1. True. The FCI recognizes 360 dog breeds.
2. False. TICA recognizes 71 cat breeds.
3. True. While rarely fatal, chocolate ingestion can result in significant illness to both dogs and cats. In general, the darker and more bitter the chocolate the greater the danger.
4. True. This sugar substitute has recently been discovered to produce acute, possibly life-threatening liver disease. Xylitol can be found in certain sugar-free gums, candies, toothpastes, mouthwashes, and baked goods.
5. False. Dogs can see more than just black, white, and gray. However, the color range they perceive is limited compared to the spectrum we see. The canine color field consists mostly of yellows, blues, and violets.
6. True. Cat bites are exceptionally dangerous and prone to infection because a cat’s sharp teeth can push bacteria deep into flesh, tendons and joints. The small but deep puncture wounds are hard to thoroughly clean and tend to trap bacteria inside, where it quickly spreads.
7. True. Creme Puff (August 3, 1967 – August 6, 2005) was a domestic cat, owned by Jake Perry of Austin, Texas. She was the oldest cat ever recorded, according to the 2010 edition of Guinness World Records, when she died aged 38 years and 3 days.
8. True. Researchers at Vanderbilt University found that a dog’s cerebral cortex contains more than twice the neurons of a cat’s brain. Neurons are cells associated with thinking, planning and complex behaviors, thus strongly related to intelligence.
9. False. Cats (and dogs) are pregnant for less than 3 months. The average litter of cats is 1 to 8 babies and 2-3 litters annually. One cat could have 100 kittens in her lifetime. However, her entire generation could include 420,000 kittens in seven years! Spaying and neutering is important.
10. True. Veterinarians require a Doctorate Degree. Earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree typically takes four years of study after undergraduate school.
