Our pets are one of the most integral parts of our families, and the joy they can bring us in immeasurable. Through the years we understand the distinct and unique features of our own pets, as each animal has its own personality. Some are playful and needy, while others are reserved and distant. We get our workouts with the big dogs and great photo-ops with the furry little dogs, a cuddly companion with our fat cats and a great use of shoestrings and laser pointers with our kittens. Either way, all of us find ways to embrace, accept and love our pets unconditionally. Here are some more quirky and surprising facts about our furry little friends and related things.
1. Cats Didn’t Come From Egypt
The common belief is that cats were originally domesticated in Egypt owing to the depictions of felines in ancient Egyptian art dating back as far as 4,000 years ago. However, recent archaeological and genetic research is showing that cats could have originally come from today’s Israel, Turkey, and Iraq, and evidence of domestication actually dates back to nearly 10,000 years ago, which is 5,000 years before Egypt existed.
2. Romans Buried Their Dogs In Human Cemeteries
Romans loved their dogs as much as the Egyptians loved their cats. They buried their dogs in the same place as the humans, and owners even wrote sentimental messages for them. David Grimm, author of Citizen Canine, has reported a particular eulogy for a dog that reads “I am in tears carrying you to your resting place as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home in my own hands fifteen years ago.”
3. Cats And Dogs Are Legal Property
Currently, the law states that cats and dogs are equivalent to property. Even if we consider them as members of our family, the court doesn’t seem to think so. However, this is a step up from a century ago when animals were thought to be completely worthless and had no legal status at all, which meant that they could be stolen and killed without any repercussions.
4. More Homes Have Dogs And Cats Than Children
In the US, there are almost 150 million cats and dogs, which equals to one pet for every 2 people. Dog and cat ownership has quadrupled since the 1960s, and had been double the growth rate of the human population in the US. More than 50% of homes contain either a dog or a cat, which is 5 times more than the number of birds, horses, and fish combined.
5. Dogs Have Had Lawyers
In rare cases, dogs have had legal standing in court cases in the past. There have been at least 3 cases where a lawyer was assigned to a dog since 2007. In 2012, a pit bull was successfully defended against a death sentence for attacking a small boy and now lives in a sanctuary in New York.
6. The US Spends Over $60 Billion On Pets
The pet industry is the 7th largest retail business in the US. Things like organic pet food, spas, and beauty products for pets, pet clothing, and medical procedures for pets projected a spending of $60 billion in the US in 2014. This number is more than the entire economic output of half the countries in the world (!).
7. Owners Would Risk Their Lives For Their Pets
Most Americans have an extremely intense relationship with their pets. Some recent surveys showed that more than 90% of pet owners consider their pet a part of their family, more than half said that they would be “very likely” to risk their lives for their pet, and half of all owners say that they would prefer their pet for companionship over humans if trapped on a deserted island. Pets can certainly have an extraordinary effect on our lives!
