Guest post: Cats and misconceptions - so what else is new? By Chitra Ramaswamy
11/04/2021
Hello,Happy Sunday! How are you?
Who's preparing to hit the shops tomorrow and who is holding back? I'm holding back, but I am heading to the beach again! Fingers crossed whatever it is you plan to do, the weather stays as beautiful as it is today.
I was meant to upload this on Tuesday but due to some issues beyond my control, I wasn't able to, but nevertheless, it's here now. I have a guest post from author Chitra Ramaswamy.
Cats and misconceptions
Just another day, just another cat myth. Today, I walked into my friend brushing her cat's tail across her eyelid. She believes it will cure her of her sty. Eye roll and no comments. The superstitions around felines seem endless - from robbing sleeping children of their breaths to cats spreading gossip. What is it about cats that they almost always find themselves in the centre of misbelief mayhem? While superstitions may be hard to tackle, I'll bravely attempt to dismantle 5 common misconceptions I come across. So, here goes:
1. Cats cause schizophrenia:
According to a study, Toxoplasma gondii (a parasite found in cat poop), antibodies were found raised in individuals who had a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia and not otherwise. And do we all spend our time playing with cat litter to get infected by toxoplasma in the first place? I suspect not. Also, there are several studies from the UK that have later been published pointing out the lack of correlation between owning a cat and developing psychotic symptoms.
2. Cats can transmit COVID-19 to humans:
WHO has confirmed repeatedly, that while humans are capable of transmitting the infection to their pets and there is currently no evidence of reverse transmission.
3. Cats always land on their feet:
Well, do they? Not necessarily. The height from which they fall and the surface on which they land are great predictors for whether they will indeed land on their feet. If the cats jump or fall from sufficient height, it affords them time to execute a backflip called the righting reflex and spread out their limbs land on all fours. Shorter heights don't give them the time to do this. Also, the harder the surface, the more severe the impact on their bones and the likelihood of injuries.
4. My cat is too young to be spayed/ neutered. Also, she is indoor:
t is currently recommended to have your cats spayed before their first heat cycle but since there is no sure way of assuring this, six months of age is a good time to go ahead with the surgery. There is no way to predict when your cat may decide to go on a little outdoor adventure especially during the time of heat. In addition to preventing accidental pregnancies, Spaying/ neutering offers great protection from mammary cancer and diseases of their reproductive system. There are also proven benefits such as decreased vocalization, spraying, and behaviour issues.
5. Cats are antisocial:
According to a study by Oregon State University, cats preferred to spend time with humans who interacted with them more than a person who left them alone. Therefore, cats appeared to adapt their behaviours based on human response. Do we go into a room with a cat with a preconceived notion that cats are aloof? If we do, cats simply reflect the behaviour we subject them to.
Speaking of a cat who scores beyond what the social meter can accommodate, Rumi - a street cat from a Middle Eastern country named Oman comes to mind. Would you like to know his story? To read the memoir, But First, Rumi - please click on the link Amazon But First, Rumi is available worldwide on Amazon as e-book and paperback. Also available in select bookstores.