15 Interesting Facts About Cats

Table of Content

  • The oldest cat kept as a pet dates back 9,500 years.
  • For 20 years, an Alaskan town's mayor was a cat.
  • A 48.5-inch cat holds the record for the longest cat ever.
  • Cats sleep for 70% of their lives.
  • The world's richest cat had? 7.5 million
  • Cats walk closely like giraffes and camels.
  • The cat door was invented by Isaac Newton.
  • A cat travelled to space in 1963.
  • When their cats died, ancient Egyptians would remove their eyebrows.
  • Domestic cats and tigers have a 95.6% genetic similarity.
  • A domestic cat can run at up to 30 mph.
  • The world's oldest cat lived to be 38 years old!
  • Didga 24 tricks can be pulled off by the cat in a minute.
  • The loudest purr ever recorded is 67.8 db (A)
  • A Singapura cat is the tiniest breed of cat

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Even though cats are owned by 18% of UK homes, there is still a lot we don't understand about them. We bet you've never heard of some of these fascinating cat facts, from their peculiar walking style to the size of the biggest cat! Check out the fun cat facts we have provided below.


Even though you may like your cat, you might not realise how awesome she is or how wonderful cats in general are. Did you know, for instance, that cats possess a second organ that enables them to taste scents? Or that they perfected meowing as a method of communicating just with people?

People have been fascinated by cats for thousands of years because they are a mystery. According to a report, 18% of households in the UK alone are dominated by cats due to their secret personalities and lovely appearances. With so many cats in our area, you'd think that everyone would be knowledgeable about them. Wrong! There are other intriguing cat-related facts that you may not be aware of, like the biggest cat in the world and their peculiar gait.



Fun and fascinating cat facts

1. The oldest cat kept as a pet dates back 9,500 years.

This fascinating cat tidbit will wow guests at your upcoming dinner party. Did you know that the cat was first believed to have been tamed by the Egyptians? However, in Cyprus, 9,500-year-old cat burial was unearthed in 2004 by French researchers. This makes it the oldest pet cat ever discovered, at than 4,000 years older than any cat-related Egyptian artwork.

2. For 20 years, an Alaskan town's mayor was a cat.

Stubbs, an orange tabby cat, served as mayor of the small Alaskan town of Talkeetna for 20 years. Although he had little legislative authority and had won multiple uncontested elections, he was well-liked by both residents and visitors.


3. A 48.5-inch cat holds the record for the longest cat ever.

Most people think of domestic cats as being somewhat little and delicate animals. But did you know that Stewie, a Maine Coon, was the 48.5-inch record-holder for the world's longest cat? Arcturus, however, held the title for being the tallest cat, at a staggering 19.05 inches tall! Those kitties are quite large.

4. Cats sleep for 70% of their lives.

You would be correct if you assumed cats slept the most of the time. Cats really sleep for between 13 to 16 hours a day, or 70% of their lifespan, according to Veterinary Hub. A cat's life, indeed!

5. The world's richest cat had? 7.5 million

According to Guinness World Records, Blackie is the world's wealthiest cat. When his rich owner went away, he left Blackie his $7 million inheritance rather than mentioning his family in his testament. We find that fascinating cat information to be unbelievable.

6. Cats walk closely like giraffes and camels.

Have you ever noticed how cats walk similar to giraffes and camels? They move half of their body forward at once by walking with both right feet first, then both left feet.

Only giraffes and camels are known to use this path. 

7. The cat door was invented by Isaac Newton.

Although Isaac Newton is most known for his work on gravity calculations, it's also said that he created the cat door. According to How Stuff Works, Newton's investigations at the University of Cambridge were frequently hampered by his cats clawing at the door. In order to make two holes in the door—one for the mother cat and one for her kittens—he summoned a Cambridge carpenter. According to reports, the university still has these gaps.

8. A cat travelled to space in 1963.

You may have heard of dogs and monkeys in space, but did you know that a cat also ventured into the great beyond? Felicette, commonly known as "Astrocat," was the first and only cat to travel to space on October 18, 1963.

9. When their cats died, ancient Egyptians would remove their eyebrows.

In 440 BC, Herodotus noted that when a beloved cat died in Ancient Egypt, the family members would remove their eyebrows in sorrow, according to Ancient History Encyclopedia. That's a fun cat fact, right there!

10. Domestic cats and tigers have a 95.6% genetic similarity.

This cat-related truth will absolutely wow you. A research found that tigers and our tiny domestic cats had 95.6% genetic similarity!



They also exhibit many of the same behaviours, including stalking and pouncing of prey, marking of scent and urine, and these.

11. A domestic cat can run at up to 30 mph.

You probably already know how quickly cats can move across the living room when they're feeling energetic. However, you won't believe this interesting cat statistic. They have the potential to reach speeds of about 30 mph, which is so quick that they could defeat Usain Bolt in the 200-meter sprint!

12. The world's oldest cat lived to be 38 years old!

When he went away, the oldest cat to ever live was 38 years and 3 days old. Grandpa Rex Allen, the previous record-holder for oldest cat, died at the ripe old age of 34, and his owner Jake Perry also had Creme Puff, who was born on August 3, 1967, and lived until August 6, 2005. Jake Perry always does things correctly!

13. Didga 24 tricks can be pulled off by the cat in a minute.

If you believe cats cannot perform tricks, you will be surprised to learn this. 24 tricks are the most that a cat can pull off in a minute! Didga performed many stunts on a skateboard, including rolling over and even leaping a bar!

14. The loudest purr ever recorded is 67.8 db (A)

Merlin, a black and white cat from Torquay, United Kingdom, presently holds the record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat. His purr is 67.8db(A), which is around the same loudness as a shower. Nearly 25 dB is the average cat purr volume.

15. A Singapura cat is the tiniest breed of cat.

The Singapura cat breed is the tiniest.

It is Singaporean in origin.

They are around half as large as a typical house cat.


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