If left to her own devices, a female cat may have three to seven kittens every four months. During her productive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens.This is why population control using neutering and spaying is so important. In 1952, a Texas Tabby named Dusty set the record by having more than 420 kittens before having her last litter at age 18.

People who are allergic to cats are actually allergic to cat saliva or to cat dander. If the resident cat is bathed regularly the allergic people tolerate it better.

Cats lack a true collarbone. Because of this lack, cats can generally squeeze their bodies through any space they can get their heads through. You may have seen a cat testing the size of an opening by careful measurement with the head

The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.

There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with 33 different breeds.

Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door.

The Giraffe, Camel and Cat are the only animals that walk by moving both their left feet, then both their right feet, when walking.  This method of walking ensures speed, agility and silence.

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

RACHEL'S PETS

CAT FACTS