9 amazing facts about cats

You love your cat, of course, but you need to be fully aware of how precious and unique it is. Did you know cats have an extra organ called Jacobson's organ that allows them to taste scents? 

Or are you familiar with the fact that felines developed meowing as a way to communicate but only with humans?

There is much more to your little furry friend than meets the eye. This article will share and explain some of the most amazing facts about cats. 

Your feline is 95% tiger

Cats and tigers – would you say you are not surprised that domestic house cat shares about 95.6% of their DNA with tigers? Cats diverged on the evolutionary tree from tiger DNA about 10.8 million years ago.

Cats are lactose intolerant

Despite common belief, many cats are lactose intolerant.

So how do they drink their mother's milk when they are kittens?

When cats are born, they have the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose. When they grow up, cats lose that enzyme. 

Cats are crepuscular

Cats are crepuscular, which means they are not so active during the day but at dawn and dusk. The cause is natural, although it may drive cats owner crazy.

How much do cats sleep?

Cats are almost like babies sleeping 15 to 20 hours a day. Although they sleep for over70% of their lives, felines sometimes get deep sleep.

Cats walk like giraffes and camels

Have you ever noticed that your pet walks like giraffes and camels? They go right feet first, followed by left feet, moving half their body forward.

As surprising as it might sound, only camels and giraffes walk the exact way.

Why do cats meow?

The cat's meow is its way of communicating with people, not with other cats. Cats meow for many different reasons—to say hi, to ask for food, to play with us, or to tell us that something is wrong and they are hurt.

Cats have an extra organ

Cats have an extra organ, Jacobson'sor the vomeronasal organ, located inside the nasal cavity. Jacobson's receptors can pick up chemical substances with no odor. In other words, these receptors detect "undetectable" odors.

What are cat whiskers for?

When it comes to cat hair, whiskers are thicker and longer and more deeply embedded in the skin.

The main function of whiskers is to help with vision, mainly in the dark, to provide extrasensory information — much like antennae.

Cats also use their whiskers to find out if they can fit into narrow spaces.

Some whiskers, for instance, those above the eyes, may also protect them from getting poked by long grass.

Cat's claws are not nails

In contrast to human nails, cats' s come out of the front of their toes. Claws are tools to catch and hold prey, defend their bearer, and climb.

When your pet's claws rest, they are up off the ground and relaxing in the fur around their toes.

The ability to retract the claws means that the claws don't touch the ground when your feline is walking.

So next time you look at your pet, take a deeper look, as you will be happy to check out the facts we talked about yourself. Ultimately, we must feel honored to be surrounded by furry friends with so many superpowers.