Cat Facts for Kids

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So, What Exactly Are Cats?

A cat (Felis catus, often referred to as a domestic cat) is a small, carnivorous mammal. Cats are the only domesticated species of the taxonomic family Felidae, which also includes big cats such as lions, tigers, and panthers. Cats have strong, flexible bodies; fast reflexes; sharp, pointed teeth; retractable claws; and strong night vision. According to the International Cat Association, there are 71 cat breeds.

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Anamalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Genus: Felis
Species: Felis catus

Cat Sounds in Different Languages

English: Meow
Estonian: Näu
French: Miaou
Italian: Miao
Japanese: Nyan
Korean: Yaong
Russian: Myau
Spanish: Miau
Swedish: Mjau

Cool Facts About Cat for Kids

There's a reason why cats seem so lazy: they sleep on average 12-16 hours per day and typically spend another couple hours grooming themselves.
The average cat has a mass of around 4.5 kg... the heaviest cat on record had a mass of a whopping 21.297 kg!
Feral and wild cats don't meow. Cats developed meowing just to communicate with humans!
A cat can rotate its ears all the way around backwards, 180 degrees.
Archaeologists estimate that the first African wildcat was tamed about 9,500 years ago in Cyprus, long before Egyptians became associated with them.
Cats can't taste sweet foods because of a defect in the gene responsible for the sweet taste receptor.