Feline Factoids

-- Whiskers are twice as thick as ordinary hairs and their roots are three times deeper.

-- Kittens in the womb grow whiskers before body hair.

-- Cat ears can rotate 180 degrees to funnel sound into ear canals.

-- They can purring during inhalation, exhalation, and vocalizing.



-- They have 5 more spinal vertebrae than humans (30 vs. 25).

-- When walking or running, they step with both left legs and then both right legs (only camels and giraffes also do this.)



-- Their foot pad skin is 70 times thicker than skin elsewhere.

-- Tabby refers to a coat pattern -- with stripes on the necks, legs, and tails and spots on the bellies -- and doesn't refer to a color.

from Cat Fancy, May 2010 issue