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  1. One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives. ( From New Concept English, book two)

I want to know if "about cats" works in the relative clause "that fascinates us most about cat" or it is a independent expression modifying "things", and therefore, I can alternatively say

  1. One of the things about cats that fascinates us most is the popular belief that they have nine lives.
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  • Hi. Both of these are fine. Why do think your example might be wrong?
    – Billy Kerr
    Aug 3 at 8:33
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    But "about cat" would be wrong. A plural is used here. The non-count usage "about cat" would only be used in exceptional cases such as when referring to cat meat.
    – James K
    Aug 3 at 9:26

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1.One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives.

2.One of the things about cats that fascinates us most is the popular belief that they have nine lives.

The phrase about cats is an independent expression. Therefore,the second sentence is correct. Both sentences have exactly the same meaning.

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The second one is correct.

The first one should, I believe, have the verb in plural ("fascinate"), as you would be saying: There are many things that fascinate us about cats. From, say, the top-five of them (the ones that most fascinate us), I want to mention this: the popular belief... etc. The case of verbs in plural after "One of the things that..." has already been discussed here: Is the use of "one of the" correct in the following context?

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