SECRET AGENT CATS: In the 1960s, the CIA spent 20 million dollars on a project codenamed “Acoustic Kitty” to spy on the Soviets. The secret agent cats were implanted with listening devices to record and transmit sound from their surroundings. The project was a failure and eventually abandoned. [1]
FELINE LOVER: Ailurophile means lover of cats—from the ancient Greek ailuro (“cat”) + phile (“lover”). An irrational fear of cats is called ailurophobia. [2]
HOLD YOUR TAIL UP HIGH: The domestic cat is the only member of the feline species that can hold its tail upright. Lions, tigers, and other hunters keep their tails horizontally in line with their bodies or tucked under them. [3]
FUR BALL: A hair ball (sometimes called a fur ball) is a matted wad of hairs that a cat swallows while grooming himself. A hair ball usually forms in the stomach and is later vomited up. [3]
THE HONORABLE MR. STUBBS: A cat named Stubbs has been the honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, since 1997. [4]
References:
[1] "Acoustic Kitty." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.
[2] "Ailurophile." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.
[3] Janik, Carolyn. "Chapter 4." Smart Guide to Understanding Your Cat. Norman, OK: Smart Guide Publications, 2012. 50. Print.
[4] "Stubbs Cat." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.
Photo Credit: Pixabay (CC0 Public Domain)