Fitness Quotes - Which "old wives tale" about cats do you think is most misleading?

Which "old wives tale" about cats do you think is most misleading?

So often, I see people quoting "facts" that I know aren't true, and it makes me bang my head against the desk. What spurred this question was I just saw someone, who seemed to know quite a bit about nutrition, who recommended dry food because it "cleans a cat's teeth". I think its strange that people can hear something once, and then never research it and believe it forever. What do you think are the biggest commonly accepted misconceptions about raising/feeding/caring for cats?

Public Comments

Cats always land on their feet. My friend tried with her cat over a pillow, and he hit his back so hard on the pillow that he limped for two months.
The worse ones IMO are: "Get rid of the cat if you have a baby - the cat will kill the baby by stealing its breath away" "Declawing is ok - it won't hurt the cat at all" "Cats need to produce a litter before being spayed/neutered"
The one about the cat suffocating/stealing babies' breath away.
Cats have nine lives. Who the heck came up with that?
If a cat bites you, you well have BABIES!! lmao, i think the person wasnt fluent in english, and heard babies instead of rabies lol. And i think that a cat always lands on its feet is stupid too. Because before I adopted my old cat, she 'fell' out of a 2nd floor window, landed on her neck at an angle, and ruptured her diaphragm. Also: dont open your door if it rings and a cat is outside. The cat will run in past the person at the door, turn into a human and kill u! Lol i cant belive i was actually scared of that when i was younger
yea my mother in law was all about the baby and cat thing. well seems like i proved her wrong! not only is my daughter still alive. she is also not allergic to cats like she told me she would be.
These get my goat Cats don't need their claws - Tosh, in that case you don't need your fingers. Cats are less important than dogs - Disgusting If you think declawing is mutilation you shouldn't get your cat neutered either - THIS REALLY GETS MY BLOOD PRESSURE UP You can put your cat in a cage - WHAT? Cats should never be allowed out - Would you like to never step outside your door again in your whole life?
My mother was spewing off these 'facts' in an in futile attempt to steer me away from my determination to get a cat: "cats make you infertile" "cats cause asthma" "cats make you blind."
Hi there, With such an abundance of "old wives tales" circulating, it really is hard to pick the *most* misleading of the really dastardly ones. Ranking way up there are, of course, "female cats need to have one litter before spaying", or "declawing will resolve many problems by preventing dangerous scratching to people and will save furniture. Declawing is perfectly fine and safe surgery for cats." Then there is the one that also gets me, "moist food is bad for cats." "Feed your cat tuna fish and fish flavored cat foods as a main diet". "Cats are independent and don't need company" and "cats are stupid and cannot be trained." Those are the ones I pulled out as they always make me groan loudly, and shake my head. Thanks for the question, Troublesniffer Owned by cats for over 40 years
Hehe that they can suck the air out of a baby's lungs... ;) Dry food does cause less tartar buildup on teeth compared to wet food (compare enough mouths and you'll see the difference). Cats don't generally chew their food but once or twice anyways. But I still would recommend that all cats get some wet food every day b/c it's better for their urinary tract. That being said, some cats should only get wet food b/c of health issues.
All of the above plus "Don't get a black cat, it's bad luck!" Edit:RP cat, I love black cats also!
That "nursing cats can't get pregnant". No telling how many back to back pregnancies that one has caused. "Spaying/neutering makes cats fat and lazy" is a doozey too. "Keeping a cat indoors is cruel, they're supposed to go outside" is another one I hate. "She has to have at least one litter or she'll be incomplete/sad" just makes me want to scream!
I agree with the one you picked - the old dry food myth. Because even VETS spout that one out. Most of the world is convinced it's true.
Someone said "If a cat bites you, you well have BABIES!!" got me laughing so hard!!! i was like if that's true, i'm gonna go home and have my cat bite me a few times, bc my clock is ticking away over here HAHAHA...but i've never heard of that before...it was just too funny... Yea, the ones about cat's and baby's breath. I have lots of friends that have babies (i know, i envy them sometimes) and their breath is very much still there. One of my friend's cat's actually won't leave the baby's site. Wherever the baby is, the cat is right there beside her
