Pawfect Manners | Myths About Cats

You know your cat doesn't have nine lives, and black cats aren't witches in disguise. But these tall tales, and others, have led to many incorrect notions about cats.

Here are 5 often heard feline health yarns, and how to unravel them.

1 Cats are aloof, unsocial creatures.

Contrary to popular belief, cats are social creatures and need interaction. Dogs wag their tails and bark in delight when you come home.

Cats show affection by nuzzling your leg. Even though they're not boisterous, they still want - and need - attention. Some cats do shun human affection, but these introverts don't represent the whole feline species. In fact, a lack of interaction can be an early sign of illness.

2 You can't train a cat.

Well, of course you can train a cat. It may take a little more effort than training your dog, but it can be done. You will be more successful with positive reinforcement than other techniques. Cats are intelligent animals who like to learn, but need the right environment and encouragement.

3 Cats are independent and don't need care.

Putting out extra food might satisfy their basic needs for a weekend alone, but if a cat gets sick - say from ingesting a foreign object or suffering a urinary tract blockage - while home by itself, it can be severely ill, or worse by Sunday night when its owner returns.

We also see separation anxiety in cats, so if you find your cat has destroyed something while you were out, you may have some issues to resolve. Have your cat checked out by your vet to make sure there are no health problems before assuming it's a behavior issue.

4 Cats eliminate outside the litter box to be spiteful.

Cats do not urinate on things out of spite. Instead, missing the box often signals an underlying medical condition, such as urinary tract disease or infection, kidney disease, or diabetes mellitus. While they may pick something like your bed or clothes to pee on, this is probably more their way of communicating that something is wrong. This may be a syptom of behavioral or physical problems. See your veternarian right away to make sure your cat is not ill.

Missing the litter box can also be a sign of arthritis, which makes getting into the litter box difficult. Or it can be a sign of litter box avoidance resulting from a variety of factors, or a sign of territorial marking. When you notice your cat eliminating in the wrong place, contact your veterinarian immediately.

5 A purring cat is a happy cat.

This one may come as a surprise but cats purr for many reasons. They purr when they are happy or content, but they may also purr when in pain, nervous, sick or even close to death. Pay attention to their body language when they're purring and if you think there's a problem, contact your vet.

I hope you learned a few new things about our feline friends.

I would love to help you with your pet's training needs. Please drop me a note if you enjoyed this site or if you have any questions about classes or any other pet related questions. Check out our classes!

Thank you,

Judy Seils and Ruby