Myths & Facts
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Furry Angel Felines
This independent, mysterious creature has been adored throughout the ages with their
freedom of spirit as part of their charm. Mystery, however, gives rise to myths, which gives
rise to misinformation. An uninformed owner can accidentally harm their feline, even if they
had no intention of doing so.
Myth: Cats are evil.
Fact: This myth came into being because cats have long been associated with witches
and witchcraft. It is born of fear and ignorance because when people couldn't explain
something, as in the days of the Salem Witch Trials, they automatically used the nearest
scapegoat which many times happened to be the family pet. It was more important for
people to feel righteous and appear all-knowing to their peers than to admit their own
ignorances and inadequacies. Cats are loving gentle companions who give much more than
they take. They have been worshipped as gods, and known as protectors for early sailors.
Myth: Cats are more prone to internal and external parasites than dogs.
Fact: There is no medical evidence to support this claim. Cats, dogs, humans, etc., can
all be carriers of internal and external parasites.
Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
Fact: Cats are very agile creatures with a strong sense of balance. If falling a short
distance they are unable to right themselves before landing. As with humans or any other
species, a cat can be seriously injured and quite possibly killed if it falls from a great height.
Myth: Cats can have cow's milk.
Fact: This is not recommended. Many cats are lactose intolerant and giving them milk
will result in them getting an upset stomach. This is especially dangerous in kittens because
they dehydrate quickly. An adult cat doesn't need to drink milk at all. If you must give your
cat milk, it is recommended you purchase Cat's Milk, available at your local Grocery or
Specialty Pet Store, which has been specifically formulated for cats to drink, or Soy Milk,
which is lactose free.
Myth: If a cat urinates/defecates in the wrong spot, rub it's nose in it.
Fact: This is one of the greatest acts of cruelty you can impose on your pet, regardless
of what species it is. Rubbing a cat's nose in feces can be traumatizing and can cause it to
avoid the litter box. If your pet is going in the wrong place its probably trying to tell you
something and it's your responsibility as a pet owner to listen. Common causes of
inappropriate elimination can be, but are not limited to:
1) The litter box is dirty. Litter boxes should be scooped daily and washed with a
mild detergent weekly.
2) Wrong location. Cats, like humans, prefer privacy when taking care of business
and will avoid the litter box if it is a noisy, high traffic area of your home.
3) Medical problems. A sick cat will get your attention one way or another.
Please consult your Veterinarian if this behavior continues.
Myth: My cat will get fat & lazy if it is sexually altered.
Fact: While every cat will gain a bit of weight and fill out after Spay or Neuter, they do not
become fat and lazy. Cats are nocturnal by nature and those in the wild will do most of their
hunting by night while burrowing in and sleeping during the day. By altering an animal you
are helping to prevent overpopulation and assisting in disease control. An unaltered pet
runs a greater risk of mammary and testicular cancers. If your pet is gaining an unusual
amount of weight after being altered, please consult your Veterinarian.
Myth: Declawing won't hurt my cat.
Fact: Wrong people!!! Declawing = Amputation. Let us ask you this, would
you like ends of your fingers surgically removed? Declawing is a major operation. The
"patient" is first put under general anesthesia. The veterinarian then performs a series of
ten amputations. Each amputation removes the claw and the bone into which it is firmly
rooted. The supporting tendon and ligament for each claw are severed. The surrounding soft
tissue and flesh is cut off. Complications of this amputation can be excruciating pain,
damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, and painful
regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye. Even if the
operation goes smoothly, the pain and anguish to which the cat is subjected when it wakes
up are excruciating. The inhumanity of the procedure is clearly demonstrated by the nature
of cats' recovery from anesthesia following the surgery. Unlike routine recoveries, including
recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful, declawing surgery results in
cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery cage because of excruciating pain. Cats that are
more stoic huddle in the corner of the recovery cage. Our advise to you on this subject:
Avoid this cruel, painful and unnecessary surgery! Get a scratching post!
Myth: A cat purrs because it's happy.
Fact: Purring is actually more of an emotional expression and release than a sign of
happiness. Sometimes cats will purr while giving birth or dying.
Myth: Cats are independent & the ideal pet for somebody with a busy lifestyle.
Fact: While cats appear to be independent and aloof, they are actually very affectionate
and sensitive companions. They are ideal for people with busy lifestyles because they are
low maintenance and clean, but please remember that they get lonely and need
companionship as much as humans do. It is a good idea to always have pets in two's so
they are companions for each other while their human is away at work.
Myth: Cats smother babies and steal their breath.
Fact: Cats like to be warm and they are very affectionate. A cat will snuggle with a
human companion for both of these reasons. They also like milk or formula, which is the
bulk of a baby's diet for the first year. Babies are warm and snuggly so it makes sense that
kitty would want to snuggle with your baby. Common sense itself will dispel this myth, so
use your own logic and educate yourself. Cats do not cause "crib death". If you are
concerned about the cat being too close to your baby's face, simply keep kitty out of your
nursery while your baby is sleeping.
