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Uncommon Fact #1: Cats have more toes
in front than in back.
- Cats have five toes on their front paws, but only four toes on back paws.
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Uncommon Fact #2: Cats have excellent
hearing.
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They even hear better than dogs.
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Uncommon Fact #3: Cats cool off by
grooming.
- Cats only sweat through their paws, so there's a limit to how much they can sweat. To help regulate their body temperature on hot days, cats groom themselves. Licking is a mechanism for cooling. As the saliva evaporates off the fur, it lowers your kitty's body temperature.
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Uncommon Fact #4: Your cat's nose is
one of a kind.
- The ridges on your cat's nose pad are as individual as your fingerprints.
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Uncommon Fact #5: Cats tongues are
covered with microscopic hooks.
- Papillae, tiny elevated backwards hooks that help hold prey, are what make a cat's tongue scratchy-feeling.
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Uncommon Fact #6: You should never
pick up a cat in this manner.
- Humans should not pick up a kitten or cat by the scruff of the neck — only mother cats can do this safely, and only with kittens.
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Uncommon Fact #7: Your kitty
can fit through unbelievably small spaces.
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Cats can squeeze through any opening that is not smaller than their heads — their bone structure is narrow at the shoulders and they can easily rotate their bodies through tight spaces.
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Uncommon Fact #8: Felines can make
10 times the number of sounds dogs make.
- Cats have over 100 vocal sounds; dogs have around 10.
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Uncommon Fact #9: Today's cat is
essentially the same as his ancient ancestors.
- Fossil records have shown that cats have been around for thousands of years, without much change in their shape or behaviors.
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Uncommon Fact #10: Your cat's mouth
is designed to devour prey.
- A cat's jaws are designed to move up and down, but not sideways — they cannot grind their food, they can only bite down on it.
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Uncommon Fact #11: Cats
are uniquely flexible.
- The pelvis and shoulders are only loosely attached to a cat's spine, which is part of what makes kitties so flexible and able to squeeze into tight spaces.
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Uncommon Fact #12: Tail positions
differ between domestic and wild felines.
- The domesticated kitty is the only feline species that walks with its tail held vertically — wild cats position their tails horizontally or tuck them between their legs while walking.