More Common Myths About Cats
Myth about cats are exceedingly common in our society, so we thought it was about time to follow up on our earlier two-parter on the subject.
A few weeks back, we examined eight common myths about cats, and (hopefully) added a leavening of truth to the prevailing feline folklore. Unsurprisingly, this barely scratched the surface (so to speak) of what turned out to be a rather fascinating and complex subject.
And so, in our unending quest to bust the myths that so pervade human understanding of the universe, we thought we'd take another look at the matter. After all, we dug up so much cool stuff the first time that we never got to use... So here you are: four more common cat myths!
Myth 1: All calico cats are female, and all orange cats are male.
Both of these myths about cats are often presented as fact, and that's understandable; after all, male calicos and female orange cats are very rare indeed, for complicated genetic reasons. But make no mistake: they do occur, even though both traits are sex linked -- calico to female, orange to male.
As it turns out, 1 in 3,000 calicos is male, and female oranges are even more common. The kicker is that, because it takes two X chromosomes for the calico coloration to occur, almost all most calico males have too many X chromosomes and are therefore sterile. Only 1 in 30,000,000 calicos could ever father kittens.
Myth 2: All cats hate water.
This myth about cats isn't true even for all domestic cats, and it certainly isn't true for big cats. In the extended feline family, for example, tigers fear water no more than any other wild animal does. Leopards, lions, jaguars, and other big cats demonstrate similar behavior.
Among our "house lions," the breed known as the Turkish Van seems to enjoy water, and doesn't mind the occasional swim. Bengals, a recent cross of the Asian Leopard Cat and domestic breeds, also enjoy playing with water. Most other cats, of course, avoid water because of what it does to their hairdos.
Myth 3: Belling your cat will keep it from hunting effectively.
This myth about cats seems reasonable enough, but just try it. It might keep your tabby from bringing you freshly-killed presents for a while, but eventually the bell will just train him or her to be a more efficient, stealthier hunter. A hunter will be a hunter, no matter what -- remember, it's what cats were bred for.
Myth 4: Fish is good for cats.
This myth is kind of like the recent medical discoveries about red wine for humans: it's great for the heart in moderation, but we all know what happens when you drink too much. Same with cats and fish. Sure, cats adore fish, but give Tigger too much tuna, and you'll have a sick kitty on your hands.
Fish is fine as an occasional treat, but your cat shouldn't have it for every meal, because it lacks sufficient amounts of Vitamin E to keep your cat healthy. The end result of undue regard to this myth about cats is the debilitating Yellow Fat Disease, and possibly Vitamin B1 deficiency if the fish is served raw.