Myth: All cats hate water.
Fact: Bathing a cat in water is usually not necessary because they are fastidious
groomers and will keep themselves and each other clean. While they usually do not care to
be in a bath, most cats love to play in their drinking water. A filtered fountain water dish is a
great source of entertainment for your furry friend because the water is always clean and
it's always moving which stimulates natural curiosity.
Myth: If you no longer want your pet cat, it is OK to release it into the wild because cats
can fend for themselves.
Fact: NO, NO, NO!!! We see so much of this and it is always heartbreaking. The human
mentality of "the hunting instinct will kick in" is a fallacy. Hunting is a skill. Domestic cats
who are not taught to hunt by their mothers when they are young sometimes don't know
how to hunt. If kitty has been fed all it's life by a human, that's what it will expect. They have
been known to starve to death even if there is a supply of rodents or amphibians because
they do not understand why their normal food source is gone and they don't know how to
feed themselves.
Myth: Pregnant women shouldn't own cats.
Fact: Let's talk Toxoplasmosis. This is a disease caused by a parasite that can infect
your cat if she eats prey already harboring the parasite or comes into contact with
contaminated soil. It is rare among indoor-only cats. Eating raw or undercooked meat is the
most common way that humans contract toxoplasmosis. The incubation period for this
parasite is from 5-20 days. Common sense sanitation practices can eliminate the threat of
toxoplasmosis by proper hand washing after handling raw meat, gardening or cleaning the
litter box.
Myth: Cats and dogs can see in the dark and only in black and white.
Fact: A pet's night vision is only slightly better than humans. Studies have shown that
cats and dogs do indeed see color, but with a different interpretation of it than in humans.
Pets actually have better depth perception than humans do and they are also equipped with
sets of blue-light transmitters in the eyes called Cryptochromes. These neurotransmitters
actually allow pets to "see" the earth's magnetic field and are the cause of annual migration
of birds and mammals.
Myth: Pets should be allowed to give birth to just one litter before being spayed.
Fact: Pets that have a litter before they are spayed are not better for it in any way,
physically, mentally or emotionally. In fact, spayed pets are at lower risk for breast cancer
and uterine infections. The benefits of spaying and neutering far outweigh the risks of
surgery.
This independent, mysterious creature has been adored throughout the ages with their
freedom of spirit as part of their charm. Mystery, however, gives rise to myths, which gives
rise to misinformation. An uninformed owner can accidentally harm their feline, even if they
had no intention of doing so.
Myth: Cats are evil.
Fact: This myth came into being because cats have long been associated with witches
and witchcraft. It is born of fear and ignorance because when people couldn't explain
something, as in the days of the Salem Witch Trials, they automatically used the nearest
scapegoat which many times happened to be the family pet. It was more important for
people to feel righteous and appear all-knowing to their peers than to admit their own
ignorances and inadequacies. Cats are loving gentle companions who give much more than
they take. They have been worshipped as gods, and known as protectors for early sailors.
Myth: Cats are more prone to internal and external parasites than dogs.
Fact: There is no medical evidence to support this claim. Cats, dogs, humans, etc., can
all be carriers of internal and external parasites.
Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
Fact: Cats are very agile creatures with a strong sense of balance. If falling a short
distance they are unable to right themselves before landing. As with humans or any other
species, a cat can be seriously injured and quite possibly killed if it falls from a great height.
Myth: Cats can have cow's milk.
Fact: This is not recommended. Many cats are lactose intolerant and giving them milk
will result in them getting an upset stomach. This is especially dangerous in kittens because
they dehydrate quickly. An adult cat doesn't need to drink milk at all. If you must give your
cat milk, it is recommended you purchase Cat's Milk, available at your local Grocery or
Specialty Pet Store, which has been specifically formulated for cats to drink, or Soy Milk,
which is lactose free.
Myth: If a cat urinates/defecates in the wrong spot, rub it's nose in it.
Fact: This is one of the greatest acts of cruelty you can impose on your pet, regardless
of what species it is. Rubbing a cat's nose in feces can be traumatizing and can cause it to
avoid the litter box. If your pet is going in the wrong place its probably trying to tell you
something and it's your responsibility as a pet owner to listen. Common causes of
inappropriate elimination can be, but are not limited to:
1) The litter box is dirty. Litter boxes should be scooped daily and washed with a
mild detergent weekly.
2) Wrong location. Cats, like humans, prefer privacy when taking care of business
and will avoid the litter box if it is a noisy, high traffic area of your home.
3) Medical problems. A sick cat will get your attention one way or another.
Please consult your Veterinarian if this behavior continues.
Myth: My cat will get fat & lazy if it is sexually altered.
Fact: While every cat will gain a bit of weight and fill out after Spay or Neuter, they do not
become fat and lazy. Cats are nocturnal by nature and those in the wild will do most of their
hunting by night while burrowing in and sleeping during the day. By altering an animal you
are helping to prevent overpopulation and assisting in disease control. An unaltered pet
runs a greater risk of mammary and testicular cancers. If your pet is gaining an unusual
amount of weight after being altered, please consult your Veterinarian.
