Cat Quiz

Question: Which special physical trait does a so-called “Hemingway cat” possess?

Answer: Polydactyly—meaning extra toes—is a relatively common abnormality in cats. Hemingway owned a six-toed cat, and today dozens of cats with polydactyly live on the grounds of his home and museum in Florida.

Question: Fact or Fiction: All tortoiseshell cats are male.

Answer: Because two X chromosomes are necessary to produce tortoiseshell cats’ mix of black and orange fur, nearly all tortoiseshell cats are female.

Question: Which lexicographer defined cat as “a deceitful animal, and when enraged, extremely spiteful”?

Answer: The definition appeared in Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1828.

Question: Which of the following U.S. presidents did not own a cat while living in the White House?

Answer: The Obama family owned two Portuguese Water Dogs, Bo and Sunny, but no cats.

Question: About how fast can a domestic cat run in short bursts?

Answer: Domestic cats have been clocked at 30 miles per hour over short distances. That’s about the same top speed as the fastest human sprinters.

Question: Which composer and lyricist wrote the musical Cats?

Answer: Cats is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The musical debuted in 1981.

Question: How many breeds of cats are recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association?

Answer: As of 2016, the CFA recognizes 42 cat breeds.

Question: Fact or Fiction: Too much catnip can be harmful to a cat.

Answer: The catnip plant, which is a member of the mint family, is not addictive or harmful to cats.

Question: Which Egyptian goddess is pictured as a cat or as a woman with the head of a cat?

Answer: Bastet, by the way, is often pictured holding a musical instrument called a sistrum.