Cats are mysterious creatures by nature– so it’s only natural that there are things about them that most of us don’t know! To unveil the mystery, here are 8 things you didn’t know about cats:

1. They mark you as their territory 

When your cat rubs their head against you, it’s not only a sign of affection, but also a way of marking their territory (that’s you!). They have scent glands around their face, their paws, and the base of their tails which lend to them “marking their territory.” 

2. Cats are more popular than dogs 

Contrary to popular belief, cats are actually more popular than dogs in the U.S.! Although dogs may be more “socially” popular, the truth lies in the numbers. There are 88.3 million pet cats in America, versus 74.8 million dogs. 

3. Meowing mimics human voices 

Cats don’t meow to communicate with each other– instead, it’s their way of mimicking human voices! Anytime you catch your cat meowing like crazy, it’s to get your attention, rather than the attention of other cats. Cats can also recognize your voice– so if you think they’re ignoring you when you call for them, they are! They’re able to distinguish between human voices, even though their own human-mimicking meows all sound the same. 

4. Purring is a form of self-healing 

Studies show that purring isn’t just a sign of happiness. While it can be an indicator of a cat’s contentedness, it’s also something cats might do when they’re stressed. Purring has recently been hypothesized to be a self-healing tactic. Cats purr at a frequency of 25 to 150 Hertz, which is the frequency range in which muscles and bones self-repair. 

5. They don’t think you’re able to take care of yourself 

This is why they might occasionally bring you a dead bird or mouse– no, they aren’t bringing it to you endearingly, but instead because they think you’re completely incapable of doing your own hunting. You’re welcome. 

6. Cats spend ⅔ of their lives sleeping and cleaning themselves 

One-third of a cat’s life is spent sleeping, while another third is spent cleaning themselves! The last third of their lives is probably spent chasing lasers and begging for dinner. 

7. They have a dominant paw 

… meaning they can be right or left-pawed! Research from 2009 shows that cats’ left or right “paw-dness” is divided between genders. Male cats are typically left-pawed, while female cats are right-pawed. 

8. Nose prints for cats are the equivalent to fingerprints for humans 

A cat’s nose print is just as unique as any human’s fingerprint! Their noses are quite incredible; a cat’s sense of smell is also 14 times more sensitive than ours.

Alexa Highsmith

Writing Specialist at Lilly Brush Co.

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