Can You Answer These Questions Every Cat Owner Should Know?

Cats, and most animals, can't digest the skin of grapes. However, most meats and fish are okay to feed your cat. Be sure to consult your veterinarian before feeding your cat table scraps.

Persians are long-haired domestic cats. Purebred Persians are known to be finicky, but they are worth a lot of money.

A stuffed animal, a cat condo and a scratching post are all great toys for your cat. However, tinsel is something your cat can't digest, and you should try to avoid having it around, if possible.

Cats that are overweight often suffer from joint pain. This can make them mean to humans. It is important to keep an eye on your cat's weight and ensure that they are eating properly.

Unlike dogs, cats can scale fences, walk tight ropes and jump incredibly high. They have the reflexes of… well, a cat. Their agility is unparalleled in the domestic animal kingdom.

Your cat's teeth are much like yours. Sure, they don't eat sugar, but their teeth wear down over time, and food does get caught in them. Unlike humans, can't can't clean their own teeth, so it is a good idea to schedule a cleaning once a year.

It is important to pay attention to the type of litter you use for your cat. Fine litters can often get stuck in a cat's paw, especially if the cat has been declawed. If you see your cat limping, attempt to clean its paws and change your litter brand.

When cats are uncomfortable, they like to observe their territory. Additionally, being higher than new or unknown people (or other pets) is a great way for your cat to assess the situation while they adjust to the changes.

A group of kittens is collectively known as a kindle. While this term isn't very common, it is specific to kittens, whereas any group of baby animals is often known as a litter.

For some reason, many domesticated cats consider the first glimpse of the bottom of their bowl to be a sign that they are done eating. This is especially annoying if your cat likes to push its food around before it even begins eating.

For the most part, throughout their domestication, cats were not around water very much. For this reason, it is an unknown to them. They instinctively try to avoid water and hate the sound of rushing water.

While cats use their voices (meows) to communicate with humans, they are more inclined to use their tails to communicate with other cats. The position of a cat's tail can tell another cat if they are a friend or foe.

In general, cats clean themselves very well. They will spend quite a bit of time grooming themselves throughout the day. For this reason, you should only give your cat a bath if it is completely necessary. If your cat has fleas, or your child spilled something on the cat, by all means, give them a bath. Otherwise, you shouldn't have to bathe your cat.

Cats will often give their owners gifts in the form of dead animals. They are showing you appreciation for giving them food every day. If you are totally grossed out by this, thank your kitty for the gift and promptly dispose of it.

Most house cats can leap up to five times their own height. A cat's bone and muscle structure has evolved to make it an efficient hunter. Its leg muscles are set to add spring to their pounce to ensure that they catch the prey they are stalking. This makes a cat's jump pretty impressive.

When a cat begins to fall, its body twists. While this first seems as though the cat is in a panic, it is actually using this motion to turn its body quickly. Cats try to land on all four feet at once. This helps them absorb the shock of the fall.

Cats spend a lot of time sleeping to regain their energy. Many cats spend a lot of time hunting (playing), so it is important for them to get as much sleep as possible. These little cat naps keep them energized for when they are awake.

Cats have floating clavicles. This means that their shoulder bones aren't attached to the rest of their skeleton. They are held on with muscles. This allows cats to get into small spaces, stretch and squeeze into different shapes. Many people liken this to the way that water can get into pretty much anything.

Even domestic cats are considered to be predators. You can see their predatory instincts when they stalk toys as they play. Additionally, their sharp teeth and intense agility are all evolutionary traits that mark them as predators.

Even though cats have a keen sense of hearing when they are older, for about a week after they are born, cats are deaf. They rely on their sense of smell to find their mother and nurse properly. Once a cat's hearing is fully developed, they can hear up to two octaves higher than a human.

Cats use their sense of smell to hunt. While their sense of smell isn't as good as a dog's, it is five times better than that of a human. Cats have two olfactory systems: one where the smells past through the nose, and the other one is the vomeronasal organ, which is a scent organ that many other mammals have. It helps them smell other cats.

Cats are born with their eyes closed, and those eyes don't open for seven to 14 days. However, a cat's eyesight doesn't fully develop until they are approximately four months old. Cats use their eyesight to help them hunt in lower light.

Cats can hunt in the light or in the dark, and the shape of their pupils helps them adjust to different kinds of lighting very quickly. This is a great way to continue hunts that go from lighter areas to darker areas.

Yes, cats actually do have whiskers on the inside of their paws. Whiskers are used to help cats measure areas that they are walking or running through. The whiskers on their paws are also used to help them understand spacial orientation and where they can move to.

While a cat's tongue can help it eat meat, the rough texture of the tongue can help a cat groom itself. A cat's tongue acts like a brush to help it remove knots from its fur and pull out any loose fur.

If a cat is used to scavenging for food, it instinctively chooses foods that are higher in protein, because it doesn't know when it will get its next source of protein. It is common to see rescue cats be more selective with their food choices.

Cats purr for a lot of reasons. If they are in pain, they may find purring a better form of communication than meowing. Always listen to your cat when it purrs; pay attention to what it is feeling. You may notice different pitches in your cat's purr. This is your cat trying to communicate with you.

Sphynx is a breed of cat that doesn't have any fur. While some Sphynx may have a whisker here or there, it is generally broken and doesn't do what cats usually need whiskers to do.

When a cat has never had contact with a human, it is known as feral. Many large cities have issues with feral cat populations, because they spread disease to domestic cats, and they can get a little dirty. Feral cats are nearly impossible to tame and can be very aggressive toward those who try to take them in.

When you first introduce yourself to a cat, allowing it to be above you is a great way to gain its trust. Allowing the cat to be above you will help the cat gain confidence. The cat basically wants to know if it can take you on, and if you allow it to get in your blind spots, it knows that you aren't a threat.

Cats are incredibly territorial. This makes it difficult to introduce new animals to your home if you have a cat who has already established itself there. If you choose to bring a new cat into your home, be sure to give your current cat its own space to ensure that it doesn't act out.

Cats can get really bored laying around the house all day, so it is important to keep them entertained. Feeding your cat in this situation is rewarding bad behavior. Declawing your cat can cause a lot of medical issues. It is best to put out a few scratching posts to ensure that your cat doesn't scratch your couch anymore.

Many think that when their cat rubs itself on them that the cat is trying to get its owner's attention. On the contrary, a cat rubbing itself on you is a way for it to mark its territory. It is telling all other cats that you belong to it.

When cats are bored, they will make their own fun, and if you aren't going to play with them, they will find something to play with. If that gets your attention, great. If not, they can just continue to knock things down. To avoid getting your stuff broken, make sure you give your cat a lot of stimulation and toys.

If you feed a stray cat, it will associate your home with food. If it has some stray buddies, it may consider letting their friends know that your house is a place for an easy meal. If you like random cats hanging around, go ahead and feed them. If you're not into it, consider turning the stray cat away.