Eight Common Myths About Cats, Part I
Our cultural folklore is chockfull of myths about cats, and in this two-part article, we'll explore eight of them -- four at a time.
Myths about cats are surprisingly common in our culture, despite -- or perhaps because -- of the fact that cats have been our boon companions for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians revered cats, for example, and even had a cat-headed god named Bast (now there's a myth for you).
It's been at least 4,000 years since the Egyptians domesticated cats to control vermin, and there are indications that cats lived alongside humans as early as 10,000 years ago in Cyprus. But the myths still persist, some of them pretty odd. Well, in this exciting episode, cats and kittens, we'll do away with four silly ones.
Myth 1: Cats always land on their feet.
Toast always lands butter-side down, too. If this myth about cats were true, then we could strap buttered toast to a cat's back, drop the cat, and it should, logically, spin forever in midair. Think of all the energy we could generate! Why, by harnessing a few buttered-cat arrays, we could provide energy for an entire city!
If only it were true. While cats do show an amazing ability to twist around in midair and land on their feet, this doesn't mean they always avoid injuries -- and if the fall is less than 10 feet, they're just as like not to land on their feet, because they don't have the time to turn.
Myth 2: Declawing doesn't really hurt a cat.
Only someone who's never taken a close look would believe this myth about cats. Veterinarians don't just remove the claws, they chop off the last joint on each toe. They cut through bone to do it. How would you feel about someone chopping off the last joints of your fingers to trim your fingernails? Enough said.
Myth 3: If you let your female cat have a litter before being spayed, she'll have a longer, healthier life.
This is an old wives' tale. There's no medical evidence that a female cat that has had kittens will live a longer life. More likely, allowing your cat to have a litter for "health reasons" will just end up contributing to the overpopulation of unwanted pets, which numbers in the millions every year.
Unwanted pets either end up being killed in animal shelters or becoming feral, and a feral cat rarely has a good life. The life expectancy of a feral, in fact, is three years or less, as opposed to ten years or more for an indoor cat. Please, don't let this myth about cats misguide you.
Myth 4: Milk is good for kitties.
While it's true that most cats love milk, it's not necessarily good for them, any more than too much sugar is good for you. Kittens (like human babies) are indeed primed to process liquid nourishment, but once a cat reaches adulthood, its body changes and is much less capable of handling milk.
In fact, too much milk at one time will probably give your cat diarrhea. It doesn't hurt to make milk an occasional treat, though, as long as it's served in small amounts. Ironically enough this myth about cats is wrong because adult cats are more or less lactose intolerant!
