If you are an avid cat lover, there’s not too much that you can learn about cats that you don’t already know. However, if you have just adopted your first kitten, or you are thinking about adopting from a neighbor’s litter of kittens, then there’s a lot for you to know! It’s very easy to be taken in by cute kittens, but it’s very difficult to live with a kitten if you aren’t prepared for their behavior!
Cats and dogs are very different animals and this is an important thing to remember if you have owned or currently own a dog but have never had a cat before. You may think you know a lot about cats from funny cats in funny cat videos like Garfield and the way a funny cat interacts with a dog like Odie. But the truth is that many cats are very scared of dogs. Some cats, especially strays, have had very frightening experiences with dogs: they have been chased, tormented, or even wounded by a dog! When you adopt your kitten or adult cat, ask the current owner or shelter employee if the cat has any experience with dogs: does he like them? Has he lived with them before? Is he afraid of them? If you already have a dog, these are all very important questions to consider.
Some cats do not get along with other cats. Again, ask your shelter employee or the cat’s current owner if the cat you are planning to adopt has any previous experience with other cats. There are specific ways to introduce a new cat to your current pets. Be sure to contact your veterinarian about how to do this properly.
So what about other cats and myths about cats? Should you believe the rumors that cats have no personality and do not like human contact? The short answer is no, you should not believe these rumors and stories. If you think black cats are beautiful but are avoiding adopting a black cat because he might be bad luck, don’t worry. This is a superstition and is not at all true. Perhaps you have heard of cat scratch fever and are worried about it. Maybe you are worried about adopting the “Cheshire cat”, or are afraid that a domestic cat can turn feral like big cats. In reality, most of these things are just rumors and myths, just like the myth about black cats being bad luck.
