Title: 
Do you know your pets?

Word Count:
476

Summary:
Though you think you may know your pet, here is some uncommon knowledge about the common house hold pet.


Keywords:
animals, pets, facts


Article Body:
Pets are truly amazing. Not just for the reasons they make us feel as we adopt them and make us part of our families, but for so many reasons we aren’t really even aware of. These loveable animals we think we know, just how well do we really know them?
 
Take for example the cat. This household pet is one of the most common pets which everyone thinks they understand. Ask anyone what they consider a strange or exotic pet and I don’t’ think anyone would say the cat. Yet there is so much unknown about this very ‘common’ pet.
 
In fact there are also some things which people think they know which just isn’t true. For example; catgut. Catgut used to be used for strings on a tennis racket and in musical instruments. But these actually did not come from a cat at all. Catgut originated from pigs, horses, and sheep. I bet your cat will sleep better tonight knowing that piece of information!
 
The cat also for some reason has gotten the reputation for being independent and quite finicky. And with that reputation would you be surprised to find out that the average cat actually consumes around 128,000 calories a year. That is over 28 times its own body weight! Not only that, they drink the same amount in liquids as well. Doesn’t sound too finicky, does it? 
 
By the way, here is another interesting fact about a cat’s diet. A cat can not survive on vegetables alone. So if your cat looks like they want to become a vegan or something because they want to make a point, don’t believe them. They really would prefer a nice fish. Maybe you can just close your eyes and let them think we don’t know.
 
The diet of our pets stack up some pretty staggering figures. The next time someone looks at you strange for buying that expensive pet food you just revel in the knowledge that you are not alone. You and your fellow pet lovers spend over 1.5 billion (That’s billion with a B) dollars on pet food. That is four times the amount of money spent on baby food in the US!
 
Speaking of pet food, if you are a parrot owner you should know that your beloved bird can actually eat almost anything you eat except for avocados and chocolate. (Why you would be eating chocolate covered avocados is beyond me!) If your parrot gets a hold of either of those it might be its last supper as both are very toxic to parrots and can prove to be fatal.
  
So the next time you look at your pet, just think about all you don’t know about that beloved creature. Your pet is a world of mystery and one I’m sure you will enjoy discovering!