21 FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT CATS

21 FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT CATS

Cats. People speculate that they have no personality, that they’re not as loyal as dogs are; that they are just plain uninteresting. These speculators are wrong. Cats are one of the most loving, caring, uniquely beautiful species on Earth. Over thousands of years, cats have been both revered as royalty and cast aside as bad luck. Though most of these old world beliefs are mostly myth, one thing is for sure: cats are magical, mystical creatures who want nothing more than to love, be loved and to help we humans along our personal healing journeys. And food, of course.

Aside from the folklore and wonderful companionship in which those fortunate to live alongside a cat are aware, there are many lesser known cat facts. Cats have many unique physical, mental, emotional and spiritual traits. Do you think you know everything there is to know about our domesticated feline friends? Try this list on:

1. Cats only meow to their people, not to each other.
2. Cats do not have a specific meow language- they tailor their series of meows to their people. This series of meows is based on a learning curve between cat and human that evolves over their time together.
3. Cats cannot digest regular intervals of grains. Unlike most mammals who were born with the digestive enzyme amylase which is responsible for the breakdown of grains in the digestive system, cats were born without it in their digestive systems. Though they do have a limited amount of amylase in their salivary glands which allows them to digest a vary small and inconsistent amount of grains, if fed grains regularly (such as rice, oats, barley, wheat, etc) they can become quite ill. This means that when they consume grains, the grains metabolize straight into sugar. Not only does eating grains create obesity which is a surefire early, painful death,  when these grains metabolize into sugar, insulin spikes are created which result in feline diabetes. Most cat kibble (dry food) is over saturated with grains in the form of human grade cereals which are quite high in sugars and starches. Even oats, barley, rice and other grains metabolize into insulin spikes. This is why cats should be eating a grain free diet.
4. Adult cats are lactose intolerant. Unlike cartoon TV shows and movies that show cats happily and healthfully drinking milk, milk is quite unhealthy and even dangerous to feed to an adult cat.  
5. All Calico cats are female.
6. Almost all orange cats are male, very few are female.
7. The cat’s purr resonates on an audio frequency that has been shown to regenerate bone and tissue re-growth. This means that their purr has the capability of healing bones and tissues.
8. Cats purr for several reasons, not just when they’re happy or want cuddles. They purr when they are scared, hungry or hurt.
9. Ailurophobia- the persistent, irrational fear of cats.
10. Ailurophile- those who love cats.
11. In Great Britain and Japan, black cats are revered as good luck.
12. Not all cats go crazy for catnip. Though all house cats have catnip receptors on their noses, catnip craziness is selective and hereditary.
13. Whereas cats appear to be sleeping for 13-18 hours per day, they actually spend much of that time in the astral dimension (the fourth dimension). In other words, they are not always sleeping- they spend a lot of time meditating. Cats who spend much of their time in the astral dimension are often sensitive to spiritual energy. This can mean either that they are spiritually sensitive themselves or that they are able to see spirit.
14. The average cat can be clocked running at 30mph. This is fast enough to get a speeding ticket in a school zone!
15. Cats have hair, not fur
16. Cats sweat through their paws
17. The Hungarian word for “quotation marks” literally translates to “cat claws”.
18. Cats need whole foods to stay healthy. When a diet is absent of whole meats (raw or cooked), cats are very often malnourished and oversaturated with vitamins and minerals. This can cause hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Cats nee a healthy balance of meats and vitamins as minerals as well as a healthy source of essential fatty acids to feel and look their best. Cats are carnivores. As such they need whole sources of meat. Any dry food they eat contributes to early stage organ failure. By eating whole sources of meat such as fish, poultry or cattle, their organs and bodies will be happy and healthy for longer!
19. Cats have very sensitive kidneys- because cats are not genetically wired to hydrate with water, their kidneys become easily endangered. Particularly when eating a manily dry food diet (kibble), the kidneys become so taxed that they end up in early stage failure. This is because when cats eat dry food, the digestive organs drain all of their moisture in an attempt to process the dry food through their systems. When moisture is depleted in this way consistently, the organs stop being able to properly function. The kidneys are responsible for processing toxins from food, water and the environment. When the kidneys are depleted of adequate water, they are unable to filter the toxins from the bloodstream. When they are unable to do their job, toxins can build up in the body and can cause kidney failure. By feeding a 95% wet food, ideally grwin-free diet, you will be SIGNIFICANTLY decreasing the likelihood of early stage kidney failure. Organ failure is EXTREMELY painful for your cat and extremely expensive to deal with. If you’re “cheaping out” on food, buying a low grade dry food immersed with grains in an effort to save a buck, you’ll be spending infinitely more in the longer term on vet bills. By feeding foods that support their sensitive kidneys, everyone wins!
20. Cats do not inherently know to drink water- the origin of the feline species is in the deserts of Africa. In the deserts of Africa, water is scarce. Cats subsisted on the meat and fluids of the prey they killed. Though modern day house cats are far removed from their origin of species, they genetics are still very much prevalent. Drinking water is a learned behaviour for cats. Some cats hesitate to drink water at all, which makes hydration difficult. For optimal kitty health, they must eat wet cat food, whole meats (free of spices and sauces) or fish oils to stay hydrated. It also helps to place water bowls around the home as cats do not generally like to have their drinking areas next to their eating areas. This is because when they did have sources of water, cats would not make their ‘kill’ close to the drinking area for fear of water contamination. As they age, using a syringe to feed them water can also be an extremely helpful tool to keep them healthy and hydrated.
21. Cats have a vocal range of roughly 100 sounds whereas dogs have roughly 10. 

These are just 21 lesser know cat facts. As with all fascinating species, this short list is limited. Cats bring us a world of joy, wonder and amazement. They are highly intelligent, spiritual beings who have been brought into our lives to nourish our souls. Let us honour them for their individual personalities, their engaging, humorous behaviour and most of all, their Divine life purposes to care for our hearts.

Blessings to all felines everywhere! May you all have a long, enriched, healthy life.

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