The Facts About Cats

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), 69 million American households own a pet, with cats weighing as 90 million of those pets, surpassing "mans best friend", the dog, as the pet of choice. Over $2 million dollars a year is spent on cat food. Americans , it seems love cats.
How much exactly, do they really know about cats? Test your knowledge with this little known facts about cats.

Life Span:

- The average life span of a house cat is 12 to 14 years, with some living as long as 20 years. Outdoor cats live an average of 3 to 8 years.

- The oldest recorded age of a cat is 36 years and several have been documented to live more than 20 years.

Negative Beliefs:

- During the Dark Ages, cats were killed as demonic beings. Many Christians believed that cats were a witch's "familiar". Thousands of cats were killed.

- As late as the Salem witchcraft trials, cats were burned or hung with those accused of witchcraft.

- Sailors believed a black cat would bring bad weather and would not let a black cat aboard ship.

- Many people today continue to believe that if a black cat crosses their path it will bring bad luck.

Good Luck

-Japanese sailors believed a tri-colored cat would bring good luck and ward of bad weather. They often took this cat aboard ship with them. They believed it would give them enough of an early enough warning of an approaching storm for them to return to port. They would send the cat up the mast to frighten off the devils.

- In Rome, the cat was a symbol of liberty and was regarded as the guardian spirit of a household.

- Ancient mariners believed that a cat's behavior could foretell a change in the weather. Many people today insist that cats will become very "frisky" before a storm.

- Many people in New England believed that if a stray cat came to your door it was a sign of good luck.

- In Siam, the cat was so revered that one rode in a chariot at the head of a parade celebrating the new king.

- The Ancient Egyptians first tamed the cat to rid their homes and temples of mice and rats in about 3500 B.C. By 1500 BC, Egyptians prayed to cats and considered them divine beings. Their ancient god Bastet was actually portrayed with a human body and the head of a cat. When their cats died, Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows (indeed some reports claim they shaved all their body hair) to mourn the death of their cats. Cats were embalmed and mummified and placed in a tomb with mummified rats or mice for food in the afterlife. Over 300,000 cat mummies were found in one ancient Egyptian city. The punishment for killing a cat in Ancient Egypt was death.

Wealthy Cats:

- Cardinal Richelieu owned 14 cats and had special attendants to care for them. He left his entire estate to these cats and their care.

- According to the Guinness Book of World Records the wealthiest cat pair is a pair of cats who inherited $415,000 in the 1960s.

- White alley cat who inherited $250,000 holds the record for being the wealthiest cat.

- A 13th century Egyptian sultan left his entire fortune to the needy cats of Cairo. For many years, homeless cats were provided with a daily meal.

Practical Matters:

- It is believed that Greek and Phoenician traders brought domestic cats to Europe and the Middle East in around 1000 B.C.

- The ancient Greeks and Romans valued cats for their ability to control rodents in the temples.

- People of the Orient admired the cat for its beauty and mystery. It became a favorite subject of artists and writers in China and Japan.

- The Pilgrims brought cats with them to the new world to keep down the rodent population aboard ship.

- Settlers took cats with them as they begin to settle to the West.

Did you know?

- During World War I, cats lived with soldiers in trenches, where they killed mice.

- In 1950, a four month old kitten followed a group of climbers to the top of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps, a height of 14,691 ft. (And you thought your cat was climber!)

- Ronald Reagan signed a bill that outlawed kicking cats during his term as Governor of California.

- Although cats were first domesticated over 4000 years ago, there is no mention of them in the Bible.

- Each kitten in a litter can have a different father.

- Cats rarely "meow" at another cat, with the exception of the mother cat to her kittens. It appears it is a communication reserved for humans.

Humans and cats have maintained a relationship for over 5000 years, most of which, has been positive. Despite the fact that there have been periods in history when the cat has been unfairly judged and cruelly eliminated by a portion of the population, the cat continues to reign as the pet of preference among Americans. Indeed this loyal and loving pet brings joy and companionship to the lives of millions of Americans every day.

Sources:
www.greatdreams.com/cats/cats2.htm
www.petplace.com