Cats don’t have nine lives

Because cats are so agile and athletic and can get out of danger so quickly, people say that cats have lives to spare.

The cat is the only animal that purrs

A cat can cry, hiss and growl, and so can a lot of other animals. But the cat is unique: it’s the only animal capable of purring. How it accomplishes this is still a mystery.

Ancient Egyptians did not worship cats, they adored them!

The ancient Egyptians were very fond of cats. Cats were cherished members of the household. When a fire broke out in an Egyptian household, people would be more concerned about saving the cats than putting out the fire. Despite the immense popularity of cats, the ancient Egyptians did not worship the animal itself. Instead, they paid homage to Bast, a cat-headed goddess. However, they did mummify their cats – by the thousands!

The smallest cats come from Singapore

The smallest breed of domestic cat is the Singapura or “drain cat” of Singapore. Adult males average six pounds in weight and adult females four pounds.

Dogs have more chromosomes than humans

Each body cell in a dog contains 39 pairs of the heredity-carrying structures called chromosomes. This is more than any other animal, including man, who has only 23 pairs. A dog also has more teeth (42) than man (32).

Dogs nap rather than sleep

Dogs, like all animals, are light sleepers. So while dogs seem to spend a lot of time snoozing, they’re really napping rather than slumbering. That’s why they can wake up so quickly when you call to them.

Dogs can see in color

Dogs are not totally colorblind. They just cannot see the colors red or orange, and they don’t see colors as distinctly as humans can. Smell, not sight, is a dog’s sharpest sense.

The first dog license cost $2.00

New York was the first state to license dogs. On March 8, 1894, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was authorized by New York State to collect a $2.00 license fee for dogs in cities with human populations over one million.

The first dog license cost $2.00

New York was the first state to license dogs. On March 8, 1894, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was authorized by New York State to collect a $2.00 license fee for dogs in cities with human populations over one million.

Dogs were domesticated before cats

Wolves – the ancestors of all dog breeds today – lived with humans as far back as 12,000 years ago. Cats took their time about it and decided to move in with human about 8,000 years ago.

The walrus can dive as far as 350 feet below the surface of the arctic waters

For all their size, two-ton walruses are very fast swimmers, reaching a top speed of 25 miles per hour. They use their heads to break breathing holes in ice up to eight inches thick. Then they use their long tusks to widen the holes.

Vampire bats sometimes suck blood from humans

While South American vampire bats usually suck blood from livestock, they will occasionally go after humans. To survive, vampire bats must drink a teaspoonful of blood per night. Their saliva contains a powerful blood thinner that is 20 times stronger than any other blood thinner known. This thinner keeps the blood from clotting and makes it easier for the bat to drink it. This substance is used to make a drug for heart attack patients. The medicine is called Draculin.

Tigers eat a lot

A tiger can eat about 40 pounds of meat in one sitting. Then, they usually do not eat again for several days. Tigers in zoos only eat about 10 pounds of meat per day.

Some tiny shrews have poisonous saliva

The small, mouse-like shrew has sharp teeth and some of these bloodthirsty animals have poisonous saliva for stunning prey. A shrew’s heart may beat 1,200 times per minute, and a highly nervous shrew may die from the shock of a loud noise.

Hummingbirds drink nectar at the rate of about 13 licks per second

As the tiny hummingbird hovers like a helicopter in front a flower, it uses its long, extendible tongue to reach nectar deep within the flower.

The smartest birds are members of the crow family

Of about the 10,000 species of birds in the world, the most intelligent are crows and their cousins: ravens, jackdaws, jays, and magpies. They can be taught, very quickly, to speak.

Albatrosses live longer more than most other birds in the wild

The wandering albatross, which has the greatest wingspan of any bird, is believed to live more than 80 years. The royal albatross has a lifespan of more than 60 years. In captivity, the sulfur-crested cockatoo, a popular pet, has been known to live more than 75 years.

The Arctic tern flies farther than any other bird

Every year, the Arctic tern makes a round-trip of 25,000 miles between the Arctic and Antarctic. It nests in Arctic regions, and when its young are grown, the whole family flies off to Antarctica.

The largest animals of all time eat tiny shrimp

The blue whale, the biggest animal ever to live on Earth, weighs about 300,000 pounds and can grow to almost 100 feet in length. Its main diet is a small shrimp-like creatures called krill, which are each smaller than one inch.

The giant squid can reach a length of 60 feet including tentacles

Giant squid have eyes the size of basketballs. They are the favorite food of giant sperm whales, themselves the largest carnivorous animals in the world. When being chased, many squid squirt a dark liquid to distract their attackers so they can escape.