Veterinarians Debunk 13 Cat Myths

Veterinarians from the Animal Medical Center in New York City debunked 13 of the most common myths about cats. They explained everything from whether pregnant women can live with cats to what's actually safe for cats to eat.

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Veterinarians Debunk 13 Cat Myths

[katyoutnabout]

When my sister had a baby, she was also taking care of my cat. My cat can be feisty sometimes, and spontaneously scratch or give a little bite if she has a mood. So my sister was very worried about the baby. Turns out, my cat recognized the baby as special, and would let the baby literally tear out her fur without even lifting a paw. One time my sister was doing laundry, when my cat started circling her feet and meowing loudly. Turns out the baby had started crying and my sister couldn’t hear it, so my cat went and got her attention. Now there’s a second baby, and she’s just as gentle with them both. :)

[Zeebo_]

The stigma around black cats really breaks my heart. I have a beautiful black cat named T'challa, and he's the sweetest, stupidest cat I've ever met, and I would do anything for him.

[thedevin]

“Cats can see in complete darkness”
People clearly haven’t thought enough about how vision works

[alyxandraramsey]

When my son was born, my long-haired black cat was obsessed with him. A few people tried to tell me the cat was jealous, but I'll never believe it. He wanted to be near him constantly, like my son was HIS kitten. We even ended up referring to our baby as "the kitten" because it was so funny. He just adored my son as they grew up together.

[alyssahahn]

“cats and dogs don’t get along”

me: *casually glances over at my cats, who are curled up next to my dog*

[GratiaCountryman]

Fun fact. There’s a theater tradition that if a black cat is in the house on opening night, it means a long and successful run for the play.

[JulEnglefaris]

Cats purr to comfort themselves. Sometimes they're happy, sometimes they're in pain or scared, etc.

[mcicozrout]

"another person could probably fill in that job" explain this to our cat who gets depressed when mom is in hospital despite having all the food, comfort, attention as she used to have with mom and more.

[youseineko]

So the idea that cats love milk came from the same place as the myth that rabbits love carrots: television. In reality, milk and carrots are dangerous for the respective animals. How sad.

[thejadedcommenter]

“Cats and dogs don’t get along, ” _looks over at my cat, who’s loafing on top of my dog_

[samwich]

"Cats see you as a resource for food"

My parents feed my cats but my cats are super attached to me even though I'm not their designated feeder :/

[rafaelcastor]

"The typical cat sleeps about 23 hours a day"

Yeah, no... Maybe they do when they are stuck inside a laboratory with nothing else to do to pass the time, but every cat i've owned or got to be around for an extensive amount of time were awake for waaaay more than an hour and even during the middle of the day. They sleep a lot, yes, but if we say the average sleeps around 16-18 we are still being generous

[SarahJoCorona]

Purring releases endorphins! So cats might purr when they’re stressed or in pain to calm themselves!
Cats on average sleep 11-17 hours a day (23 is an exaggeration)
Babies can be scary, they can tug on tails, they scream, they have no boundaries. It’s important with both cats and dogs to teach your kids how to interact with them. Cats and dogs don’t hate children but may be afraid of them and that’s when accidents happen
From a vet tech working an a small animal GP clinic

[itscake]

“cats can see in complete darkness”

me, turning to my blind cat who is currently in my lap: well You definitely cant

[Noodlesupp]

"How can you be nocturnal when you sleep 23 hours a day?"


me at 1 am on my phone: I manage...

[unseeliesidhegoddess]

I'm not a veterinarian like these ladies, but I have worked as a veterinary assistant, and cats are one of my special interests. While every cat I've known has slept quite a bit, I am quite positive it's more like 16-18 hours a day, not 23. Otherwise, this is a great informative video for the average person! 👍

[imnotcreative]

my cat was basically my father when i was born haha, he imprinted on me from the day i was born, when i was brought home he saw me and instantly loved me. whenever anyone, even my mom, got near me he’d nip at the feet to say “put her down” but never enough that i’d be hurt, and he’d always let my hold him, even in times if basically be hurting him, he was just calm and letting me, he was always by my side, i remember when i was sick, my cat would sit right next to me and stay there, he wouldn’t even get up to eat, not until i was well enough to get up. he saved my life when a rabid fox tried to attack me, he fought him off, but in the end was infected, he passed away due to rabies, but as a hero. i’m his last moments, he knew how much i loved him and how much i knew he loved me, that cat was my best friend and i will never forget him. he’s always in my hear, my Kitty Kitty :)

[smillathunberg]

”Cats and dogs don’t get along”
It’s more like cat lovers and dog lovers don’t get along

[dbzbourgheim]

The "mother" myth: okay, they don't see us as their parents.
But studies do show that we're not just their food place. They are showing that cats actually live something close to the theory of attachment that humans know.
So... they get very attached to us. It's not just about being "their safe place to get comfort and eat". They have a real connection to their humans.

[not_zippy]

The biggest one: “Cats are moody and unpredictable”. Some cats can be moody, yes, but it is often very easy to understand their body language, and be able to tell if they’re getting annoyed with you. Understanding boundaries and body language is one of the biggest ways to build a positive bond with a cat (saying this as someone with 2 silly, crazy cats). They’ll be more inclined to be affectionate with you if you understand what they’re telling you.