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Cats are partially color blind. They have the equivalency of human red/green color blindness. (Reds appear green and greens appear red; or shades thereof.)




Cats don't see "detail" very well. To them, their person may appear hazy when standing in front of them.




Cats need 1/6th the amount of light that humans do to see. Their night vision is amazing!




Cats can see up to 120 feet away. Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees.




Cats eyes come in three shapes: round, slanted and almond.




The color of a kitten's eyes will change as it grows older.




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.




Kittens begin dreaming at just over one week old.




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.




A group of kittens is called a "kindle."




A group of grown cats is called a "clowder."




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.




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.




Many experts report that cats will purr when feeling any intense emotion (pleasure or pain).




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.




Don't put your cat on an all-vegetarian diet. Cats need protein to survive.




Never feed your cat dog food. Cats need five times more protein than dogs do.




If your cat misses one meal, a trip to the vet may be necessary.




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!




Cats are more active during the evening hours.




Cats spend 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves.




95% of all cat owners admit they talk to their cats.




Backward-pointing spikes on a cat's tongue aid in their grooming.




The average cat weighs 12 pounds.




If you can't feel your cat's ribs, she's too heavy.




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!




According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the heaviest cat on record was Himmy, an Australian cat, who weighed 46 pounds, 15.25 ounces in 1986. Himmy's waist was 33 inches! The previous record-holder had been Spice, a ginger-and-white tom cat from Connecticut, who weighed 43 pounds when he died in 1977.



The tiniest cat on record was Tinker Toy from Illinois. A male Himalayan-Persian, he weighed 1 pound, 8 ounces fully grown and was 7.25" long and 2.75" tall!




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.




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.




Domestic cats are essentially loners. When placed in a group, they develop their own hierarchy. As long as there is plenty of food on hand, a cat can learn to share it's domain with other cats.




Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed.




21% of U.S. households have at least one cat.




The number of pet-owning households is expected to grow nearly 12% between 1993 and 2000, and another 5% between 2000 and 2010.




34% of cat-owning households have incomes of $60,000 or more.




32% of those who own their own home, also own at least one cat.




"Pair bonds" can develop between two cats who live together, or between a cat and a person.




A cat that bites you after you have rubbed his stomach, is probably biting out of pleasure, not anger.




An adult cat has 32 teeth.




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.




"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.




According to myth, a cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather is coming.




Each year Americans spend four billion dollars on cat food. That's one billion dollars more than they spend on baby food!




Expect to spend an average of $80 per year on vet bills, for the lifetime of each cat you own.




It costs $7000 to care for one household cat over its lifetime. This covers only the necessities; the pampered pet will carry a higher price.




In an average year, American cat owners spend $2.15 billion on cat food and $295 million on kitty litter.




There have been three different cats who have played the famed "Morris the Cat." The first Morris was adopted from a shelter in 1968. In 1969 he landed the role of Morris the Cat in the famous 9 Lives Cat Food commercials...and was an overnight success! The first Morris died in 1978 and was subsequently replaced by two more cats who played "Morris." All three of the "Morris the Cat" cats were rescued from shelters.




Choose your cat toys carefully. Choose light toys (for tossing), soft toys (for teeth and claws) and toys large enough that they can't be swallowed.




A flashlight makes a great cat toy! Turn the flashlight on in a dark room, and watch your feline "chase" the beam of light!




Cats love to hide! If yours comes up "missing," be sure to check in the bathtub, in your closet, in the dresser drawers, under a blanket or rug...or anywhere else you can possibly think of!




A collar and tag can help your cat find his way home should he ever be lost. Better yet -- outfit your cat with an electronic identification chip.




To make sure your cat's collar fits properly, make sure you can slip two fingers under the collar, between the collar and your cat's neck.



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.




Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat.




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!




Stings to the mouth can be very dangerous to cats. If your cat is stung, or ever experiences any type of sting to the mouth, take her to the vet immediately. As her mouth swells from the sting, she may be unable to breath. Stings require urgent medical care.




Redecorating your home? Let your cat explore after the decorating is done. Paints, wallpaper pastes and paint thinners can be toxic to cats. Play it safe!




Pet-proof your house by looking for items that may be dangerous to them. These include cleaners, antifreeze, automobile coolant, and rat poison.




The fumes from moth balls destroy a cat's liver cells. Use cedar in your closet instead.




Know which plants are poisonous to your cats, and which ones are safe.