The German's favorite pet is often misunderstood
In every fourth German household, a cat lived in 2023. This is according to a representative survey by the Central Association of Zoological Businesses. One might think we're well acquainted. But many human assumptions turn out to be half-truths upon closer inspection. Here are some cat facts for World Cat Day on August 8.
Claim: Cats can see in the dark
True, to an extent. In the retina of the eye, certain sensory cells are responsible for perceiving brightness: rods. These are excited when light enters the eye through the pupil. A cat has significantly more rods than a human and is specialized in detecting light-dark contrast. It needs only about one-sixth of the light that a human eye does to see something.
Moreover, cat eyes have another feature that optimizes light utilization in twilight: the tapetum lucidum (German: glowing carpet). This is a structure in the choroid of the eye that reflects incoming light like a mirror, further exciting the rods. However, even cat eyes are overwhelmed in complete darkness, and the cat must find other ways to orient itself.
Claim: Cats purr to show contentment
Partly true. Purring is indeed an important means of communication for cats, confirmed by veterinarian expert Dunia Thiesen-Moussa at the Pet Industry Federation. However, it's not always a sign of contentment: "Cats also purr when they're afraid, in pain, or trying to appease their social partner," she says. The sounds can be difficult for humans to interpret, so it's important to consider the cat's overall behavior.
Purring generates frequencies of 20 to 30 Hertz, creating vibrations in the body that stimulate muscle and may support the healing of injured bones and joints. The humming tones are also soothing for both humans and cats.
Claim: Cats always land on their feet
Partly true. Cats have a special reflex that allows them to rotate their body around its axis in free fall - first the front part, then the hindquarters. The righting reflex ensures they land on their feet. The cat can rotate from a supine position in less than half a second. The tail acts as a counterbalance to stabilize the position. Then, the cat stretches out its paws, increasing its body surface area and creating more air resistance to slow its descent.
Their flexible joints also help absorb the impact. However, if the fall is from two to three meters, cats can still be seriously injured, as they may not have enough time to complete the rotation and land on their feet.
Claim: Dogs and cats don't understand each other
True, literally. They use different body languages. For instance, a dog wagging its tail usually expresses happiness, while a cat uses this gesture to threaten an attack. A cat's contented purring can be interpreted as aggressive growling by a dog. A dog's joyful barking can be seen as a threat by a cat. Yet, these animals can get used to each other if they live in the same household, just like humans who move in together.
Claim: Cats are afraid of water
False. While some cats dislike water, others enjoy it. It depends on the individual cat's personality and experiences. Some breeds, like the Maine Coon, are known for their fondness of water.
Not quite right. The idiomatic "cat wash" is brief for humans and involves using as little water as possible - because our feline friends also prefer to clean themselves without a full bath. Most house cats are indeed water-averse. The reason is thought to be that they become less agile with soaked fur, making escape reflexes ineffective, according to the Tiermedizin portal. Additionally, their ancestors were desert animals, so water is rather a foreign element for them.
However, there are also cat swimming enthusiasts: The fishing cat of South Asia lives in wetlands, and the Van cat is even known as the Turkish swimming cat because they enjoy fishing and splashing around.
Despite the common misconception, some cats actually enjoy playing in water.
In contrast to the belief, cats are not universally afraid of water; their feelings towards it can vary greatly depending on their individual personalities and experiences.
