18% of households in the UK own a cat, but there's still so much that we don't know about them. From the unusual way they walk, to how big the largest cat is, we bet you haven't heard some of these fun facts about cats! So, check out our delightful cat information below.

Cats are an enigma that has captured people's hearts for thousands of years. Their mysterious personalities and adorable looks have made them incredibly popular pets, and according to a survey, 18% of households in the UK alone are ruled by a cat. With so many cats around us, surely that would mean that everyone knows everything possible about them, right? Wrong! There are so many interesting facts about cats that you probably haven’t heard of, from the world’s largest cat to the surprising way they walk.

Keep reading to find out more. We bet you haven’t heard some of these fun facts about cats!

22 Fun and interesting facts about cats

1. The oldest known pet cat existed 9,500 years ago

This interesting fact about cats is guaranteed to wow at your next dinner party. Did you know that originally it was thought that Egyptians domesticated the cat? But in 2004, French archaeologists discovered a 9,500 year old cat grave in Cyprus. This makes this the oldest known pet cat and it predates Egyptian art about cats by over 4,000 years!

3. A cat was the Mayor of an Alaskan town for 20 years

An orange tabby cat called Stubbs was the mayor of Talkeetna, a small town in Alaska for 20 years! He had several uncontested elections and although he didn’t hold any legislative power, he was loved by locals and tourists alike.

4. The record for the longest cat ever is 48.5 inches

Domestic cats are usually considered to be quite small and dainty creatures. But did you know the world’s longest cat was a Maine Coon called Stewie, and was measured at 48.5 inches? Whereas, the record for the tallest cat belonged to Arcturus at a whopping 19.05 inches tall! Those are some big cats.

5. The richest cat in the world had £7 million

The richest cat in the world according to Guinness World Records is Blackie. When his millionaire owner passed away he refused to recognise his family in his will and instead gave his 7-million-pound fortune to Blackie! We can’t believe that interesting cat fact!

7. Isaac Newton invented the cat door

The scientist is most famous for calculated gravity, but it’s also believed that Isaac Newton invented the cat door. How Stuff Works writes that when Newton was working on his experiments at the University of Cambridge he was constantly interrupted by his cats scratching at the door. So he called the Cambridge carpenter to saw two holes in the door, one for the mother cat and one for her kittens! Apparently these holes can still be seen at the university today.

8. In 1963 a cat went to space

You’ve heard of monkeys and dogs in space, but did you know that a cat braved the great unknown too? On October 18th 1963 Felicette, also known as ‘Astrocat’ was the first and only cat to go to space.

9. Ancient Egyptians would shave off their eyebrows when their cats died

According to Ancient History Encyclopedia, Herodotus wrote in 440BC that when a pet cat died in Ancient Egyptian times the family members would shave off their eyebrows in mourning. Now that’s an interesting cat fact!

11. A house cat can reach speeds of up to 30mph

If you’ve watched your little kitty charging around the living room when they’re feeling lively you know that cats are pretty quick, but you won’t believe this fun cat fact. They can hit speeds of around 30mph which is so fast that they could beat Usain Bolt in a 200-metre dash!

12. The oldest cat in the world was 38 years old!

The oldest cat to have ever lived was 38 years and 3 days old when he passed away. Creme Puff, born on 3rd August 1967 lived until 6th August 2005, and his owner Jake Perry also owned the previous oldest cat record holder, Grandpa Rex Allen, who passed away at the grand age of 34! Whatever Jake Perry’s doing, he’s doing it right!

13. The record for the loudest purr is 67.8db(A)

Merlin, a black and white cat from Torquay, UK, currently holds the record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat. His purr is 67.8db(A) and for context, this is nearly the same volume as a shower! Most cats purr at around 25db.

14. Didga the cat can perform 24 tricks in one minute

If you think cats can’t do tricks, then you’ll be shocked to learn this cat fact. The most tricks performed by a cat in one minute is 24! Didga completed a series of tricks from rolling over to even jumping a bar whilst on a skateboard!

15. Cats put their best foot forward 

Some cats can have a dominant front paw, there have been a few studies to show that females favour their right paw, and males tend their left. 

16. 30 muscles…and counting 

Cats have a total of 32 muscles in each of their ears, alone! This allows them to swivel their ears to hone in on an exact noise. All these muscles help cats rotate their ears 180 degrees! 

17. We may be more alike than you think! 

Biologically, a cat’s brain is somewhat similar to the human brain to that of a dog. Humans and cats have identical emotional regions in their brains. 

18. They are VERY popular in South America

Cats outnumber dogs as pets in South America with a huge amount of 73 million pet cats as opposed to 63 million dogs! Over 30% of homes in South America own a cat as a pet. 

19. They can change colour – well Siamese cats can

Whether your Siamese kitten prints turn blond or brown in colour is dependent on their body temperature. The Siamese cat carries albino genes which work at a body temperature of 36 Degrees Celsius. 

20. Fingerprint or nose?

Your cat has their own unique print, much like we do with our fingerprints. A cat’s nose is formed of a unique pattern of ridges, which are very similar to the individual ridges of the human finger.

21. The Tower of Towser

There is a tower in Scotland which has been built in commemoration of a cat named Towser. The tower is a celebration of all the mice she killed in her lifetime, which is a number over 30,000. 

22. Cats are musical creatures!

Much like birds, cats make many different noises. Cats can make up to 100 sounds, whereas dogs only make 10! Now, that’s some musical talent. 
 

Looking for even more fun facts about our lovely felines? Explore the amazing world of polydactyl cats, discover why they have extra toes, and meet some of the most famous polydactyl kittens ever.

If you liked this article, why not share it with your friends? Is there an exciting cat fact that you know that we didn’t mention? Or maybe there’s something interesting/unusual that your kitty does! Let us know over on our Facebook page!

Next, why not see how many of these 15 Amazing Dog Facts you already know?