Cats are often misunderstood, and people make up baseless myths about them that have no reality whatsoever. In this post, 10 famous cat myths will be debunked.
1. Cats are low maintenance
Cats are certainly not low maintenance. You need to cater to their needs to make them happy. You have to manage their diet to make sure they don’t get fat. You have to hydrate them, bathe them, and do a lot of chores to maintain your furry buddy. It’s not easy, therefore, cats are certainly not low maintenance.
2. Cats like to be alone
Even though cats are not as expressive as dogs, it doesn’t mean that they don’t love their owners and they prefer staying alone. Cats love to have their owner’s attention. Your cat will climb on you to get your attention, will stop you from working by walking on your keyboard, and will lie on your belongings as well.
3. Black cat brings bad luck
This is the most common and idiotic cat myth that is believed by millions of people around the world, and there is no truth in it. People believe that if a black cat crosses your path, it’s bad luck. This is the reason why many black cats get killed by illiterates around the world for no reason at all.
On the contrary, people in Japan consider a black cat crossing their path a sign of good luck. Your luck depends on you, there is no point in making a black cat responsible for your tragedies and failures.
4. Cats only purr when they are happy
It’s a common perception that cats only purr when they are happy and want your attention. However, this isn’t true. Cats purr when they are threatened or when they are scared. Cats also purr when they are in pain or nearing death. Your cat’s purr is just a way in which your cat communicates its feelings to you, and those feelings can be both good and bad.
5. Cats can drink cow’s milk
This is something that gets shown in many cartoons, and it makes us believe that cats can easily drink cow’s milk. However, that isn’t true. You should not give your cat the milk you drink. The reason behind this is that most cats are lactose intolerant. Therefore, they cannot digest it. Cats can only digest their mother’s milk. You should keep the milk you drink away from your cat. If you want your cat to consume some dairy, you should go for lactose-free alternatives.
6. Cats do not like other cats
If your children are asking for a sibling for your cat, you don’t have to be worried. When another cat comes, it probably won’t be fighting your current cat. Cats can be social and can also make friends with other cats. Cats can also be friends with dogs, however, you have to be a little careful in such interactions. However, if you are having more than one cat, then make sure that you have enough resources for every one of them. Cats hate to share. Therefore, if you want to avoid friction and aggression among your feline friends, make sure that your house is well equipped with food and other cat resources,
7. Cats have nine lives
We humans have only one life, but there is a myth that cats live 9 lives. In the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the bard referred to the nine lives of a cat. An ancient proverb states that:
“A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.”
So technically, cats don’t have 9 lives for real. This was just a philosophical statement about cats. There is also a similar myth that comes from Egypt. Thousands of years ago, cats were the favorite pets of Egyptian people. They were so attached to their cats that if they die, the family would shave off their eyebrows to mourn the death of their furry friend.
8. Cats hate water
Many people don’t consider buying cats as they believe that cats hate water. However, this is just a myth. Yes, cats do hate taking baths, but that doesn’t mean that they hate water. As cats keep grooming themselves, their fur is oil-free and fluffy, cats get soaked in water quickly, hence, they feel cold when they get wet, which is why they hate taking baths. Cats love water so much that they will start drinking wherever they spot running water. However, cats don’t like to drink water from a bowl.
9. You can leave cats alone for long weekends
There is a common perception that cats like to live alone and will do without their favorite human, all alone in a house for a long weekend. Well, the truth is that cats can’t stay alone for that. They will start suffering from stress and anxiety and when you come back home, your cat will start behaving weirdly and will not be as active as it normally is. Just like dogs, cats also suffer from separation anxiety. Just like your kid, your cat might also get paranoid when you are not around for so long. Cats love attention and they always want their owners around them.
10. Declawing is not harmful
Declawing might be saving you from your cat’s scratches. Not only you are cutting off your cat’s toes through declawing, but you are also causing your cat a lot of pain. Imagine having your fingers cut, this is exactly how cats feel after getting declawed. They suffer from a lot of pain even after the procedure. Also, your cat will have to learn to walk all over again as declawing ruins your cat’s balance. Therefore, it is better to trim your cat’s nails regularly, but you should never declaw your cat. In some countries, declawing is also banned and in the US, declawing is highly discouraged.
Only trust proved scientific facts when it comes to your furry buddy!
