10 Common Myths About Cats

Cats always land on their feet. Yes, cats are agile. They can jump high and twist their bodies like grand acrobats, often landing feet first. But cats falling from great heights—even if they land feet first—can suffer severe injuries or death. Keep your cats safe by making sure that all windows have secure screens.

Cats are aloof. Cats may seem aloof, but they can also be cuddly and ex-tremely sensitive to your moods. An aloof cat is often a nervous cat that is unsure of his surroundings. Fortunately, that behavior can be solved with pa-tience and kindness. We have to earn their trust. Once we’ve gained that trust, we will have a friend for life.

Declawing a cat is akin to trimming his nails. Declawing involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. It is a painful operation, and many veterinarians refuse to do it. Plus, if your cat goes outdoors, he’ll be defenseless. Clip your cats’ nails; don’t declaw them. Teach your cat to use a scratching post, not the sofa, and praise him each time he does. If he attempts to scratch the furniture, gently spray him with water. You can also put bubble wrap around the area your cat wants to scratch. One or two pops will keep him away from the furniture.

Cats can live on a vegan diet. This myth is dangerous. Cats are natural hunters and carnivores. They rely on taurine, an amino acid found in meat that is essential for normal heart muscle function and vision. A taurine-free diet can result in blindness and heart problems.

Cats can’t be trained. At the ASPCA in New York City, a cat was taught to turn pages of a book and to toss a ball. You can teach your cat to use a scratching post and a litter box. You can even teach your cat tricks. You need a clicker, treats, and lots of praise. Cats respond negatively to punishment. So be positive and patient.

You should give your cat cow’s milk. Adults of any species typically have trouble digesting the milk of another species – and that includes cats. Like humans, many cats are also lactose intolerant, and cow’s milk offers no nutri-tional value to your kitty.

All cats hate water.Many cats are intensely curious about the wet stuff and love moving water – a sink faucet, a water fountain for drinking, a running shower, even a flushing toilet.

Dry cat food (kibble) is best for cats because it helps clean their teeth. Crunchy food isn’t any better at brush-ing and flossing your kitty’s teeth than it is yours. From a nutritional standpoint, dry food is the worst thing you can feed your cat – it is devoid of both the healthful, unadulterated protein and moisture cats need in order to stay healthy.

If you have a cat at home with an infant, the cat will be attracted to the scent of milk and can suck the air from the baby’s mouth, suffocating it. There is absolutely no evidence cats are attracted to an infant’s breath, nor has there ever been a case where a cat has suffocated an infant in this manner. If you find your cat snoozing with your baby, it’s because kitties like to snuggle up against warm bodies, especially in quiet, darkened rooms – which nurseries often are. Sometimes fat cats are bigger than tiny infants, hence the recommendation to keep the cat out of the nursery.

Cats have nine lives. Utter nonsense! Cats are smart, so it may appear they are “luckier” than dogs.

The Big Box stores are the best place to adopt you new cat or kitten. Absolutely wrong. Fact is Today’s Pet RE-HOMES more cats and kittens than the two local Big Box stores do combined. Check some of them out here.