By Katelin Mei

Katelin shares cat facts with us in honor of James’s Science Theme and NATIONAL CAT DAY, celebrated October 29.

Cats are animals that have been around for a very long time. There has been evidence that cats have been around as long as 9,500 years (7,500 BCE). Some people classify themselves as either cat lover or dog lover. I’m sure this information will make cats seem pretty amazing to you. Let’s start with the basic info.

Cats are animals that have pointy flexible ears, a long flexible tail, and a flexible body. They have sharp teeth, perfect for catching and killing small rodents and small birds. The scientific name for cats is felis catus. Contrary to the legend, cats can’t land on their feet every time. The reason some cats do land on their feet is because they use their tail to balance and twist their body in midair. No cats should be classified as evil, cuddly, or aggressive because of their color.

I know I said that no cat should be categorized based on their color, but there is one thing you need to know. Some all-white cats with blue eyes suffer deafness. The deafness is caused by degeneration in the inner ear and is associated with blue irises. With all-white cats that have mixed eyes, the deafness is found on the blue eye side. However, that is the only thing you should judge cats based on their color.

Cats can jump pretty high. Young, healthy, average-sized cats can jump about six times their length or over eight feet in a single leap, thanks to powerful muscles in their hind legs. Cats use their tail for balance, when they jump up and down, or fall. This is how cats land on their feet. It’s no wonder table and counter tops are a breeze for most cats to jump on.

Cats are extremely heavy sleepers. Their average sleep schedule is 12-16 hours of sleep a day, and some cats sleep up to 20 hours a day. That is a crazy amount of sleep. The reason for the large hours of sleep is that cats are nocturnal. This means they are most active between dusk and dawn. Cats will sleep during the day and become active around twilight. After breakfast, you’ll find that your cat wants to wind down, instead of playing with you. Don’t worry. After dinner, you’ll be able to play with your cat.

Science Editor: James Zheng