Petcetera – Fun Facts About our Furry, Scaly, Feathered Friends

A cat's Purr: Cats do not purr at other cats. They reserve this behavior for humans. A cat's purr doesn't necessarily mean they are happy. Dying cats, cats giving birth, and cats in pain will purr as well.

A cat's eyes: Unlike human eyes, a cat's eyes have pupils that are shaped like vertical slits. These vertical slits work together with the horizontal slits of the cat's eyelid to give it greater control over how much light it allows into its eyes.

A cat's lick: Does your cat lick its fur clean after it has rubbed against you? That is its way of tasting you- becoming familiar with the taste and scent of the people in its life.

The sleeping cat: The average cat sleeps 16 hours a day.

The Royal Cat: About 2000 BC, cats were worshipped as royalty in Egypt, and if anyone killed a cat, on purpose or accidentally, the punishment was death.

Source: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader

Horses are right up there with dogs as being elemental to the benefit of man.
There is a sense of grace and eloquence in a horse that is unequaled whether they are standing in place or in a full gallop.
Here are just a few interesting facts about horses that you might enjoy knowing.
*1400 BC was when the first written text about horses was produced.
*It is believed that the Asians were the first to tame and ride horses.
*Approximately 75 million horses currently populate the world.
*There wasn't a single pony in the Pony Express. Just horses.
*There were no horses in Australia until 1788.
*Horses cannot vomit.
*The hippo is closely related to the horse.

Dog Fact #1: A dog’s nose has about 4 times as many scent cells as a cat’s and 14 times more than a human’s. That’s why dogs are often used to track down illegal drugs and missing persons. They can sniff out their dinner from any room in the house!
Dog Fact #2: With patience and understanding you can teach any old dog new tricks, depending on what you are trying to teach, or un-teach the dog, which is usually more difficult. Dogs can learn at any age, and like humans, it’s just old habits that are hard to break!
Dog Fact #3: Dogs see in color, but not the same way that we do. Veterinary ophthalmologists have found that dogs are similar to people with red/green color blindness, meaning they can see bluish and greenish shades but not reddish ones. To a dog, a bright orange ball on a grassy lawn appears as a light greenish ball in greenish grass. Go fetch!
Dog Fact #4: According to a recent survey, the most popular name for a dog is Max. Other popular names include Molly, Sam, Zach, and Maggie.
Dog Fact #5: An estimated 1 million dogs in the United States have been named the primary beneficiary in their owner's will.
Dog Fact #6: Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads of their feet.
Dog Fact #7: Every known dog, except the chow, has a pink tongue - a chow's tongue is black.
Dog Fact #8: Dogs can alert their owners of an epileptic seizure up to an hour before it occurs.
Dog Fact #9: Walt Disney's family dog was named Lady. She was a poodle.
Dog Fact #10: The dog was one of the first animals domesticated by humans.
Dog Fact #11: The heaviest dog ever weighed 319 pounds.

There are over 25,000 identified species of fish on the earth.
It is estimated that there may still be over 15,000 fish species that have not yet been identified.
There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined.
40% of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01% of the earth's water is
The spotted climbing perch is able to absorb oxygen from the air and will crawl overland using its strong pectoral fins.
Some fish like sharks don't posses an air bladder to help keep them afloat and must either swim continually or rest on the bottom.
Some fish make sounds by grating their teeth and others like some catfish make sounds from their air filled swim bladder.
Some species of fish can fly (glide) others can skip along the surface and others can even climb rock.
Fish have a specialized sense organ called the lateral line which works much like radar and helps them navigate in dark or murky water.
The largest fish is the great whale shark which can reach fifty feet in length.
The smallest fish is the Philippine goby that is less than 1/3 of an inch when fully grown.
Fish have excellent senses of sight, touch, taste and many possess a good sense of smell
Fish feel pain and suffer stress just like mammals and birds.
Tropical fish are one of the most popular pets in the U.S.