Misconceptions about Cats

[onster]

My mom is very social and tends to have lots of gatherings at our house so all these women end up coming over who sometimes bring friends etc.

Well, I keep getting told that I'm not going to be able to have babies cuz I keep cats Ignorance, stupid old wives tale. Yes, there is the risk of toxoplasmosis but there is ways around that and it doesnt mean u cant have babies!! Its not like your womb evaportates??

Ive tried explaining to these women politely but they dont understand/dont want to and theres only so much I can say since these tend to be older women (mothers of my mom's friends who may be visiting canada) and I have to remain polite.


Then there is the black cats are scary thing....oh please.

A new phenomenon is the "please dont let ure cat near me for prayer" me: huh??? them: well if cats fur is on ure clothes u cant pray.

Me: says who??
Them: I know.
Me: who said?? listen I know for a fact this is not true. Prophet Mohammed (Im muslim) let a cat give birth on his robe and once a cat was sleeping on the sleeve of his cloak and he cut off the sleeve rather than move the cat!! Also we have many books at home and nothing says anything about this. I asked my father who is quite religous and he said : what the hell is nonsense??? Dont listen to this garbage"

Even my mom told both people on the spot to stop listening to this nonsense, made up by people with too much time on their hands.

Out of curiousity to see where the ppl were getting the information I asked at the local mosque and the sheikh also said this was nonsense...and yet I heard it from 2 different people . I even googled it to see where the source of this crap is from and its not even online.

Who the hell makes up crap like this??? And why do people believe it?? Why not research for yourself?

Pisses me off how dumb people are sometimes.

[Love4himies]

You may not think you have made any difference talking to these women, but they have listened and will consider what you have said, I guarantee you they will. If one person ponders what you have said and changes her opinion you have done a great job!

Don't get frustrated, keep on educating, even if it is one person at a time.

[Jim Hall]

listen I know for a fact this is not true. Prophet Mohammed (Im muslim) let a cat give birth on his robe and once a cat was sleeping on the sleeve of his cloak and he cut off the sleeve rather than move the cat!!

lol smart guy he didnt want a hand full of claws

[badger]

Good for your parents, at least they are transmitting what is important in the religion, not the, ah, foolishness.
A little debate is healthy, don't you think.
Maybe you could clear up the views of Islam on dogs. They're considered unclean, am I right? We have several immigrants from Bangla Desh at the community garden. One of the funniest things I ever saw was one old man, impeccable in his whites after several hours of gardening (while I look like Pigpen from the word go), dancing around on the sidewalk while this tiny dog was trying to approach him! He was laughing as well, but there was no way that dog was getting near him.

[kiara]

Let's hope their visits are short. I don't know if these issues have anything to do with You being Muslim? And why do you need to mention to us your religion? By doing this you are talking against your own kind. Too bad they don't respect the fact that you are an animal lover. And for most of us it runs deep. Tell them that their comments offend you. It is true however that when pregnant you should not clean the cat's box. Because you can give a disease to your unborn baby. As for not getting pregnant, I don't think so. People remain uninformed and uneducated. As for black cats, in the rescue world, we see black cats always get adopted last. Lots of old wives tales out there. You are young and you will learn a lot about people as you get older. Get a hold of DESIDERATA. These are the greatest words of wisdom ever written, author unknown. Too bad. Print it and hang it on your wall.

[joeysmama]

It's a good thing your womb is evaporating because if you did manage to somehow miraculously have a child (because cats are a birth control method now?) the cat would suck it's breath anyway. You don't need to google that--it's a fact. It was told to me by my mother and every one of my aunts.

Of course I'm a medical miracle since I managed to keep my womb, conceive and carry children who were completely ignored by my cat. Obviously she lacked the murderous tendencies of other kitties.

The only fact in any of these stories is that pregnancy WILL get you out of litter box duty.

And it doesn't matter what religion you are your prayers will still be heard---with or without the cat hair !

[badger]

By doing this you are talking against your own kind

Bull. She's asking questions. Any religion that can't field intelligent questions isn't worth its salt.

[14+kitties]

I LOVE old wives tales!! Most of them are such a hoot!!! Some have bearing but they are pretty easy to figure out. The "can't pray if there is cat hair on your clothes" is new. Guess that means I never pray again!
kiara - I think most of us know that onster is Muslim. What's the biggie? We love her. We are all meeting at the Bridge anyway.

[badger]

Praying is out for me too, I guess, I'm permanently drenched in cat hair. Thank dog for sticky rollers.
I have three black cats looking for homes :sad:

[onster]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

You may not think you have made any difference talking to these women, but they have listened and will consider what you have said, I guarantee you they will. If one person ponders what you have said and changes her opinion you have done a great job!

Don't get frustrated, keep on educating, even if it is one person at a time.

thanks L4H I will and I dont get mad at these people, the last woman who said so was a woman I love - so much charater and so funny..I just wish people would look into things before believing things blindly

Originally Posted by Jim Hall

listen I know for a fact this is not true. Prophet Mohammed (Im muslim) let a cat give birth on his robe and once a cat was sleeping on the sleeve of his cloak and he cut off the sleeve rather than move the cat!!

lol smart guy he didnt want a hand full of claws

LOL too true jim

Originally Posted by badger

Good for your parents, at least they are transmitting what is important in the religion, not the, ah, foolishness.
A little debate is healthy, don't you think.
Maybe you could clear up the views of Islam on dogs. They're considered unclean, am I right? We have several immigrants from Bangla Desh at the community garden. One of the funniest things I ever saw was one old man, impeccable in his whites after several hours of gardening (while I look like Pigpen from the word go), dancing around on the sidewalk while this tiny dog was trying to approach him! He was laughing as well, but there was no way that dog was getting near him.

