Debunking Feline Fiction: Common Cat Myths Exposed

Many popular ideas about cats are completely false, including the beliefs that cats always land on their feet, milk is good for them, and they only purr when happy. These old stories can sometimes trick us into taking poor care of our pets.

Busted Cat Myths

• Cats always land on their feet: While cats have a fast "righting reflex" to spin around in the air, high falls can still cause broken bones and severe injuries.
• Milk is a great treat: Most adult cats are lactose intolerant; cow's milk will often give them an upset stomach and painful diarrhea.
• Purring means happiness: Cats also purr when they feel scared, stressed, or hurt, using the vibration to calm themselves down.
• Cats cannot be trained: You can teach a cat tricks and good habits using treats and positive rewards just like you would with a dog.
• Cats have nine lives: This myth comes from their ability to escape danger, but they are just as fragile as any other animal.
• Cats are strictly solitary: Many cats love company, form deep bonds with other cats, and enjoy living in pairs or groups.
• Indoor cats cannot get sick: Parasites, fleas, and airborne viruses can still enter your home through windows, shoes, or clothing.

The cat and the Chinese zodiac

There is a legend that explains how each animal in the Chinese zodiac was given their place in the 12-year cycle.
The Buddha invited all the animals together for a banquet, and each animal was assigned a year in the order of its arrival. When the cat heard the news, she notified his friend, the rat, and the two made plans to go together. But the cat overslept in the next morning, and as the rat did not bother to wake her up, she did not make it to Buddha’s meeting, so she wasn't given a year in the Chinese zodiac. This legend not only clarifies the cat’s absence from the zodiac, but also explains why cats hate rats - the rat betrayed the cat!

Cat myths and facts

Common myths and facts about cats include (but not limited to) the following

- are all white cats deaf?

Researchers found that only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes are born deaf. The percentage rises to 40 percent if the cat has one blue eye, while upwards of 65 to 85 percent of all-white cats with both eyes blue are deaf. Some of these cats are deaf in only one ear. Interestingly, if a white cat with one blue eye is deaf in only one ear, that ear will invariably be on the same side of the head as the blue eye.

- are all tricolor cats female?

The genes for the colors black/gray and brown/orange/red live on the X chromosome only. They do not live on the Y one. A female cat has 2 X's so she can therefore inherit a gene for black on of her X's and for brown on her other X. She can receive both colors. However, a male only has one X and can therefore only inherit one color (either black or brown, but not both).
Since the color white does not exist on the X and Y gender chromosomes, all cats can inherit white.
There are male kitties with all 3 colors. It's not a magic trick, just a genetics "mishap". What happens is these male cats have 3 gender chromosomes: two X's and one Y. He's a white cat who received brown on one of his X's and black on the other X. This is rare but does happen every once in awhile.