From Daily Mail
Cats may rule the internet, but there are still so many things we don't know about these mysterious creatures, who can be as aloof as they are loving. Scroll through the gallery for ten amazing facts about our feline friends...
1. Female cats are usually right-pawed (and most male cats are lefties)
Like humans, cats have a preference between their left or right side. Gender difference plays a part in this: most females are right-pawed, whereas most males prefer to use their left. You can test this on your own cat by observing which paw your kitty uses first when walking up or down the stairs
2. A house cat could beat Usain Bolt in a 100 meter sprint
At the 2009 World Championships, Usain Bolt ran at a blistering 27.8 miles per hour in the 100 meters - likely the fastest a person has ever ran. But a domestic house cat can run at 30 miles per hour over the same distance, comfortably beating the world's fastest man
3. A cat’s personality is linked to its color
Cats come in all lots of different colors and patterns, but did you know that the color of a cat’s coat is linked to its behavior? For example, tortoiseshell cats are usually more independent, and bond with just one person. Conversely, orange tabbies are usually the most gregarious — they love being sociable!
4. A cat’s purr has healing effects
Often seen as a sign of contentment, purring is actually quite a complex reaction. The low frequency of a cat’s purr causes vibrations which are therapeutic for bone growth, pain relief and wound healing. Purring can also reduce stress levels in humans. So it’s official — owning a cat is good for you
5. Cats can’t taste sweetness
Cats are one of the only mammals that are unable to taste sweetness. They are carnivores, driven to consume one thing — meat — and don’t need sugar or carbohydrates. This also means that cat-lovers needn't worry about their dessert being snatched from the dinner table
6. Cats lick themselves to get your scent off
Cats rub up to people and other cats to pass on their scent and to collect yours, which is a way of marking their territory. And when they lick themselves, they are carefully removing your scent from their fur. No hard feelings!
7. A female cat is called a queen
Although cats often behave as though they’re royalty anyway, many cat owners may not know that an unspayed female cat is actually called a queen. So there’s further proof that she will always get her own way
8. Cats ‘play’ with their prey to avoid injury
One of the most misunderstood traits of cats’ hunting behavior is their tendency to ‘play’ with their prey. In fact, this is instinctive behavior based on self-preservation — a cornered prey that is exhausted is less likely to lash out
9. Cats can see in the dark six times better than humans
Cats have a high number of rods in their retina that are sensitive to dim light, which allows them to see six times better than their human counterparts at night. So catching mice on those midnight prowls is no problem at all
10. Cats prefer to drink moving water
Cats actually prefer to drink water when it’s moving; this is because in the wild, they evolved to realize that still water is often stagnant and can carry bacteria. So if your cat likes to dip her paw in her water, or bump the dish, this is why
