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A burial site in Cyprus provides the first archaeological evidence of humans and cats living side-by-side, as far back as 9500 BC. Cats must have been brought to the island intentionally by humans.
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In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped, mummified, and—artwork suggests—kept on leashes as part of the cult of the goddess Bastet.
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In 31 BC, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. Cats were introduced into Roman life, becoming truly widespread in Europe around the 4th century AD. A cat skeleton from this period shows the shortened skull of domestic cats today.
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In Europe, Sir Isaac Newton is rumoured to have invented the cat door in the late 17th or early 18th century.
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Cats continued their service as mousers throughout history, even serving as official employees of the United States Postal Service as late as 19th and early 20th century America.
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A cat's meow is usually not directed at another cat, but at a human. To communicate with other cats, they will usually hiss, purr and spit.
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Want to call a hairball by its scientific name? Next time, say the word "bezoar."
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Eating grass rids a cats' system of any fur and helps with digestion.
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Cats have the cognitive ability to sense a human's feelings and overall mood.
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Cats use their whiskers to measure openings, indicate mood and general navigation.
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If you killed a cat in the ages of Pharaoh, you could've been put to death.
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Cats actually have dreams, just like us. They start dreaming when they reach a week old.
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A group of kittens is called a "kindle", and "clowder" is a term that refers to a group of adult cats.
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If your cat's eyes are closed, it's not necessarily because it's tired. A sign of closed eyes means your cat is happy or pleased.
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When a household cat died in ancient Egypt, its owners showed their grief by shaving their eyebrows.