Potentially damaging misconceptions about cats

There have been some remarkable advances in the care of cats, and the awareness of their psychological needs is  growing all the time. There are some people however, who still adhere to old wives tales and myths that can harm their cats, or in some instances feel they can no longer care for them. This isn’t always because they don’t love their cats. For some time people were taught incorrect information about a cats dietary requirements or their behaviour, meaning that the care given isn’t always what’s good for them.

Three instances have sprung to mind….

1) Cats love milk as a treat.

While this is true, the fact of the matter is the majority of cats are lactose intolerant. So despite them liking the taste of the milk, it will in fact cause them stomach issues which means they’re likely to suffer stomach discomfort and potentially toilet issues that most cat carers would rather not have to deal with…

2) Cats like being put outside for the night.

Again, it’s possible some cats do enjoy night-time wanderings. But this ideology came about as by nature most cats are crepuscular. This means they’re most active at dusk and dawn; partial light. Presumably this is linked to their hunting instinct, as their eyesight will be marginally better than their preys and means they’ll have an advantage. Shutting a cat out away from their core territory is by no means the best way to care for your cat and can lead to them possibly being a little less confident  than they would be and rather more likely to seek a new core territory.

3) Cats and babies can’t coexist in the same house, as the cat is likely to smother the baby or harm them in some way.

Clearly, a cat is an individual with thoughts and feelings of their own; it’s not a good idea to leave any animal unattended with a baby or young child. That said, the whole smothering rumour came to fruition from a myth that cats “stole babies breath” from a very long time ago.

Many households have successfully raised children in a home that has one, if not more, cats. The main thing to consider is you have to use your common sense to ensure the safety of the baby, and of the cat when you introduce a new family member into the home. The idea that if a woman is expecting then any cat in her care has to be rehomed is also inaccurate; again, it’s about taking the appropriate steps to ensure the safety of her unborn child. This has slightly more circumstance than the “stealing babies breath” scenario but is still not the case.  People believe this to be true because of a disease called toxoplasmosis which is commonly found in faeces, both cat and dog. Definitely, during litter tray duties expectant mothers have to be a little more cautious, by washing their hands thoroughly before and after and wearing either rubber or disposable gloves for extra protection, but as long as appropriate steps are taken a cats place in the family certainly doesn’t have to alter.

My nephew and feline nephew enjoying some quality “Dad” time…..