How Does Facebook Know My Family?

This is really (pick one): strange, spooky, scary, fascinating.

Originally I joined Facebook over a year ago, but didn't do anything with my membership for many months, until a couple of friends/relatives contacted me at the same time asking me to friend them.

I must have done a search for friends and relatives, both mine and spouses, when I first joined - and didn't find any.

Well, today I got a friend request.  It wasn't through Facebook but was through my email-and not the email I use for my Facebook account.  It asked me to friend an acquaintance from many years ago. With the request there was a section "you may want to friend these people too".

One did not have a photo and is a cousin I am almost certain is not on Facebook. That made me even more suspicious...but even curious.

Another person was the name of of my spouses' cousins.  I didn't think the picture was of him but we were able to check his profile on Facebook and it was him.   (it must be that Facebook somehow saved the names of everyone I searched for-that or it is psychic.  That's why this is so spooky  His last name is not spouse's last name-or anything close to it.)  So I have sent a Friend request to him.  And, also friend requests to his brothers, and one of his sisters in law, and his daughter, and.....I didn't have time for more.  I'd like to friend some more of these relatives, including one cat by the name of Oreo.

I explained it was me and not their cousin, that spouse doesn't "do" computers, etc. and I hope they will friend me anyway.

I will be curious to see what happens.  But in the meantime, I am trying to compose my message to Oreo.  Stay tuned:  can I convince a cat to friend me?