The definition of the word “ailurophobia” is “fear of cats. It comes from the Greek aílouros, meaning “cat” and phóbos, meaning “fear”.”
Rumor has it that Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great suffered from ailurophobia.
Fun Facts about Cats
• Dawn Rogers from California was an ordained Pet Pastor from the Universal Life Church. He had special services aimed for the feline spices. This unusual pastor saw a need to honor cats with special wedding ceremonies. He probably also saw a few dollar signs. Pastor Rogers charged $300 for cat weddings in 1986.
• In Japan cat cafés are becoming increasingly popular. These resemble regular cafés except cats wander freely around. Cat lovers soon become regular guests sipping their favorite beverage with a cat peacefully asleep on their table.
• The cats are free to do as they please. In these cafés the cats rule like royalty. The humans on the other hand must agree to certain rules as never wake a sleeping cat. Guests may caress the cats, but never harm them in any way. Cats are considered to be very auspicious in Japan.
• They also have cat coffee shops in South Korea.
• Sir Isac Newton (1643-1727), the great physicist was a devoted lover of cats. He has been credited to inventing the cat flap door. Cat lovers, who wish to honor this genius of a man, will find his grave in Westminster Abby, London
• Tiberius Gracchus (168-133 B.C.) had a temple of Liberty built in Rome. The statue of goddess of Liberty in the temple had a cat at her feet, a true emblem of liberty.
• In Cyprus the bones of a cat were found near the bones of a human in a grave dating from 7000 years B.C. The excavations were supervised by Jean Guilaine from the College de France. This goes to show that cats and humans have a long history together indeed.
• In Paris there is a street named “rue du Chat qui Pêche” meaning “the street of the fishing cat”. It was named after a cat in the 17th century who loved to catch fish in cellars after the flooding of the river Seine.
• World’s Large Collection of Cat Books in a Library. Helen Monnette Amestoy had an enormous collection of cat books. She had spent her lifetime collecting books on cats. In 2004 her collection of 6000 books on cats was donated to the Arne Nixon Center in Fresno, California. This is believed to be the world’s largest collection of cat books in a library. Many of the books are extremely valuable.
• The first major cat show took place on July 13, 1871 in Chrystal Place, London. A total of 170 cats were entered at the show.
• The first postage stamp ever made with the picture of a cat was in 1887 by the German state of Bergedorf. It showed a cat with a fish in its mouth.
• The slang phrase “cathouse” has been used for many centuries to describe a brothel.
• The ancient Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when their beloved cat died.
• The Year of the Cat. In Vietnam the animals of the zodiac differ slightly from the Chinese zodiac. In the Vietnamese zodiac the cat replaces the rabbit of the Chinese zodiac. Anyone born in the Chinese year of the rabbit is according to the Vietnamese zodiac born in the year of the cat. The years of the Cat are as follows: 1903 – 1915 – 1927 – 1939 – 1951 -1963 -1975 – 1987 -1999 – 2011. The first day of the year of the Cat 2011 was February 3rd.
Cat Anatomy fun facts
• An adult cat has 30 teeth.
• Cats have three times better hearing than dogs.
• Cats have a third eyelid called the haw. The haw is not easy to see. If the haw is clearly visible; it is a sign that your cat is ill. Call the vet.
• The normal body temperature of the domestic cat is 38.6 degrees C (101.5 degrees F).
• Cats with blue eyes have a high risk of deafness. White cats are also at high risk of deafness.
• All kittens are blind and deaf when they are born, but they do have a strong sense of smell.
• All kittens have blue eyes. The color of their eyes changes when the kittens are about three months old.
• Kindle means a litter of kittens.
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