10 Things You May Not Know About Cats

1. 1. Behavior problems are the #1 cause of euthanasia in cats.
   2. Wild cats eat 10 to 20 small meals each day, with most of their time spent hunting. Because domestic cats don’t expend energy hunting, they have problems with obesity; more than 50% of our cats are overweight.
   3. Cats get high blood pressure just like people. Cats with kidney disease or hyperthyroidism have the greatest problem with high blood pressure. Cat’s blood pressure is higher in the veterinary clinic than it is in the cat’s home.
   4. A cat has approximately 60 to 80 million olfactory cells (a human has between 5 and 20 million).
   5. Cats can get gingivitis. Taking care of your cat’s oral health prevents this. Veterinarians recommend brushing your cat’s teeth, feeding dry as well as moist food, and giving dental treats.
   6. Cat pregnancy lasts 63-65 days. The usual litter is 4, or fewer, kittens. How the mother (queen) treats the kittens influences their personalities.
   7. Scratching is instinctive with cats. Scratching grooms the claws, stretches the muscles, and leaves scent messages for other cats. It’s normal behavior.
   8. Most cats should not drink milk. The lactose in milk can cause diarrhea and other gastric upsets in many cats, especially Siamese.
   9. The average cat has 5 toes on the front feet, and 4 toes on the back. Cats with polydactyly, or extra digits, grow extra toes and have more than 5 on the front or 4 on the back. If the extra digit doesn’t touch the floor, the nail won’t be worn off by walking and can grow into the foot pad. An old wive’s tale says cats with extra toes have the best personalities.
   10. Cats prefer litter boxes that are at least 1.5 times the length of their bodies. If you cater to your cat’s desires, it’s more likely to use the litter box.

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