Debunking 4 Common Myths About Cat Behavior

The internet loves cats. Cat photos, videos, and memes are some of the most ubiquitous things that you can find online, and many people are passionate about them whether or not they own one in real life. And that’s all for a good reason, too—cats are lovely, elegant, and cute animals that are easy to love.

As with any pervasive online topics, there are many, many myths surrounding the behavior of cats. You may be surprised that most of them are not true at all! Read on for a thorough debunking of four very common myths about cats:

Myth #1: Cats Are Spiteful

One of the most common myths surrounding cat behavior is that they are creatures motivated by spite. This is especially persistent because people compare cats to dogs. Dogs are generally much more adventurous and outwardly affectionate pets, so comparing a wriggly dog to an aloof cat will lead to false assumptions.

Humans anthropomorphize their pets. It’s natural to interpret animal behavior through the lens of human experience because you want to relate to a pet that you love so much. So then, it becomes easy to misattribute bad behavior to spite or malice!

The truth is, even the most intelligent cats will only ever do what is instinctive to them. If your cat is pushing your cup of coffee off your dining table or doing their business outside their litter box, it’s not about you—it’s about them! A misbehaving cat may be experiencing health or social issues that you should respond to with empathy and care.

Myth #2: Cats Don’t Need Socialization

This is a myth directly related to the myth about spite. Because many people see cats as generally solitary and antagonistic, they think that they don’t need to develop any socialization skills.

The truth is, kittens should be socialized between 2 and 7 weeks of age. They should be exposed to different people, unfamiliar environments, various handling procedures, and even other cats or kittens. This leads to much better behavior when they’re older.

If your cat hides from visitors, fears other pets, and is difficult to handle during veterinary visits, it’s not because he or she was just born that way. It’s because he or she was not socialized properly at a young age!

Myth #3: Cats Hate Water

This is a quick and easy debunking of a common myth. There are thousands, maybe even millions of videos out there of cats happily swimming in pools or sitting underneath a shower. Obviously, not all cats hate getting wet.

One of the reasons why most cats hate water is because their coats take a long time to dry. The extra water weighs them down and reduces their ability to run away from danger. In contrast, some cats don’t care about that at all!

Myth #4: You Can’t Train a Cat

This is a pervasive myth that can prevent owners from acknowledging or trying to correct their cat’s bad behavior. The truth is that cats can be trained out of misbehavior just as easily as dogs.

If you are a cat owner, you don’t have to stop at training them to use the litter box. You can also teach them to shake hands, run to you on command, and even train them to walk on a leash.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, if a cat is misbehaving, it’s not because they hate you personally. If you actually try to figure it out, you can usually link bad behavior to daily habits or health issues. Once these issues are resolved, you can use positive reinforcement and treats to train them to become better-behaved, well-socialized pets that genuinely enjoy your company.

The Pets People is a wonderful blog for pets. We provide practical, real-life ideas and training tips that will help you take care of your beloved pet. Our goal is to supply a comprehensive library that covers many different subjects, such as dog training tips or answering questions such as ‘Why do cats purr?’ Read more of our articles today!