24 Facts About Animals That Are Just Too Cute Not To Share

Trust me, you won't regret reading this.

1. Seahorses get "married" and perform daily bonding rituals with their other half.

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Even when given the chance, paired up seahorses don't cheat, and each morning couples wrap their tails together and dance around seagrass to cement their bond.

2. Sea otters juggle rocks, and they have favourite ones which they store in a special pouch.

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No one really knows why otters shuffle these rocks around, but they all do it – from young to old. When they're not being juggled or used to crack open clams, the rocks are stored in pockets of baggy skin under their arms.

3. And they hold hands when they sleep to stop drifting away, with the mums carrying babies on their bellies.

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Baby otters can't swim at all, and it's really easy for them to float away. They also hold hands when they swim – cute right!?

4. Prairie dogs greet each other just like how we'd greet our loved ones – with a kiss!

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If a prairie dog crosses paths with another that they're friendly with, they'll give each other a cute little peck. And this isn't the only way that they're like us – researchers at a US zoo found that when people were watching them, the prairie dogs played up to the attention and kissed and hugged each other even more.

5. Pregnant dolphins sing to their unborn babies.

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Research found that mama dolphins sing them their "signature whistle," which is pretty much the equivalent of them teaching the babies their name.

6. Fish can identify human faces and some can even learn to recognise their owners.

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Contrary to popular belief, fish actually have a decent memory and good vision, so if you've got a pet one, chances are he knows your face. In some places, it's illegal for fish to be kept in bowls as they're thought to distort their vision.

7. Cows have best friends.

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Their vacant stares might not show it, but cows are actually very deep, and studies show that when they're separated from their besties they get stressed :(

8. Despite being very territorial, squirrels have been found to adopt orphaned squirrel pups and nurse them as their own.

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It's not that common though – studies found that adult squirrels only tend to do this if the orphan is the baby of a squirrel who was closely related to them.

9. Parrot parents give their kids unique names and they call each other by them for life.

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Just like humans, parrots name their babies, and not only do they call each other by their names, they also use them to identify and refer to themselves. How clever!

10. Dogs sneeze when they're playing to signal that they're having a good time.

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Anyone who's been near an excited dog knows that things can get a little hectic, and while dogs can sneeze due to irritants, they also engage in what is known as "play sneezing" – a clever way to tell you that all their energy positive and they're playing, not attacking.

11. And if a dog puts their paw on you while you're stroking them, it means they're 'petting you.'

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Yep, sometimes the pettee becomes the petter, and this is basically them showing you that they love you back.

12. In some movies, the tails of dogs have to be altered with CGI because they were having such a great time on set they couldn't help but wag them.

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The tail is an extension of the spine, and while some are able to control it, most often, wagging is an involuntary response, kind of like how humans smile and laugh. While wagging can sometimes mean they're apprehensive, most of the time it's because they're happy. Makers of many movies, including The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and Cujo have reported cases of excited wags and sticking out tongues distracting from the movie's dark themes.

13. Octopuses live in small dens that they decorate with rocks, stones, and any other shiny treasures they can get their tentacles on.

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We all know that octopuses are very intelligent creatures, so it should be no surprise that they want to live in style. Decorations can be anything from abandoned bottle caps to pretty shells.

14. Cat don't meow to other adult cats, so if one meows at you, they're making an effort to communicate with you.

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Cats have learned that humans don't understand cat-to-cat communications, so scientists believe they've developed meows as a way to "talk" with us. Anyone with a cat knows that different meows mean different things, so it's a pretty legit language.

15. When a cat makes eye contact then slowly blinks, they're giving you the feline equivalent of a kiss.

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Cats do this slow blink to humans and other cats that they know because in the feline world, closing their eyes is a sign of feeling safe. Experts recommend returning the slow blink as a way of building trust.

16. And tigers can't purr, so when they're happy, they purposefully close their eyes to show that they're content with their surroundings.

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In the wild, tigers obviously have to be aware of what's around them, so closing or squinting their eyes lets their guard down and shows that they feel safe and comfortable.

17. Despite their size, cheetahs can't roar – so they purr and chirp instead.

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Unlike their big cat peers, cheetahs can't roar, climb, or see in the dark very well. Their larynxes aren't adapted to roar, so instead they make really adorable purring and chirping sounds.

18. Guinea pigs are so social that in Switzerland, it's illegal to keep less than two together – they even have matchmaking services for the pets!

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Social interaction is essential for guinea pigs' happiness, so Switzerland ruled that keeping just one counts as animal abuse. They're obviously creatures who form strong attachments, and if they lose their partner they can get very lonely, so it only makes sense that the matchmaking services are in high demand.

19. And when they're really excited, guinea pigs jump around involuntarily. It's called "popcorning" and it's very cute.

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Most new guinea pig owners are slightly alarmed when their new pet starts jumping around and squeaking at the sight of new hay or some tasty food, but it just means they're happy. It's most common among baby piggies, but adults sometimes do it when something very excitable happens.

20. When a baby elephant is born, the rest of the females in the herd trumpet together to spread the news of the arrival.

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African elephant herds are full of community spirit – baby elephants learn how to make their way through the world from their parents and older members of the herd – female elephants often care for younger ones, and they've been found to develop very close bonds.

21. Baby elephants suck their trunks in a similar way that human babies suck their thumbs.

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Sucking their trunks is a reflex that help them to breast feed, but studies show that they also suck them for comfort. It's really common in babies, but elephants of all ages have been known to suck their trunks, especially in nerve-wracking situations.

22. Wolves take turns to "babysit" younger members of their pack, and take them to rendezvous sites to play and explore.

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Before wolf cubs leave their dens, the older members will bring them food and play with them. Once they're old enough, they spend time out in the open, and most often one adult will stay nearby to supervise.

23. Rats can learn to play hide-and-seek and they squeak with joy when they win.

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Pets and wild rats have been known to play the classic game, and they're pretty good – when scientists studied this, they found that they developed winning tactics. They also found that they chose to prolong the game rather than just getting a reward, which suggests that they really enjoy it.

24. Ravens and crows remember faces, so you could technically make friends with one.

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Members of the corvid family (crows, ravens, jays, and magpies) are really clever, and can recognise individual faces. In studies, they've been found to remember humans who treat them fairly, and even warn their winged friends about those that don't.

Don't forget to share your cutest animal fact in the comments below!