If you are going to adopt a cat then you have to clear some things in your mind. Following are the most common misconceptions :-
1. CATS ARE LOW MAINTENANCE PETS :- We do not need our cat to take outside for walk unlike dogs but that doesn’t mean they are low maintenance pets whether it is financial requirements or in the amount of interaction. Their life span is usually 12 – 14 years so you can see how much commitment they needs. A cat owner, generally spends $800 – $1000 per year on the basics of cats – litter box, feeding, toys, grooming and vet care.
2. CATS TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES :- This is one of the most non sensical thing I have ever heard. Cats cannot even communicate with us so how can we expect them to take care of themselves. If they get sick, it is the owners’ responsibility to take care of them.
If you think you can left your cat for a long time, for instance, 12-14 hours then you shouldn’t be the cat owner, if you left them alone, they may get depressed or sick. If you own a cat then you have to spend some time with them and give love to them as they deserves it as much as dogs do.
3. DECLAWING IS LIKE TRIMMING NAILS :- Declawing is the most painful procedure experienced by the cats. They will feel defenceless infront of the others, just like if a person loses one of his toe, the pain he will suffered is just like after when we trim the cats’ nails. Alternatively, you can cover her claws by veterinarians.
4. CATS AND DOGS CAN’T LIVE TOGETHER :- This is not true, as I said in one of the previous articles, they both can live together but with proper training. Initially, it can take time but once they used to each other, they can become wonderful companions of each other. As both of them have hunting instincts and they are forced to chase their “prey”. But here, cat is the dog’s prey and he loves to frighten the cat but if you give proper training, you won’t believe they may become best friends.
5. CATS CAN LIVE ON A VEGAN DIET :- This is completely wrong as cats are natural hunters and carnivores, therefore, they have to rely on taurine which is an amino acid generally found in the meat . Other key nutrients of cats include – arachidonic acid, vitamin B12 abd vitamin A, if they do not get these nutrients then many diseases can occur like heart problems, liver problems, irritation etc.
The ideal food of cat, consists of high rich protein and fats, derived from the prey such as rabbits, birds, reptiles, mice etc.
6. THEY DO NOT NEED REGULAR CHECKUP :- We often heard that cays have nine lives and they do not need to go vet for regular checkup. This is entirely wrong, obviously he has one life and you have to take him to the vet in order to keep him healthier and happier. Even if your cat is not sick, you can take him for checkup as you all know that prevention is the best cure.
7. PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD AVOID CATS :- This myth is not wholly true, expectant mothers can have cats but she must not touch the litter box as toxoplasmosis is a parasite and van cause serious deformities in the fetus and is spread through the litter and feces. Pregnant women should avoid the litter box and someone else should take the responsibility of cleaning out litter box. So there should be no problem if the pregnant women have cats as long as they do not touch litter box.
8. COW MILK IS GOOD FOR CATS :- Do not let your cat to drink cow’s milk as this myth is not true and drinking milk can give him diarrhea. Also they can develop another problem – obesity, which might be a big problem for you and your cat. So its better if you don’t give him cow’s milk and save it for yourself as it is good for you but not for your cat.
9. ITS OK TO HAVE BAD BREATH :- If your cat has bad breath then it is not normal and it might be a sign of dental problem so its better if you take him to vet. Also many people think cats do not need to brush which is wrong. Regularly brushing his teeth not only freshens his teeth but also helps in preventing from other oral problems.
10. CATS CAN’T BE TRAINED :- Most of the people believes that, unlike dogs, cats can’t be trained as they cannot respond to the methods of training but it is quite wrong, as cats can be trained. You can teach him to use a litter and scratching post, you can also teach him some new tricks. While training, you have to be positive as they might respond negatively during punishment.