOU KNOW? Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door. DID YOU KNOW? A cat will almost never "meow" at another cat. This sound is reserved for humans. DID YOU KNOW? The average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years. DID YOU KNOW? People who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks. DID YOU KNOW? A cat will kill it's prey based on movement, but may not necessarily recognize that prey as food. Realizing that prey is food is a learned behavior. DID YOU KNOW? The greatest number of mice killed by one cat? 28,899! Towser, a tortoise-shell tabby in charge of rodent control in Scotland, killed 28,899 mice in her 21 years. This is about four mice per day, every day, for 21 years. Towser died in 1987. DID YOU KNOW? A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head will rotate, then the spine will twist and the rear legs will align, then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing. DID YOU KNOW? "Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day. DID YOU KNOW? Give your cat a quality scratching post to deter her from scratching your furniture. Still scratching? Try putting lemon scent or orange scent on the area. Cats hate these smells. DID YOU KNOW? Try hanging an orange or lemon scented air freshener in the inner branches of your Christmas tree, if your cat is a seasonal "climber." DID YOU KNOW? Cats get their sense of security from your voice. Talk to your cats! And be mindful of your tone of voice. Cats know when you're yelling at them (though they may not care). DID YOU KNOW? The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you. DID YOU KNOW? The Giraffe, Camel and Cat are the only animals that walk by moving both their left feet, then both their right feet, when walking. This method of walking ensures speed, agility and silence. DID YOU KNOW? Cats can see in color! DID YOU KNOW? Cats need 1/6th the amount of light that humans do to see. Their night vision is amazing! DID YOU KNOW? Cats can see up to 120 feet away. Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees. DID YOU KNOW? The color of a kitten's eyes will change as it grows older. DID YOU KNOW? At birth, kittens can't see or hear. Cats open their eyes after five days and begin to develop their eyesight and hearing at approximately 2 weeks. They begin to walk at 20 days. DID YOU KNOW? Kittens begin dreaming at just over one week old. DID YOU KNOW? A cat's ear pivots 180 degrees. They have 30 muscles in each ear, and use twelve or more muscles to control their ear movement. DID YOU KNOW? A group of kittens is called a "kindle." DID YOU KNOW? A group of grown cats is called a "clowder." DID YOU KNOW? Cats rub up against other cats, and people, in an attempt to "mark" them with their scent glands. They most often use the scent glands between their eye and ear (near the temple area) or their scent glands near the base of their tail. DID YOU KNOW? Have you ever tried to feed your cat food that was just taken out of the refrigerator? Most cats prefer their food at room temperature, and will boldly REFUSE any food that is too cold or too hot. DID YOU KNOW? Many experts report that cats will purr when feeling any intense emotion (pleasure or pain). DID YOU KNOW? Give your cat fresh water at least once a day. If your cat refuses your tap water, it may be sensing (with it's superior sense of smell) the chlorine or other minerals in your water. Many finicky felines demand bottled water, just like their human counterparts. DID YOU KNOW? Don't put your cat on an all-vegetarian diet. Cats need protein to survive. DID YOU KNOW? Never feed your cat dog food. Cats need five times more protein than dogs do. DID YOU KNOW? Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals. They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping. With that in mind, a seven year old cat has only been awake for two years of its life! DID YOU KNOW? Cats are more active during the evening hours. DID YOU KNOW? Cats spend 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves. DID YOU KNOW? 95% of all cat owners admit they talk to their cats. DID YOU KNOW? Backward-pointing spikes on a cat's tongue aid in their grooming. DID YOU KNOW? The average cat weighs 12 pounds. DID YOU KNOW? If an overweight cat's "sides" stick out further than her whiskers, she will lose her sense of perception and stability. Don't be surprised if she starts to squeeze into an opening that the rest of her can't fit into, only to back herself back out quickly! DID YOU KNOW? Your cat is probably either a "righty" or a "lefty." Only 40% of cats are ambidextrous while another 40% are either right-pawed or left-pawed. DID YOU KNOW? Cats love high places. They share this love with leopards and jaguars, who sleep in trees. If a cat begins to fall, his inner ear canal (which controls balance) will help him right himself and land on his feet. DID YOU KNOW? Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed. DID YOU KNOW? A cat that bites you after you have rubbed his stomach, is probably biting out of pleasure, not anger. DID YOU KNOW? An adult cat has 32 teeth. DID YOU KNOW? Never leave your cat in a vehicle alone. On summer days, temperatures in an automobile can reach 160 degrees in just minutes, even with the windows cracked. DID YOU KNOW? "PSI trailings" attempt to explain a cat's ability to travel a long distance to return to their home. It is said they use the earth's gravity to determine "their place" in the world, and to develop the ability to return there when necessary. DID YOU KNOW? The easiest way to pick up cat hair? Spray an anti-static spray on the area you want to clean. Wait one minute, then wipe up the hair with a six inch brush. DID YOU KNOW? Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat. DID YOU KNOW? Hebrew folklore believes that cats came about because Noah was afraid that rats might eat all the food on the ark. He prayed to God for help. God responded by making the lion sneeze a giant sneeze -- and out came a little cat!