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General Interest

Interesting Pet Facts

Dogs

  • All dogs, no matter how big or small, descended from the wolf. It is believed they were domesticated around 12,000 years ago and then bred for different purposes like hunting.
  • The domestic dog population of the world is estimated to be greater than 150 million!
  • The smallest breed of dog is the Chihuahua; the tallest is the Irish Wolfhound and the heaviest is the St Bernard.
  • The oldest dog on record is a Heeler called “Bluey” who lived to be 29 years and five months.
  • The average life span of a dog is 15 years, although small dogs tend to live longer than large dogs.
  • Dogs do dream… we just don’t know what they are dreaming about!
  • A dog has a much better sense of smell than we humans. This is because they have thousands more receptors in their nasal tissue.
  • Dogs also see better than humans in poor light, but not as well in bright light. They can’t see well over longer distances but are attuned to movement.
  • Dogs are not actually colour blind, as many people believe. Instead they are thought to see limited colours - similar to the way we see things at twilight.
  • A dog has much better hearing than us. They can register sounds of up to 35,000 vibrations per second while we only hear around 20,000 vibrations per second. Silent whistles used to train dogs produce a sound that is way too high for us to hear, but easy for a dog.
  • Dogs suffer from sunburn and skin cancer just like us. This is most common in white dogs with pink skin on their noses and ears. You should keep your dog out of the day-time sun and you can also apply ‘doggy block-out’ to exposed areas.
  • Chocolate can poison your dog! Even a small amount is capable of producing a dangerous reaction in certain dogs, so avoid chocolate, even as an occasional treat.
  • All Dalmatian puppies are born pure white and the spots develop after a few weeks.

 Cats

  • A person who is a cat lover is called an ailurophile, while a cat hater is called an ailurophobe.
  • The smallest breed of domestic cat is the Singapura, which averages 1.8 to 2.7kgs. The largest breeds of domestic cat are the Maine Coone and the Norwegian Forest cat, which can weigh up to 13 kgs.
  • The heaviest cat on record is Himmy, a mammoth moggy from Queensland who tipped the scales at 21.3kgs! He was carried around in a wheelbarrow!
  • Purring commences when a kitten is just a few days old and is a way for a kitten to let the mother cat know that all is well with her baby. Purring can be done with the mouth closed, which means the kitten doesn’t have to let go of the teat to communicate with mum.
  • Kneading is done by kittens to stimulate milk flow from the mother’s teats. This is often accompanied by purring and dribbling. Adult cats often transfer this behaviour onto we humans and if you find your cat kneading your lap, he or she is content and enjoying your company.
  • Meowing - cats never meow at other cats. The meow is reserved to communicate with humans.
  • Rubbing against our legs is more than just a way for your cat to greet you. Your cat is actually depositing scent from specialized glands on her temple and tail. He/she also picks up our scent by rubbing her flank against us and takes in these scent messages by licking her fur.
  • Tortoiseshell cats are almost always female. This is because the genes controlling this particular coat colouring are only carried by female cats.
  • Most cats have five toes on each front paw, but only four toes on each back paw.

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The Hughenden Boutique Hotel, Woollahra NSW

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