Cat Facts: How Much Do You Know About Cats? The Answers!

How much do you know about cats? Check out the answers to these questions and find out:

1. How many bones does a cat have in its body?

A cat has 244 bones in its body, including approximately 60 vertebrae. Also, nearly 20 of these bones are in the tail, which allows the tail to make so many movements.

2. How many muscles does a cat have in its body?

A cat has 517 muscles in its body.

3. How many muscles does a cat have in each ear?

A cat has 32 muscles in its ears.

4. How well can cats see and identify objects?

Cats have 1/10 the ability to distinguish separate objects. They can see movement quickly but they have poor visual acuity.

5. How developed is a cat’s sense of taste? How does it compare to a human’s?

Cats have a relatively poor sense of taste. A human tongue has approximately 9,000 taste buds as compared to a mere 473 taste buds on a cat’s tongue (and these are generally focused only on the tip).

6. Can cats get sunburn?

Yes they can – especially light colored cats.

7. What is the average lifespan of an indoor only cat?

The average indoor cat lives to be 15 years old.

8. What is the average lifespan of an outdoor cat?

The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is short, ranging from only 6 months to 2.5 years.

9. How many hours does a cat purr on average each year?

According to Cat Fancy magazine, a cat will purr an average of 10,950 hours during its lifetime.

10. What is a cat’s normal body temperature?

A normal body temperature for a cat ranges from 100.5 degrees F to 101.5 degrees F. Normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees F.

11. What is the normal heart rate of a cat? How does that compare to a human?

The normal heart rate of a cat is anywhere from 150 to 210 beats per minute. Most humans have a heart rate of approximately 60 to 80 beats per minute. A cat’s heart beats 2 to 3 times faster than a human’s.

12. What can a cat do with its tail that no other species can do?

A cat can walk with its tail held vertically, which is different than any other species.

13. How many vocal sounds can a cat make and how does that compare to a dog?

Cats can make more than 100 vocal sounds. A dog can only make about 10 sounds.

14. Do cats meow at each other?

No – cats do not meow at each other.

15. What spring plant is extremely toxic to cats? (Ingestion can cause kidney failure and even death.)

The Easter lily is very toxic to cats. We recommend that you do not bring Easter lilies into any home that has a cat.

16. How old was the oldest living cat?

The oldest documented cat on record lived in England. The cat lived to be 35 years old.

17. How does a cat’s sense of smell compare to ours?

Cats have more than 200 million scent receptors in their nasal folds compared to only 5 million in humans.

18. What percentage of pet cats in the United States are thought to be obese?

Approximately 25 to 40% of all American household pets are obese or overweight.

19. Which medication is extremely toxic to cats? (As little as one pill can be fatal.)

Several medications are toxic to cats. Cats should never be given any medications with out the approval of a veterinarian. Acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol) is one of the most toxic.