I love the question! And all the answers. But the one that gets me is that A Cat Needs To Be Let Out Doors! It needs to hunt and its instincts are for hunting and it is happier outside. All of my cats are indoor and love to watch the world outside go by and they are safe and healthy. Oh and I love black cats! They cross my path every day. R P Cat Maine Coons
I don't believe that advice about letting cats go outdoors either -- UNLESS it is in a safe fenced in area-- that no dogs can jump over, no raccoons can get in -- no HUMANS can get in -- So....basically, letting a cat outside Once in a While is ok if you have one of those large, secured special enclosures (that you can keep an eye on, when the cats are in it, and playing or relaxing) -- in any other unprotected situation, any dog or raccoon can rip apart a small animal in a heartbeat. Any crazy human can steal a cat for who knows what.. imagine if that was a 2 yr old baby who was allowed to play outdoors and wander the streets-- a cat is no different-- it's a responsibility. Another TERRIBLE misconception is from the mouths of too many doctors -- "Your child has asthma (or "has allergies") because s/he is allergic to your CATS!!" Not ONCE does the doctor say "Get your child tested for allergies - it might NOT be your cats!" My good friend was told to get rid of her cats by her esteemed doctor -- she had her daughter TESTED for allergies and GUESS WHAT? It was NOT the cats who were making her daughter allergic!!
Excellent question, and great answers so far. I will try not to repeat any… “Maine Coons are part raccoon, part cat.” “Ragdolls ‘go limp’ in your arms.” “Cats can see in total darkness.” “Only women like cats.” “Cats and dogs don’t get along.” “Tuna and milk are healthy treats for cats.” "Cats are the devil." ... LOL! While all are misleading, (and many just plain silly) I would say that the myths about cats being "evil" are ridiculously misleading.
Well, just because there's cat shampoo out on the market, that must mean that cats need to be bathed, right? Wrong! And flea collars!... don't get me started! Declawing is the answer to any scratching problem your cat has. As if!
One I have heard recently and just think it's crazy, is that cats need to go through at least 1 heat cycle before they get spayed. If they get spayed too soon , they can have health problems. I love my friend who told me this, but I find it really hard to believe, and the fact that a vet told her this. What health issues? I've always spayed my kittens, yes kittens. 3 lbs and they get spayed. And I have 17 healthy cats. (11 females) Another one that gets me is that cats don't need to go outside and the whole declawing thing is ridiculous. I believe that these 2 are up for personal preference. All 17 of mine go outside,they hunt, they climb trees, they play,(sure I worry becuase we have coyotes) Even my declawed one goes outside. btw...my declawed cat has never had behavioral, litterbox, or defense issue. No biting, and no long term pain or discomfort issues. I think too much time is wasted on this site debating these issues, when they are clearly a personal decision.
The tale about cats stealing babies breath while the are sleeping. This is completely untrue. The thing about cats is that the like to cuddle and when they show affection at least as far as I know they will lay close on on your face. I've had a couple of may cats act and do this to me in in lifetime.
Telling people to get rid of their cats cats because they suffocate babies and steal their breath is the worst. It makes you wonder how many cats have ended up shelters because of that one. The rest are all equally misleading and ridiculous: landing on their feet, having nine lives, etc. I also hate the ones others gave about giving cats milk, not being able to train them, and being independant. When it comes to landing on their feet, they can usually only land on their feet when jumping or falling from higher distances when they have time to put their feet down, compared to short distances like falling off the couch. The one about having nine lives came about because of the strange circumstances that cats have been known to survive, including one that lived for three days in a sinking ship in a bubble of air. Milk is one of the worst things to give cats as it gives them digestive problems. It should only be given if mixed with Karo syrup and if nothing else is available. As for not being able to train them, I find cats easier to train then dogs. My one cat knew how to shake, catch, sit, lay down, heel, and walk on a leash and he was the least sociable out of all the cats I have had. My other cat can sit and heel. Apparantly my cat never heard the one about being independant. She has to rub against me and lay on my lap or shoulder all day when I am sitting down. If I am reading or not paying attention to her, she will lay right on my book. As for going outdoors, it depends on the individual cat. My current cats are indoor cats and are afraid to go outdoors. Another cat I had liked going in and out and would have a fit if it couldn't go out.