Fun Facts About Cats National Cat Day

Cat lovers, make a note on your calendar for October 29^th: it’s National Cat Day! Kitties have been charming the socks off us for thousands of years, and we don’t expect that this will be changing anytime soon. A local Springville, UT vet delves into Fluffy’s history in this article.

Tiny Tigers

Man’s Second Best Friend shares the vast majority of her DNA—as much as 95 percent of it—with tigers. She also shares many of the same habits and characteristics with her larger cousins. That includes things like pouncing, scratching, relaxing in the sun, and even that adorable box obsession. Fluffy jumped onto a different branch of the feline family tree nearly 11 million years ago, but she clearly still sees herself as a lion.

A Long Friendship

Fluffy has been warming our hearts and laps for as much as 12,000 years. She seems to have first become our friend in the Fertile Crescent, or Mesopotamia. The relationship was mutually beneficial in the beginning. We noticed that these charming furballs were skilled hunters, and helped keep rodents out of our food stores in exchange for food and shelter. Before long, cats were being welcomed aboard sailing vessels, which is how they conquered (in their own way) the rest of the world. Our feline buddies haven’t changed a whole lot in the meantime. Fluffy is still a very capable hunter. 

The Numbers

There are roughly 400 million kitties in the world today. Here in the US. We have about 125 million, with a whopping 73 million of them being stray or feral and roughly 42 million pets. While about 1.6 million cats are adopted each year, there’s still plenty of kitties that need loving homes. There has been progress in recent years: the numbers of cats admitted to shelters has been declining since the 70’s, as has the number of euthanasias. However, there’s still a long way to go. This is a great time to share the word about adoptable kitties!

Purrfect Pets

Don’t forget to spoil your feline pal a bit on her special day. A new toy, a special treat, or some catnip will all get that motor going.  Of course, the best way to pamper Fluffy is to pay attention to her, and make sure she feels loved and safe. Cats are truly purrfect pets!

Do you have questions about your cat’s health or care? Contact us, your local Springville, UT pet hospital, today!