Megan Moran

Cat quiz

Calling all cat lovers: this cat quiz is your chance to prove you know more than just where the treats are kept. These 20 questions of cat trivia cover favorite breeds, big cats in the wild, ancient legends, famous felines and the curious biology behind whiskers, tongues and coat colors.

A free quiz from Megan Moran.

Paper-cut illustration of a sunny windowsill with a ball of yarn, a pet bed, a feather toy and paw prints
Pick an answer to start20 to go

  1. Question 1 of 20Big catsEasy

    Which is generally considered the largest wild cat species?

  2. Question 2 of 20Cat breedsEasy

    Which cat breed is famous for having little or no fur?

  3. Question 3 of 20Cat historyMedium

    Which ancient Egyptian deity was often shown as a cat or as a woman with a cat's head?

  4. Question 4 of 20Cat biologyEasy

    What is one of the main jobs of a cat's whiskers?

  5. Question 5 of 20Cat historyMedium

    Pet cats are descended mainly from which wild cat?

  6. Question 6 of 20Cat historyHard

    A 9,500-year-old grave of a person buried with a cat, among the oldest evidence of people keeping cats, was found on which Mediterranean island?

  7. Question 7 of 20Cat biologyMedium

    Why do Siamese cats have darker fur on their ears, face, paws and tail?

  8. Question 8 of 20Cat breedsEasy

    Which breed is named for its ears, which fold forward and down?

  9. Question 9 of 20Cat biologyMedium

    Because of a faulty gene, which basic taste can cats not detect?

  10. Question 10 of 20Famous catsHard

    In 1963, a cat named Félicette became the first cat in space, on a rocket launched by which country?

  11. Question 11 of 20Cat biologyMedium

    Why are almost all calico cats female?

  12. Question 12 of 20Cat behaviorEasy

    About how many hours a day does a typical adult pet cat sleep?

  13. Question 13 of 20Famous catsMedium

    In 2011, a former stray tabby named Larry was given which official-sounding title at 10 Downing Street in London?

  14. Question 14 of 20Cat historyHard

    According to the Greek historian Herodotus, what did members of an ancient Egyptian household shave when their cat died a natural death?

  15. Question 15 of 20Big catsMedium

    What are the parents of a liger?

  16. Question 16 of 20Cat breedsEasy

    What is the Maine Coon breed best known for?

  17. Question 17 of 20Cat biologyHard

    A cat's tongue feels rough because it is covered in tiny backward-facing spines. What are these spines called?

  18. Question 18 of 20Cat historyMedium

    In Norse mythology, which goddess rode in a chariot pulled by two cats?

  19. Question 19 of 20Cat behaviorHard

    What is a group of cats called?

  20. Question 20 of 20Big catsMedium

    Puma, mountain lion, panther and catamount are all names for which American wild cat?

Answer all 20 to see your score.

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Show all the answers, with the facts behind them
  1. Which is generally considered the largest wild cat species? TigerThese big cats are strong swimmers and often go into water to cool off.
  2. Which cat breed is famous for having little or no fur? SphynxThe breed began with a hairless kitten born in Toronto in 1966. Without a coat, these cats feel warm to the touch.
  3. Which ancient Egyptian deity was often shown as a cat or as a woman with a cat's head? BastetHer main temple was at Bubastis in the Nile Delta, where huge numbers of mummified cats were later found.
  4. What is one of the main jobs of a cat's whiskers? Sensing their surroundings, such as air currents and tight gapsCats also have whiskers on the backs of their front legs, which help them sense prey they are holding.
  5. Pet cats are descended mainly from which wild cat? African wildcatA 2007 DNA study of nearly 1,000 cats traced the start of cat domestication to the Near East.
  6. A 9,500-year-old grave of a person buried with a cat, among the oldest evidence of people keeping cats, was found on which Mediterranean island? CyprusWildcats weren't native to the island, so people must have brought them over by boat.
  7. Why do Siamese cats have darker fur on their ears, face, paws and tail? Their pigment-making enzyme works best in cooler parts of the bodySiamese kittens are born white. A shaved patch may even grow back darker, because the bare skin is cooler.
  8. Which breed is named for its ears, which fold forward and down? Scottish FoldThe breed began with Susie, a white barn cat found on a farm near Coupar Angus, Scotland, in 1961.
  9. Because of a faulty gene, which basic taste can cats not detect? SweetResearchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center found the same broken gene in tigers and cheetahs.
  10. In 1963, a cat named Félicette became the first cat in space, on a rocket launched by which country? FranceHer suborbital flight lasted only about a quarter of an hour. A bronze statue of her was unveiled at the International Space University in Strasbourg in 2019.
  11. Why are almost all calico cats female? The gene for orange or black fur is carried on the X chromosomeThe calico became Maryland's state cat in 2001, partly because its colors match the state bird, the Baltimore oriole.
  12. About how many hours a day does a typical adult pet cat sleep? 12 to 16The average is about 13 to 14 hours, so a 15-year-old cat may have spent around eight years asleep.
  13. In 2011, a former stray tabby named Larry was given which official-sounding title at 10 Downing Street in London? Chief Mouser to the Cabinet OfficeLarry was adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the London animal shelter.
  14. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, what did members of an ancient Egyptian household shave when their cat died a natural death? Their eyebrowsHe wrote that when a family dog died, people shaved their whole body and head instead.
  15. What are the parents of a liger? A lion father and a tiger motherLigers usually grow bigger than either parent. Tigons, from a tiger father and a lioness, usually don't.
  16. What is the Maine Coon breed best known for? Being one of the largest domestic cat breedsA Maine Coon named Cosey won Best in Show at a famous 1895 cat show at New York's Madison Square Garden.
  17. A cat's tongue feels rough because it is covered in tiny backward-facing spines. What are these spines called? PapillaeA 2018 Georgia Tech study found the spines are hollow, letting them carry saliva deep into the fur during grooming.
  18. In Norse mythology, which goddess rode in a chariot pulled by two cats? FreyjaShe also owned a famous necklace called Brísingamen and was accompanied by a boar named Hildisvíni.
  19. What is a group of cats called? A clowderOther terms for a group of cats include a 'glaring' and a 'colony', a word often used for groups of feral cats.
  20. Puma, mountain lion, panther and catamount are all names for which American wild cat? CougarIt holds the Guinness World Record for the mammal with the most names, with over 40 in English alone.
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