Cats love to scratch almost anything.

All types of cats, large or small, have retracting claws except cheetahs which only have semi-retracting claws due to their running habit. In addition to using their claws for hunting, they also use them to climb trees and gain traction, so when these tools are stored when not in use, they remain sharp.

However, when lions scratch the trunk of a tree, this not only allows them to condition their claws, but also allows them to mark their territory by means of the sweat glands in their paws as mentioned above.

Members of the feline family smell with their mouths open.

Cats have a very strong sense of smell due to the several million receptors lining their tiny noses (in contrast to humans who only have 5 million olfactory receptors). In addition, they are among animals with an organ that can detect other scents. It is the so-called Jacobson’s organ, which is located at the base of the nasal cavity and is present in both cats and dogs, pigs, cows, snakes and lizards.

Jacobson’s organs provide cats with the ability to taste and smell substances. They use this organ to make use of a movement called the Flehmen response, to open the mouth, make the nose wrinkle, and pause breathing. The “stinky face” is easier to notice on larger cats, although cat lovers can easily see it on their pets.

They rub their bodies against surfaces.

Cats have olfactory glands in different parts of their body: front legs, base of the tail, sides of the face, and areas around the mouth. Once a cat rubs against a surface (just like you), it marks its territory with pheromones.

When big cats want to warn other animals that they could enter their territory, they hit their heads with things in the environment to leave their scent.

They sleep most of the time.

Some cat owners think that their pet sleeps too much and when they search about this online, they get the answer that it is natural for a cat to sleep for a long time, 12 to 16 hours a day. However, this does not mean that they are lazy. Since cats are predators, they need to save energy to participate in high intensity hunting.

Not all hunting activities lead to tasty food, so it is typical for felines to go through the feeding-resting-hunting cycle. The same goes for big cats like tigers and lions. They can sleep in the shade for up to 20 hours. When they have a prized fish, they will not move until it is fully digested.

They love catnip.

The Nepeta cataria plant, commonly known as catnip, affects domestic cats in the most profound way. Once a pet receives a sprig of catnip, it will lick, smell, and roll around a lot (with more of this, it will even jump and then fall asleep).

It’s in your genes to enjoy nepetalactone, an active compound in catnip. Although 30% to 40% have no interest in it, many of his great relatives love it. Lions and jaguars have a strong reaction to catnip, but like house cats, this can vary from one to another.