Seven Tricks Which Make Your Cat Unique

Leonardo da Vinci, the man that's making such a hit with his exhibition in Gouves, called the cat "the masterpiece of nature."

Thanks to science continually discovering new wonders of this divine predator, we now know he was right. Here's what we've learned:

1.  Ears

Sitting quietly in the field, the cat suddenly turns as its ears jump to attention, and its body vibrates. On its toes, hind legs pulled under its body, it leaps and lands a good 1½ metres and, with claws extended, lands on top of a little mouse. The hunter found its prey with only its ears. The ears, which are like funnels, can turn independently from each other a full 180 degrees and trace unbelievably soft sounds which cause ultrasonic vibrations. Then, the cat's brain reacts quickly, calculating the direction and speed of the mouse.

2.  Eyes

It is known that cats can see just as well in the dark, thanks to the construction of their large pupils. Light reflects off a layer of cells behind the eyeball, and the remaining light bounces back at the pupil, allowing them perfect vision in bright sunlight and darkness – and in colours, too!  And also because the pupil doesn't shrink to a small round one but to a straight line so the eye keeps always active.

3.  Claws

How sharp are a cat's claws? Ask any cat owner about how they got all those scratches on their arms. While walking, cats put only a part of their paws on the ground, and retract their claws so they don’t wear down. If they use their claws to brake quickly, or climb a tree, they will immediately "re-sharpen" them on a handy carpet or piece of furniture! Most of the work is done by the front paws, which have five claws, while the back paws have four.  During the hunt, the front claws, used as a vise, hold the prey. In a fight, however, it uses all 18 claws, if needed.  

4. Whiskers

Many animals have whiskers, but none use them as well as cats. In each of the thick whiskers, there's a "bag" with sensitive nerve cells which registers all pertinent information. During the hunt, it extends them forward to judge the movement of the air, as let's say, a mouse running away. Since the whiskers are as long as the body width and act as "feelers," the cat will never bump into anything.

5 Purring

If your cat is purring on your lap, we automatically feel more relaxed. But, it is useful for the cat, too. It calms moody cats and gives kittens a feeling of safety, reconciles arguing cats and tells nervous animals "everything will be okay." Also, purring reduces pain and gives comfort. Cats purr in a frequency between 27 and 44 Hz, which, for humans, is an ultrasonic frequency.

6. Falling

We all know cats always land on their feet. The reason is that in the uterus the kittens are turning until the feet are down. Also, its reaction is so fast that, in about half a second its body can turn and bring a cat into a landing position, bending its legs to soften and catch the concussion.

7. Balancing

While running on a narrow ledge, the front and back part of the cat's body work separately, allowing it to keep its head and shoulders in balance. This is possible because, thanks to the lack of a collar-bone, it can put its front legs one in front of the other. The tail also helps in this unique balancing act, while the paws do the rest of the work.