Cats as pets make great companions and are low maintenance. They cost less than dogs and are great for city living or apartments.

There are about 60 cat breeds that are recognized by cat fancier organizations. Wikipedia has a fantastic list of cat breeds.

Lifespan: The average lifespan of pet cats has gone up. Early 1980’s, it was about seven years. In 1995 it has gone up to 9.4 and in 2021 about 15 years. Some cats lived into their 30s. The oldest known cat died at the verified age of 38. Castrated male cats live twice as long as intact males. Sprayed female cats live 62% longer than intact females. Neutered cats have health benefits as well. Castrated males cannot develop testicular cancer while females cannot develop uterine or ovarian cancer. Both sexes have a lesser risk of mammary cancer.

Senses of cats as pets

Vision – Cats have excellent night vision and can see at only one-sixth the light level needed for human vision. They have poor color vision and their ability to distinguish between red and green is limited.

Hearing – Domestic cats can hear a range of 10.5 octaves, while humans and dogs can hear ranges of about 9 octaves. They can detect ultrasound to detect calls made by rodents.

Smell – Cats can smell better than humans and can sense certain aromas in a way that humans cannot.

Taste – Cats have relatively few taste buds compared to humans (about 470 compared to more than 9 000 on the human tongue. They have no ability to taste sweetness. Cats prefer that their food temperature is around 38 degrees Celsius and don’t like cold food. This would signal to the cat that the “prey” item is long dead and therefore possibly toxic or decomposing.

Whiskers – Cats have dozens of movable whiskers to aid navigation and sensation. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark. They also trigger protective blink reflexes to protect the eyes from damage.

Cat food

Cats have specific requirements for their dietary nutrients. What cat food brands do you sell? Here is a great opportunity to showcase your brands and tell us more about your cat food benefits.

Featured image courtesy: Michelle Robertson

Content creator: Petrus A. van Tonder

Reference: Wikipedia