Please note: This article has been published in 'Teen-Ink Monthly USA' 'VShine World UAE' and
'SMASH Pakistan' So its their property as well now, and unlike most of my other articles this cannot be used anywhere else' :)
Raafay.-------------------------------------------------------------------
I like cats, I pet cats but to read about them was totally a new experience, but then someone gave me this brilliant Idea and currently after one day of cat study I feel like a CAT myself.
I hope (Insha-Allah) xD that It'll be as informative for others as It was for me, although these are just a few selected facts :)
So where to start from... I hear many people use this phrase "Raining Cats and Dogs" when it rains heavily, It is believed that this term had been originated in 17th century, England, when many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain. While searching a little more I was able to conceive that this term could also have been originated during an interesting incident that took place in England during a Soccer game, when it rained heavily after almost a year and people who had brought their pets with them, freed them to enjoy the rain and suddenly the soccer pitch was crowded with Cats and Dogs.
The oldest age that a house cat has attained and has been reliably documented is the case of a female tabby named "Ma." She lived to the ripe old age of 34! hmmm interesting eh?! Just add another fact here that If a at lives for 3 years that makes 20 human years, If she lives for 7, that makes 40 human years, 15, that will make 70 human years... So technically this 34 years old cat was humanly around 150 years of age, Wish all cats live that long :) btw, the average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years.
You love your cats right?! Ailurophilia is the "love of cats." where 'Ailuros' means Cat and 'Philia' means fondness or love in greek language. So yes YOU are suffering from this very thing! xPBut how do cats show there love and hate for you? Here is a simple way to find that out. If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. Cats knead with their paws when they're happy. But If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her. Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods. If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior.
During her productive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens. Usually on average a cat has 1-8 kittens per litter, and 2-3 litters per year. In 1952, a Texas a Cat named Dusty set the record by having more than 420 kittens before having her last litter at age 18. And if the number of litter remains the same, A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just 7 years. Now talking of the records the largest known litter (with all surviving) was that of a Persian in South Africa named Bluebell. Bluebell gave birth to 14 kittens in one litter! Phew!! xD
Well here is a strange one, We humans normally have 206 bones and 650 muscles in our body, In comparison to the 5-6 feet tall, 70-80 kg humans, Cats have 290 bones in their bodies, and 517 muscles. Shocking Isn't it?
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! No other mammal sleeps as much as cats do, the closest thing are bats who sleep 13 hours on average.
In greek Mythology Cats were a symbol of Goddess Bastet, whose mission was to protect the home and symbolizes the joy to live, because it considers the deity of the harmony and the happiness.
Here is an interesting use of Cats if you visit Egypt: During the Persian invasions of Egypt in the 6th century BC, Persian soldiers often captured and tied cats to their shields. It was impossible for the Egyptians, who worshipped cats, to kill or even harm them, thus giving the Persians the upper hand.
People have believed that witches could transfer their spirits into any cat. A witch could only perform this ritual transfer nine times, though, because a cat only had nine lives. And when a witch was killed, the witch's cat was often murdered with her.nine lives. And when a witch was killed, the witch's cat was often murdered with her.
A Wish worth Wishing:
My only wish though is that someday a Rabbit proposes a Cat and they both get married!! What cute little Rabbit kittens we'll see! ♥ keeping my fingers crossed!
P.S Cats are Lovable !! =)
