(Mis) Perceptions of Cats
My 69-year old single aunt recently moved into a retirement community for seniors. When I saw her over Christmas, I asked her if she would like to adopt a dog because she had always shown a fondness for my parents’ dog Johnny and my other aunt and uncle’s dog Jerry. She said that she didn’t want the responsibility that comes with owning a dog so I suggested she adopt a cat instead. Upon the mention of “cat,” she hissed (pun intended) and shook her head vigorously. At the same time, my mother who was sitting next to her was doing the same thing. I pressed further for exact reasons for their strong dislike for cats. “What is it about cats that you don’t like?” I asked. They both chimed in at the same time saying, “They’re evil.”
Now putting that little anecdote aside, I wanted to lay out a list of myths and truths that I have come across over the years to dispel some of the top misconceptions about cats and cat behavior.
Myth 1: Cats are evil.
Truth 1: Cats are not evil. I don’t know where this misconception originated from, but it has been perpetuated by the media over the years. From Sylvester the Cat who is always looking to devour Tweety Bird, to the two Siamese cats that are up to no good in “Lady and the Tramp,” it is no wonder why cats have a bad reputation.
Myth 2: Cats love to drink milk.
Truth 2: In reality, milk gives cats upset stomachs. Don’t believe those cartoon kitties that lap up milk! What the cartoon fails to show you is that in the next few seconds, the cat will have upset stomach and most likely vomit due to the fact that a lot of them are lactose intolerant. If you find a tiny kitten, you would give it special kitten formula, never cow’s milk.
Myth 3: Cats can easily be declawed, or it is good for them to be declawed.
Truth 3: There is no need for a cat to be declawed, and nor is it good for the cat. Most people who declaw their cats have done so for their own convenience, so that the cats will not ruin their furniture or scratch them accidentally. Declawing is not simply a manicure; it is a surgical procedure that is more involved than a clip to the nails. Here in Los Angeles, a bill was passed in 2003 banning veterinarians in the city of West Hollywood from performing declaw procedures on cats.
Myth 4: Cats always land on their feet.
Truth 4: Although cats are extremely dexterous and agile, it is not true that all cats land on their feet every time they are falling. It differs from cat to cat, and certainly not something to be tested just for testing’s sake.
Myth 5: Cats are not as friendly as dogs.
Truth 5: It may be true that your cats may not greet you at your door after you come home from your long day of work by jumping onto your lap and wagging their tails vigorously, but that does not mean that your cat is less friendly than your dog. A lot of cats are very friendly, but this is displayed in different ways. As opposed to a friendly tail wagging, a cat will purr and rub its face and body around your legs. Just as you don’t expect two people to have the same personalities, a cat and a dog do not act or express their personalities the same way. And that does not mean that a cat is not as friendly as a dog.
There are hundreds of other myths about cats that are being perpetuated in our daily lives. What are some of the ones that you have heard that didn’t make this list? Leave us a comment below.
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In the U.S black cats seem to be considered unlucky.In the U.K the opposite is true,it is considered lucky if a black cat crosses your path.
Thanks for this post. It is absolutely accurate. I never liked cats, always preferring dogs, until I was reluctantly persuaded to bring a stray in from the street…only for a night, until the shelter opened. We live near a school that was overrun by field mice; twice a year they bred and baby mice ran through the neighborhood. I despised the methods of dealing with them. Milky didn’t, catching one that night. Next day I said, “The cat stays.” She would jump up on the couch with me, wrap herself around my arm, and fall to sleep, purring. We now have three rescues. Two love to climb into my arms and sleep, purring. The third prefers to play with string, a laser pointer beam, or a cotton swab. They all purr, rub against us, and cuddle. NO MORE MICE, either. Bargain!
I have 2 cats and I love that they both have different personalities. I cannot stand people who say they hate cats. And most people who say that have never even had a cat as a pet. Ive had 2 dogs before my cats and I feel that my cats show more affection than my dogs ever did.. They just show it in a different way. When I come home from work my girl cat is always waiting on my bed for me and once I’m home she follows me everywhere I go in the house. She even has to sit on the hamper in my bathroom and watch me brush my teeth. No one loves me as much as she does. My boy cat is completely opposite. He will show his affection when he feels like it and likes to be left alone most if the time. But he always let’s you know he loves you in some way.. Mostly when he wants his treats he will rub up against you and look at you with those big mushy eyes until you cave. I will always own a cat. They are wonderful loving animals. As for declawing, I am completely against it. If you don’t want your furniture ruined than dont get a cat. There’s no need for these animals to have their nails ripped out. How would you like it?
I don’t have a myth to dispell but I did have a wonderful, long haired black cat named Baxter who did run to the door to greet me when I came home from work. He would follow me from room to room, sleep on my lap when I watched television and sleep on my pillow when I went to bed. In the morning, his huge giant paw would lightly tap me in the face to wake me. He recently died of congestive heart failure at age eleven and both my husband and I have lost an amazing friend.
This is GREAT information! I LOVE your website! Thank-you! Janet
The one I hear most often is that a cat will suck the breath out of a newborn baby.
My mother used to say, “A cat will suck a baby’s breath.” I think she was insinuating that the baby would die from suffocation from such act as well.
When my cats were younger they would greet me at the door when I came home …. it is interesting that they are black cats too …. did most of the same things that Mary Ellen’s cat did. One of them is almost 20 years old, the other one died about 2 years ago.
“Cats are selfish” . i am an animal lover but that is probably the one i have understood. thanx for your your great information
good article, I began to rescue last year (7). I love my cats (4). I only wish persons outside of our circle of cat lovers would be able to see this article.
Just read a wonderful book: The Tribe of Tiger…Cats and Their Culture…a good read!
Great things to share! My cats do greet us and they are all friendly cats..enjoy human companion.
[...] saw a blog post over at the Found Animals Foundation website about cat myths, and while I thought they did a great job of debunking them, it’s always good to address [...]
[...] saw a blog post over at the Found Animals Foundation website about cat myths, and while I thought they did a great job of debunking them, it’s always good to address [...]