Cat Facts 21

•  46. Tails
• Cats use their tails for balance, communication, temperature regulation, and self-expression. These are susceptible to bite wounds due to fights with other animals.
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• 47. Urinary Tract
• It is estimated that more than 50% of cats suffer from lower urinary tract disease and bladder inflammation.
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• 48. Reproduction
• Assuming none of them dies, a pair of cats and their kittens can soon overrun a home by producing 420,000 offspring within seven years.
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• 49. Male Castration
• Male cats can undergo castration to prevent unwanted litters. This also reduces the risk of perianal tumors, testicular cancer, and prostate disease.
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• 50. Female Spey
• Female cats can undergo a spey which is an abdominal surgery aimed at removing the uterus and ovaries. Aside from preventing pregnancy, this also lowers risk of breast cancer, and womb infections.
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• 51. Whiskers
• Whiskers have extremely sensitive nerve endings. Cats use them to identify and examine everything they touch. These also give them a sense of their orientation.
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• 52. Landings
• Cats land on their feet by following a series of movements. They rotate their head to find the ground, twist their spine, and align their rear legs. They arch their back and relax to reduce the impact.
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• 53. Unique Trait
• Whereas humans have unique fingerprints, cats have unique nose pads. The ridges are always different so these are useful for telling cats apart.
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• 54. Grooming Process
• Cats spend nearly half of their waking hours grooming themselves. Their rough tongues brush dirt and fleas from their coats. They nibble away at debris in hard-to-reach areas.
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• 55. Grooming Rationale
• Cats groom to remove odors that predators use to find them. Licking fur also helps air circulate better for temperature regulation. The anti-microbial enzymes in their saliva can prevent wound infection.
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• 56. Over-grooming
• Highly stressed cats may groom obsessively to soothe themselves. They could also do this to get rid of parasites such as ticks and fleas.