Thursday Thirteen - More Cat Facts

1. If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. But if her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed, time to move away from her.
2. The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. Wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.
3. A group of kittens is called a "kindle" and a group of grown cats is called a "clowder."
4. The cat lover is an ailurophile; a cat hater is an ailurophobe.
5. Cats roll on their backs to show affection. They expose their bellies only when they feel totally secure.
6. Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound. The most popular names for female cats in the U.S. are Missy, Misty, Muffin, Patches, Fluffy, Tabitha, Tigger, Pumpkin and Samantha.
7. Black cat superstitions are American. Black cats are lucky in Asia and England.
8. Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat door.
9. A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head rotates, then the spine twists and the rear legs align, finally the cat arches its back to lessen the impact of landing.
10. The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.
11. Cats get their sense of security from your voice. Talk to your cats! And watch your tone of voice. Cats do know when you're yelling at them (but they probably don't care!).
12. Cats eyes come in three shapes: round, slanted and almond.
13. Cats rub up against other cats and people to mark them with their scent glands. They usually use the scent glands between their eye and ear or near the base of their tail.