Snipfact:

  Bluey, an Australian cattle-dog owned by Les Hall of Victoria, Australia, died in 1938 at the age of 29 years 5 months

  In 1989 Aicama Zorba of La-Susa, an Old English mastiff owned by Chris Eraclides of London, weighed 155.58kg and measured 2.5m from nose to tail.

  Greyhound 67.14 km/h Saluki 64+ km/h Ibizan hound 60.8-64 km/h Whippet 54.42 km/h Sloughi 57.6 km/h

  American psychology professor and pet trainer Stanley Coren ranked. 133 breeds of dogs for intelligence. He studied their responses to a range of IQ tests, as well as the opinions of dog obedience judges. The five top breeds were the border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever and Doberman pinscher.

  Tabby was one of the first White House Cats. More recent examples include J.F. Kennedy’s Tom kitten, Ronald Reagan’s Cleo and Sara and Bill Clinton’s Socks.

  The Italian composer’s cat used to jump on to his harpischord keyboard and stroil along the keys. This inspired Scarlatti to compose The Cat’s Fugue.

  Williamina was called William until she had a litter of kittens. One of these, known as The master’s Cat, used to put out Dickens’s candle with its paw.

  A black kitten turned up at 10 Dowring Street on 10 October 1953 and Churchill adopted it. It was named Margate to commemorate an important speech Churchill was to make in the town that day. Later cats in Number 10 have included Harold Wilson’s Nemo and Margaret Thatcher’s  Wilberforce. Humphrey, a stray cat, moved in with Mrs Thatcher and stayed o n with john Major and then Tony Blair.

  Foss was the subject of a number of Lear’s nonsense poems and comic drawings. When Foss died in 1887, Lear said he was 31 years old

  These totals include cats, dogs, birds, fish, small mammals and reptiles. USA 363,,268,690 China 274,103,310 Germany 77,495,000 Brazil 72,026,640 France 67,150,000 Japan 66,451,000 Russia 60,075,000 Italy 59,850,00 UK 49,281,00 Turkey 41,001,580 Philippines 31,604,030 Netherlands 29,713,000 Mexico 26,978,440 Canada 25,463,00

  In 1970 Tarawood Antigone, a female Burmese owned by Valerie Gane of Kingham, Oxfordshire, gave birth to 19 kittens. Fifteen of the litter survived

  There are several contenders for this little. The most reliable record is that of the French-born cat Grandpa Rex’s Allen. This was a Sphynx cat owned by Jake Perry of Austin, Texas, USA. The cat died in 1998 at the age of 34.

  Maine Coons are a North American breed of muscular, big-bonded cats. Males often reach 6-8 kg in weight.

  Tinker Toy, a male Blue Point Himalayan owned by Katrina and Scott Forbes of Illinois, USA, is 7 cm tall, 19  cm long and weighs 625 g.

  Himmy, owned by Thomas Vyse of Queensland, Australia, weighed 21.3 kg. He had a 38.1 cm neck and an 84 cm waist – similar to that of an adult human! He died in 1986 at the age of ten.

  There are amazing stories of cats and dogs that travel great distances home after getting separated from their owners. Bobbie, a collie dog, made one of the longest journeys. He was lost on a family holiday in Indiana, USA, on 15 August 1923, Six months later, he arrived home in Silverton, Oregon, 4828 km away. He became known as Silverston Bobbie, the Wonder Dog of Oregon.

  Just over half (52.3 per cent) of the households in the UK own a pet, ranging from dogs, cats and rabbits to the more exotic snakes and spiders. Cat 6,100,800 households (hh) Dog 5,232,800 hh Goldfish 2,033,600 hh Fish in ponds 1,711,200 hh Tropical fish 967,200 hh Budgerigar 694,400 hh Hamster 620,000 hh Bird* 520,800 hh Guinea pig 464,400 hh Fish in aquariums 372,000 hh Other rodent (rats, mice) 372,000 hh Reptile 258,000 hh Parrot 248,000 hh Horse or pony 223,200 hh Canary 198,400 hh * Other than budgerigars and canaries

  Avian or bird flu is a disease that affects domesticated and wild birds. In recent years, a type known as H5N1 has killed many birds, and a small number of people who have been in contact with them. Experts fear that if the virus mutates it could start to pass from human to human.