Fun Facts About Our Feline Companions

During September, we are honouring our fabulous feline patients because we feel that they are very special to us. Here just a few interesting facts about our feline friends that illustrate what makes them so unique.

• Cats have 32 muscles in each ear, allowing them to redirect and detect sounds exceptionally well.
• Cats have four rows of very sensitive whiskers.
• Cats have no collarbone -this makes them very flexible.
• Cats spend approximately 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves.
• “American Shorthair” is the designation reserved for pedigreed cats, while similar-looking cats of mixed or unknown origin are called “domestic shorthairs.”
• Cats are unable to move their jaws sideways.
• Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs have only about ten!
• Cat whiskers are so sensitive they can detect the slightest change in the air current.
• Cats have 26 baby teeth and 30 permanent teeth.
• Did you know that the “shhh” sound we make could sound like hissing to your cat? It could inadvertently cause a fear or stress reaction in your cat rather than what you may have intended.
• Some cats are naturally quite vocal, and sometimes they do this because of stress or fear. Be careful about rewarding an unwanted behaviour with food unless you want to continue feeding your cat upon their request. They quickly learn what works for them. Try redirecting the unwanted behaviour into playtime or some other form of positive reward such as petting if your cat enjoys this.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 416-537-3128.

Written by: Annex Animal Hospital