I admit it. I’m the crazy cat lady in my neighborhood. I currently have 5 cats and I have had as many as 6 at one time. I have a soft spot for a good sob story and I have rescued most of my cats from some sad situations. I take very good care of my cats. My yearly vet bill alone is outrageous, but I wouldn’t trade any of them for all the money in the world.

Because of my extensive knowledge of cats, I often find myself in the odd position of having to dispel some commonly believed myths about cats. Here are a few of the most common myths:

Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Cats are one of the most agile, graceful, and sure-footed animals in the world, but some are more agile than others. I’ve had clumsy cats that knock over vases and fall off furniture. The truth is that they often land on their feet, but not always. Vets regularly treat cats for broken bones due to falls.

Cats Can See in the Dark

Like many other animals, cats have better night vision than humans. They also have whiskers to help them feel where they are in low light. However, cats cannot see in absolute darkness.

Cats Only Purr When They are Happy

It’s true, cats do purr when they are happy, but they also purr when they are injured, frightened, or stressed. Purring is soothing for cats and they use it in different situations. Purring is a lot like singing in humans. Humans sing when they are both happy and sad.

Hissing is a Sign of Aggression

Because many attacks by a cat are preceded by hissing, people believe that hissing is a sign of aggression. This isn’t true. Hissing is an expression of fear. When a cat hisses it’s saying, “Keep away until I’m sure you won’t hurt me.” If the hissing is ignored and you continue to approach the cat, it may attack to defend itself.

Cats are Not Affectionate

Anyone who believes this has never held a friendly cat in their lap. Cats are more subtle than dogs when they show affection. Cats show affection by rubbing against you or purring when you pet them. Like other animals, some cats are more affectionate than others.

Milk is Good for Cats

A little known fact is that most cats are lactose intolerant. The most likely result of that saucer of milk your cat lapped up will be diarrhea. Once cats are past the kitten stage, they don’t need milk. It’s ok to give your cat a small amount of milk for an occasional treat, but don’t give it to them regularly.

Spayed and Neutered Cats Get Fat

I have skinny cats and chubby cats. They have all been spayed or neutered. Eating too much and not getting enough exercise will make your cat fat. Spaying will prevent a female cat from having heat cycles and getting pregnant, both of which are hard on her body. Neutering prevents a male cat from wandering and getting into fights. A spayed or neutered cat will live longer than it’s unaltered counter part and vets highly recommend it.

Declawing Doesn’t Hurt

Declawing is more than just removing the claw, it’s the amputation of the front joint on a cat’s toe. During the surgery the cat has anesthesia so it will feel no pain, but the recovery can be very painful. Cats have to walk on the wounds after the surgery. Imagine having the end of all your toes removed and then you have to walk on them a few hours later. Ouch. If your cat is scratching up your furniture try trimming their claws regularly, getting scratching toys, and playing with your cat more often.