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

If a dog sneezes when you're playing, it means they're having a great time!

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

Mirekkijewski / Getty Images

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.

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

Maria Victoria Herrera / Getty Images

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.

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

Gomezdavid / Getty Images

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.

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

Clinton Harris / Getty Images

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!?

5. Pregnant dolphins sing to their unborn babies.

Izanbar / Getty Images

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

6. Cows have best friends.

Rocketspring / Getty Images

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 :(

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

Stewart Hall / Getty Images

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!

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

Liudmylasupynska / Getty Images

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.

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

Media Trading Ltd / Getty Images

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

10. 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.

Buena Vista Pictures

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.

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

Nils Jacobi / Getty Images

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.

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

Aleksandr Zotov / Getty Images

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.

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

Willemert / Getty Images

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.

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

Chamaelleo / Getty Images

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.

15. 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!

Kickers / Getty Images

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.

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

Aaron007 / Getty Images

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.

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

Olgagorovenko / Getty Images

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.

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

Vlad_losh / Getty Images

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!