2. False. This is an old superstition that probably dates back to the days when cats were considered to be evil spirits. However, it is never a good idea to leave ANY animal alone with a baby. You never can tell what an animal will do.
3. False. There's nothing funny or healthy about a fat cat. Overfeeding your cat can shorten her lifespan and cause a host of other problems. The heaviest cat on record, by the way, was a whopping 45 pounds, 10 ounces. His name was Himmy and he lived in Australia.
4. False. Most cats, if taught as a kitten to take baths, will enjoy the water. In fact, one breed, the Van cats found in Turkey, actually love to swim.
5. True. A litter of kittens is called a kindle.
6. True. Cats cannot see well in total darkness, although they do see much better than humans in semidarkness.
7. True. The third eyelid is called the haw or nictitating membrane. It's the thin triangle of pink or white tissue that you see in the corner of her eye.
8. True. Dog food lacks an essential nutrient for cats, called taurine. Cats need taurine to keep their hearts healthy and their eysight sharp.
9. True. Cats also shed more in summer than in winter because light makes them shed more.
10. False. Cats need fresh grass to keep their digestive system in good working order. When they regurgitate, they often bring up harmful hair balls.
11. True. That's the reason many cats love Italian sauces.
12. True. It's comparable to walking on the tips of their fingers.
13. True. Feline leukemia is the leading killer of cats today. There is an available virus medication to protect your cat against this highly contagious disease. Ask your vet about the details.
14. False. A cat's life expectancy has almost doubled since 1930, from nine years to 16 years. Cats are considered to be senior citizens after the age of 10. One really old cat was Puss, who died in 1939 after just celebrating his 36th birthday!
15. False. Cats can suffer from insomnia, usually if they don't get enough tryptophan in their diet. Tryptophan is found in milk, eggs and poultry.
16. True. One cat gave birth to a 420 kittens in her lifetime. She must have died from exhaustion! There are several cats who have given birth to litters of 19 kittens.
17. False. Daniel Boone had a pet cat named Bluegrass.
18. False. Aspirin is poisonous to cats, so keep it locked away in the medicine chest.
19. False. Most cats rack up as much as 16 hours a day of sleep during their various naps. This makes them the sleepiest of all mammals.
20. False. Having your cat neutered is responsible behaviour. There is a tremendous overpopulation of strays. However, experts agree that declawing your cat is an unnecessary and painful operation. If you follow training techniques, you should not have a problem with scratching and destructive cats.
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