Worth knowing

A section to read for no particular reason. Nine lives and where that count came from; black cats and the omens that mean the opposite from one country to the next; what a tail is for and how a cat sees the world; whether cats sweat and how they drink. Also here: an astrology chart, two quizzes, music for cats, a photo album of breeds, and films of Shvaika — the cat this site is dedicated to.

• The nine lives of a cat A study by J. Diamond in Natural History magazine on how cats fall from a height, and why they survive falls that by rights should kill them.
• The uncanny abilities of cats During the war, cats on the south coast of England sensed raids before the radar and the trained listeners did. What is known of their foresight.
• The black cat with a white spot Almost every black cat has a white patch somewhere, in plain sight or well hidden. Where it comes from, and what it means.
• Black cats bring luck In Britain a black cat crossing your path meant luck, not misfortune. The superstition has three sources, the first leading to Ancient Egypt.
• Why do cats need a tail? Tailed and tailless are words even Webster's leaves out, though the things exist. What a cat needs a tail for, and how those without one manage.
• Do cats sweat? A cat has very few sweat glands, so you will never see sweat on its coat. How it gets rid of excess heat instead.
• Men in the life of cats A cat likes women and is wary of men for two reasons, the first being pitch: a woman's voice is closer to a cat's own.
• How cats drink A cat does not scoop with its tongue like a spoon: it flicks the liquid up with the back of it. Fourteen close-up photographs of how it works.
• How cats see the world How cats see the world. Differences in perception between people and cats.
• Music for cats Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison composed music tuned to a cat's hearing, mimicking purring and suckling. With video.
• Astrology for cats Astrology for cats: your pet's character by its sign of the zodiac, and how to use it to choose the cat that will suit your family.
• Should you get a cat? A test of A-or-B questions on whether you should get a cat at all. Count up the points; the verdict follows straight after the test.
• Is your cat clever? A test of how clever your cat is, for cats over eighteen months: routine and habits, reaction to the new. Questions with three answers.
• What did the cat say? Do you understand what your cat's purring and hissing mean? A test-game of questions with three answers each to choose from.
• Furry friends (photo album) The first of three pages of the breed album: sixteen photographs by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, each captioned with the name of the breed.
• Shvaika (movies) Eleven home films of the cat Shvaika: the family, feeding, hunting, claw trimming. From twelve seconds to a little over a minute each.