What percentage of American households owns a cat?
According to the
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U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook,
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about 32 percent of U.S. households included a cat in 2001.
What percentage of American households owns a cat?
According to the “U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook,” about 32 percent of U.S. households included a cat in 2001.
How many breeds of cats are there?
The Cat Fanciers’ Association, the world’s largest registry of cat breeds, recognizes 39 pedigreed breeds in its Champion Class.
According to the CFA, the most popular breeds in 2005 were:
1. Persian
2. Maine Coon
3. Exotic
4. Siamese
5. Abyssinian
6. Ragdoll
7. Birman
8. American Shorthair
9. Oriental
10. Sphynx
Are there health benefits to owning a cat?
Yes. Picking up a cat has a calming effect and causes a person’s blood pressure to drop and heart rate to slow. And cats can add up to 10 years to their owner’s lives, according to The Berlin Longevity Institute.
How many hours a day do cats sleep?
They sleep an average of 16 hours a day, nearly twice as long as most mammals. Cats nap much of the day and are most active during the late evening and early morning.
What is a healthy weight for a cat?
The average house cat ranges from 6 to 12 pounds, but many cats are overweight.
Some signs of an overweight cat:
– It is difficult to feel its ribs or spine.
– It is difficult to see its waist.
– Its abdomen is sagging.
– It has difficulty grooming itself.
– Its face looks round with larger cheeks.
– It hesitates to jump on furniture.
– It has matted fur on the back or tail area.
What are the most popular cat names?
According to a survey by Veterinary Pet Insurance, the top five male cat names are Max, Tigger, Tiger, Smokey and Oliver. The top five female cat names are Chloe, Lucy, Cleo, Princess and Angel.
Why do cats scratch furniture?
Cats scratch furniture to define their territory by using the glands in the pads of their feet to create a scent mark.
Cats also need to scratch to pull off the old outer nail of the claw and expose a sharp, smooth one.
Cat owners can trim their pet’s nails every two to three weeks to help protect furniture (and their arms!). Scratching posts can help distract cats from shredding a favorite couch.
How long do cats live?
The average life span of an indoor cat is 13 to 17 years, although many cats live into their 20s. When they are young, cats age quickly relative to human years. A cat that’s 6 months old is equal to about 10 years old in human years. As they get older, the aging process slows down, so that after age 2, every cat year is equal to about four human years.
Why do some cats go crazy for catnip?
The oil nepetalactone in the leaves of catnip sets off most cats, although kittens and some adult cats do not respond to the herb. Some cats roll in catnip, others eat it and some fall asleep after sniffing it. The treat is not addictive and the effects last only about 10 minutes.
Does a cat’s tail serve a purpose?
The tail helps a cat balance, which is especially useful when the animal is climbing a tree or walking on a narrow railing. It also helps a cat to orient itself when it makes any abrupt change in direction.
You can tell a lot about a cat’s mood when you look at its tail. When a cat’s tail is held high it shows the animal has dignity. When the tail is in a lower state it means the cat is relaxed. When a cat’s tail twitches, it can mean it’s annoyed, but it can also mean it’s interested or excited. If a cat holds its tail down, close to its body, swishing from side to side, it’s a warning that the animal is aggressive or angry.
What do cat whiskers do?
The average cat has 24 whiskers, 12 on each side of its face. The whiskers act as a sort of antennae for cats, helping them measure the space around them and detect objects in the dark.
Whiskers also indicate a cat’s mood. If they are fanned straight out to the side of the face, the cat is relaxed and happy. If they are pointed backward, flat against the cat’s face, the animal is angry or afraid.
Why do cats usually land on their feet?
Cats have a “righting” reflex that gives them the ability to right themselves when they fall. A cat instinctually turns it head and front torso to the ground, and its tail helps it align its back with the rest of the body before it lands. The cat arches its back and stretches its legs to reduce the impact, and the paw pads and leg joints help absorb the shock to the legs.
How long did the musical “Cats” run on Broadway?
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats” opened on Broadway on Oct. 7, 1982, and ran until Sept. 10, 2000. The play, which was based on a book of T.S. Eliot’s poems, was the longest running musical on Broadway until Jan. 9, 2006, when “Phantom of the Opera” took over the record.
What is a “Hemingway cat?”
Hemingway cats, also known as mitten or polydactyl cats, have extra toes. Cats typically have five toes on the front paws and four toes on the back paws. The Hemingway nickname comes from author Ernest Hemingway, whose cat Princess Six Toes was polydactyl.
Jake, a 28-toed cat, holds the world record for the cat with the most toes. Jake has seven toes on each paw. The Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Fla., houses around 60 cats, some of which are descendants of Hemingway’s cat. About half are polydactyls.
Are there benefits to neutering or spaying a cat?
While the main benefit to neutering and spaying is helping to control the cat population, there are other benefits:
– Stops the howling of cats who are looking for a mate.
– Ends the desire for cats to roam and find a mate.
– Curbs the animal’s urge to mark a territory with urine.
– Stops the soiling of a female cat in heat. (A cat’s heat can last up to 21 days. It can occur two to three times a year.)
– Raises an animal’s life expectancy.
What is the scientific name for a person who loves cats?
A person who loves cats is an ailurophile, while cat haters are known as ailurophobes. The prefix “ailuro” is of Greek origin and means “cat.”
What sounds do cats make?
Cats make about 16 different sounds, including purring, hissing and meowing. Some breeds, such as the Siamese, are more vocal than other cats.
When a cat purrs does it mean it’s happy?
Not always. While cats do often purr when they’re content, they also purr when they’re in pain, in labor or dying. Most likely a purr is a sign of a social mood, either in appreciation for attention or in need of attention – which would be the case if it’s in pain – according to Desmond Morris, author of “Catwatching.”
What actresses have played Catwoman?
Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt played Catwoman in the TV series “Batman.” Lee Meriwether played the character in the 1966 movie based on the TV series. Michelle Pfeiffer played Batman’s nemesis in the 1992 movie “Batman Returns.” And Halle Berry played the role for the big screen in 2004’s “Catwoman.”
Sources: American HumanE Association; U.S. Census Bureau; The Cat Fanciers’ Association; “Wild Discovery: Guide to Your Cat”; Petplace.com; www.reallyuseful.com; “Cat Speak,” by Bash Dibra; GuinnessWorldRecords.com; Wordinfo.INFO; www. catsinternational.org; www.petfit.com; “Cats,” by Bruce Fogle.