Myth: Declawing won't hurt my cat.
Fact: Wrong people!!! Declawing = Amputation. Let us ask you this, would
you like ends of your fingers surgically removed? Declawing is a major operation. The
"patient" is first put under general anesthesia. The veterinarian then performs a series of
ten amputations. Each amputation removes the claw and the bone into which it is firmly
rooted. The supporting tendon and ligament for each claw are severed. The surrounding soft
tissue and flesh is cut off. Complications of this amputation can be excruciating pain,
damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, and painful
regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye. Even if the
operation goes smoothly, the pain and anguish to which the cat is subjected when it wakes
up are excruciating. The inhumanity of the procedure is clearly demonstrated by the nature
of cats' recovery from anesthesia following the surgery. Unlike routine recoveries, including
recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful, declawing surgery results in
cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery cage because of excruciating pain. Cats that are
more stoic huddle in the corner of the recovery cage. Our advise to you on this subject:
Avoid this cruel, painful and unnecessary surgery! Get a scratching post!
Myth: A cat purrs because it's happy.
Fact: Purring is actually more of an emotional expression and release than a sign of
happiness. Sometimes cats will purr while giving birth or dying.
Myth: Cats are independent & the ideal pet for somebody with a busy lifestyle.
Fact: While cats appear to be independent and aloof, they are actually very affectionate
and sensitive companions. They are ideal for people with busy lifestyles because they are
low maintenance and clean, but please remember that they get lonely and need
companionship as much as humans do. It is a good idea to always have pets in two's so
they are companions for each other while their human is away at work.
Myth: Cats smother babies and steal their breath.
Fact: Cats like to be warm and they are very affectionate. A cat will snuggle with a
human companion for both of these reasons. They also like milk or formula, which is the
bulk of a baby's diet for the first year. Babies are warm and snuggly so it makes sense that
kitty would want to snuggle with your baby. Common sense itself will dispel this myth, so
use your own logic and educate yourself. Cats do not cause "crib death". If you are
concerned about the cat being too close to your baby's face, simply keep kitty out of your
nursery while your baby is sleeping.
Myth: All cats hate water.
Fact: Bathing a cat in water is usually not necessary because they are fastidious
groomers and will keep themselves and each other clean. While they usually do not care to
be in a bath, most cats love to play in their drinking water. A filtered fountain water dish is a
great source of entertainment for your furry friend because the water is always clean and
it's always moving which stimulates natural curiosity.
Myth: If you no longer want your pet cat, it is OK to release it into the wild because cats
can fend for themselves.
Fact: NO, NO, NO!!! We see so much of this and it is always heartbreaking. The human
mentality of "the hunting instinct will kick in" is a fallacy. Hunting is a skill. Domestic cats
who are not taught to hunt by their mothers when they are young sometimes don't know
how to hunt. If kitty has been fed all it's life by a human, that's what it will expect. They have
been known to starve to death even if there is a supply of rodents or amphibians because
they do not understand why their normal food source is gone and they don't know how to
feed themselves.
Myth: Pregnant women shouldn't own cats.
Fact: Let's talk Toxoplasmosis. This is a disease caused by a parasite that can infect
your cat if she eats prey already harboring the parasite or comes into contact with
contaminated soil. It is rare among indoor-only cats. Eating raw or undercooked meat is the
most common way that humans contract toxoplasmosis. The incubation period for this
parasite is from 5-20 days. Common sense sanitation practices can eliminate the threat of
toxoplasmosis by proper hand washing after handling raw meat, gardening or cleaning the
litter box.
Myth: Cats and dogs can see in the dark and only in black and white.
Fact: A pet's night vision is only slightly better than humans. Studies have shown that
cats and dogs do indeed see color, but with a different interpretation of it than in humans.
Pets actually have better depth perception than humans do and they are also equipped with
sets of blue-light transmitters in the eyes called Cryptochromes. These neurotransmitters
actually allow pets to "see" the earth's magnetic field and are the cause of annual migration
of birds and mammals.
Myth: Pets should be allowed to give birth to just one litter before being spayed.
Fact: Pets that have a litter before they are spayed are not better for it in any way,
physically, mentally or emotionally. In fact, spayed pets are at lower risk for breast cancer
and uterine infections. The benefits of spaying and neutering far outweigh the risks of
surgery.
| Let's Talk About Old Wive's Tales!!!! I remember growing up hearing ridiculous things like, "If a black cat crosses your path it's bad luck" or "A cat will smother a baby to steal it's breath," or "If you open an umbrella in the house someone is going to die" and a million other little things that made no sense at all since we never saw any of those things! I remember thinking, where does this stuff come from? Ugh! Please people!! These myths are borne of lack of education, ignorance and fear, and have caused the deaths of innocent animals throughout the ages. Let's get the facts and set the record straight for our Furry Angels everywhere!!! |