It’s no secret that cat owners adore their furry companions, but when it comes to understanding our whiskered pals, it seems there’s still a lot of room for improvement. In a recent survey of 2,000 cat parents in the US, a whopping 92% claimed to be well-versed in all things feline. However, the results tell a different story, revealing some purr-fectly surprising gaps in cat knowledge and care.

Here are just a few highlights (or should we say lowlights?) from the study:

• A mere 17% of respondents knew that cats sport 18 toes.
• Despite the iconic image of a cat lapping up milk, a surprising 46% were unaware that many felines are lactose intolerant.
• More than half (56%) had no clue that cats purr to express both contentment and discomfort.
• Only a paltry 1 in 5 were aware that our domestic tabbies share a whopping 96% of their DNA with their wild tiger cousins.

But wait, there’s more! On average, cat owners admitted to forgetting to refill their feline’s water bowl twice a week and skipping meals three times a week. Talk about cat-tastrophe!

Now, if these findings don’t have you chuckling, maybe a little cat humor will do the trick:

Imagine having a forgetful owner like those surveyed. If their cat were anything like mine, they’d only forget to feed it ONCE! Talk about a hangry feline.

As for counting toes, well, let’s just say I’ve never attempted it myself. But I’ve definitely counted 18 claw marks across my chest after the neighbor’s motorcycle rumbled by! Ah, the joys of living with a curious kitty.