Eight Common Myths About Cats, Part II
Join us for more myths about cats, in Part II of our feline edition of Mythbusters.
Some myths about cats are sillier than others, and we're sure you've heard some whoppers in your time. Now, it's understandable to think cats always land on their feet, or milk's good for them; we have experimental evidence for that, no matter how incomplete or misguided it may be.
But what about some of those really off-the-wall silly legends we hear about cats? Some of them are so improbable that it's hard to understand how they got going in the first place. Well, in this second part of our article on cat myths, we'll tackle of few of the sillier concepts about our feline companions.
Myth 5: A cat can steal a baby's breath (!!!)
Somehow, this ridiculous myth about cats has survived to the twentieth century...but hey, some people still think the Earth is flat, too. Here's how it goes: supposedly, a cat can sit on the chest of a newborn and suck their breath away, smothering the baby in just a few minutes.
It's not unusual for a cat to sniff around a baby's mouth, because babies often drink milk, which cats love. But cats can't steal a baby's breath; that's impossible. No animal in the world works this way. It's more likely that people connected their cats' interest in babies with tragic crib deaths, and this myth arose as a result.
Myth 6: Cats can't get rabies.
While it's true that you rarely hear of a cat getting rabies, consider this: how many dogs get rabies every year? Very few, because of vaccination programs. Don't fall for this myth about cats. They're just as likely as any warm-blooded animal to contract rabies, and should always be vaccinated for this horrible disease.
Myth 7: Black cats bring bad luck.
This is a superstition, and presupposes that you believe in evil spirits, witches, and other paranormal things that belong more in a kiddie's Halloween party than in a modern person's viewpoint. Most myths about black cats are based on their supposed relationship to witches in the medieval past.
On the other hand, the lore of this myth about cats is so twisted it's hard to tell right from left. In some cultures, for example, black cats are good luck. Charles I of England thought so; he kept a black cat he considered lucky. The day after it died, he was arrested by Cromwell's troops, and beheaded soon thereafter.
Myth 8: If you put butter on a cat's feet, it won't wander off and get lost.
This seems ridiculous on the face of it, like saying if you can salt a bird's tail, he won't fly away. Well, try either. Logic says that, at best, the cat will get a tasty dairy treat. So why do some people swear up and down that they've tried this method, and it works? Well...
Ever experienced a teenager's selective hearing? Basically, if you say something he wants to hear, he hears it; if not, he doesn't. This myth works that way. When it seems to work, you notice; when it doesn't, you don't. This selective perception is probably the cause of most of our myths about cats (and everything else).
