Don’t Believe These Cat Myths…
Posted by Andrea on 4th Aug 2020
- Cats Have 9 Lives. Incorrect! This idea may have come from ancient Egypt where the sun god, Atum-Ra could shape shift into a feline. He was one of nine deities. Also this untruth comes from the cat’s strong survival instincts that can take them away from potentially dangerous situations.
- Cats Always Land on their Feet. Nope! Though cats can turn and twist in mid-air, when they climb trees and walk across balconies, there is no guarantee they will land on their feet. When they fall they can be severely injured. Never leave them alone near high places which could tempt them as they will unknowingly put themselves in danger. As their humans, we are responsible for their safe keeping.
- Cats Cannot be Trained. Untrue! Cats learn via positive reinforcement and rewards, the same way as dogs learn. In fact, clicker training and treats provide the motivation to sit, ly down and roll over. It is further true that cats can be trained to use and flush a human toilet.
- When a Cat Wags her Tail, She is a Happy Cat! Never! Again, let’s not confuse ourselves with the dog world. A cat whose tail is wagging is usually annoyed. If you are petting her, stop before she becomes over stimulated and her annoyance turns into anger, and her happy demeanor into teeth and claws.
- Cats Can’t Stand Drinking Water. Not so! Certain cats, like Bengals, Savannahs, and Maine Coons are famous for going into the water. Some love baths and playing in sinks and puddles. I think this misconception is from the truism that often they don’t drink enough water. For this reason, make sure they have it cold and available and feed them wet cat food.
- Milk is Best. Isn’t! Cats need their mother’s milk as a baby, but they do not need cow’s milk…ever. Drinking cow’s milk can result in sever digestive upset for felines. Where the stereotype came from is beyond me.
- Black Cats are Bad luck. Simply untrue! This is an unfair superstition and comes from Celtic mythology about Halloween, witches, and other such fanciful creatures. Please don’t not adopt a black cat. He might just bring you the best luck you have ever had.
- Cats are Too Independent to Keep as Pets. Not at all! Though they like to do their own thing, they are certainly loving creatures and attached to their humans. They rely on you for not only their survival needs but to keep them happy and occupied. Though they sometimes seem aloof, they are just taking their “me time,” relaxing in their own little world. Hey, can you blame them? For this, they should not get a bad rap. For more information on this topic, please go to:
https://iheartcats.com/10-cat-myths-to-stop-believing/?utm_source=IHC-Email-Newsletter-072320&utm_medium=0000&utm_campaign=IHC-Email-Newsletter-072320&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJhbWtiaXpAZ21haWwuY29tIiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAibXpLbjY5In0%3D