Yep, debate is healthy Always encouraged within my family (extended fam too). Regarding dogs there are 3 schools of thought, each one is equally respected and a muslim is 'good' if they follow any of them. The first 2 say that if u get doggy slobber on u u have to bathe before u pray - this can be a pain cuz ud have to bathe 5 times a day basically if u have a dog...the man was probably of one of those 2 schools of thought and maybe he didnt want to bathe b4 his next prayer. Those 2 schools still require good treatment, respect and kindness towards dogs. There is a story that a man passed by a well on a very hot day and got some water to drink, he then saw a thirsty looking dog and went back to the well and got water for the dog - on this deed alone he is supposed to go to heaven.(Conversely there is a story of a pious woman who trapped a cat in her house and neither allowed it to hunt nor fed it. She is supposed to go to hell.)

Now to the 3rd school which says dogs are perfectly fine. I belong to this school Basically the different schools stem from three main scholarly interpretations of text and prophetic sayings.

So if I have a dog someone from the 1st school of thought cant look down on me or say im 'bad' or anything.

Originally Posted by kiara

Let's hope their visits are short. I don't know if these issues have anything to do with You being Muslim? And why do you need to mention to us your religion? By doing this you are talking against your own kind. Too bad they don't respect the fact that you are an animal lover. And for most of us it runs deep. Tell them that their comments offend you. It is true however that when pregnant you should not clean the cat's box. Because you can give a disease to your unborn baby. As for not getting pregnant, I don't think so. People remain uninformed and uneducated. As for black cats, in the rescue world, we see black cats always get adopted last. Lots of old wives tales out there. You are young and you will learn a lot about people as you get older. Get a hold of DESIDERATA. These are the greatest words of wisdom ever written, author unknown. Too bad. Print it and hang it on your wall.

Desiderata is a book? sorry for my ignorance

I'm kind of confused about what u mean when u say im talking against my kind? ...I don't really think of it that way and I think its very dangerous to classify people into groups like that. I mean yes I am muslim and they are muslim but I use my brain and research when I hear something new supposedly about my religion - if they blindly listen to whatever they are told then no they are not my "kind" ...I think I'm going off topic, I know u didnt mean to offend and I'm not offended just confused. Anyways I don't hate these people or anything. If they said they dont like cats that's one thing but if they tell me something that is supposedly a fact and not their opinion it is my right to question to learn etc.

Also, I mentioned I'm muslim cuz its kind of part of the 3rd misconception story as in the prayer part cuz basically if that were true I couldnt have cats - I pray 5 times a day, where would I keep this 'cat fur free' wardrobe?? Anyone who has cats knows this is impossible its gets everywhere, lol.

Yes so sad about black cats :sad: I like to think im making a difference though, when these people come over and at first theyre wary of Onnie and then see he is a BIG teddy bear u should see the next time they come over, they ask for him!!

[onster]

Originally Posted by joeysmama

It's a good thing your womb is evaporating because if you did manage to somehow miraculously have a child (because cats are a birth control method now?) the cat would suck it's breath anyway. You don't need to google that--it's a fact. It was told to me by my mother and every one of my aunts.

Of course I'm a medical miracle since I managed to keep my womb, conceive and carry children who were completely ignored by my cat. Obviously she lacked the murderous tendencies of other kitties.

The only fact in any of these stories is that pregnancy WILL get you out of litter box duty.

And it doesn't matter what religion you are your prayers will still be heard---with or without the cat hair

ure too funny. I agree 100% with u. Glad ure womb didn't evaporate there is hope for me yet But now I have to worry about them sucking the breath out of my unborn child (never heard that one??)

Originally Posted by badger

Bull. She's asking questions. Any religion that can't field intelligent questions isn't worth its salt.

. I think the only thing that was specific to my religion was that 3rd one..tho its not even related to my religion, its made up honestly!!!

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

I LOVE old wives tales!! Most of them are such a hoot!!! Some have bearing but they are pretty easy to figure out. The "can't pray if there is cat hair on your clothes" is new. Guess that means I never pray again!
kiara - I think most of us know that onster is Muslim. What's the biggie? We love her. We are all meeting at the Bridge anyway.

awwwww u guys love me hehe thanks

I know eh it is a new one!! that's what bugged me more about it - don't we have enough misconceptions/old wives tales...do we have to make up new ones?!?

[CyberKitten]

OMG, old wives tales (what a sexist idea - prob half were started by men, )
Never heard some of those and I am sure ppl do not believe them and if they do, just educate them. How many women have children AND cats? LOTS!! I know- I have so many patients who have cats - that alone should rest your case. I would guess right now my patient load is 5,000 tho I do not see all of them every week (it would be impossible and many are for maintenance as they see their family doctor back home) but more than half have cats and siblings so there, lol Say that is 2900, that is a pretty good sample.

I have heard the Muslim story and actually thought about it once when I had a beautiful polydactyl calico who wondered to my home (a so called stray I would guess someone dropped off BECAUSE of her pregnancy but really, it was their loss!) - and after being in my home for about 3 wks give or take a few days, delivered her brood of four ADORABLE kittens in my bed! Here is a friend holding them as I was cleaning out their room.

[Dracko]

How could anyone meet Bunduk and say something like that??? Obviously they haven't had the pleasure yet.

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by onster

Well, I keep getting told that I'm not going to be able to have babies cuz I keep cats

Well, if cats are anything like dogs, there may be some truth here. I know that hubby and I can't get within two feet of each other without a dog (or two or three) getting in between somehow! It can really...well...spoil the mood! So to speak...if you get my drift

[krdahmer]

Originally Posted by Jim Hall

and once a cat was sleeping on the sleeve of his cloak and he cut off the sleeve rather than move the cat!!

lol smart guy he didnt want a hand full of claws

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Well, if cats are anything like dogs, there may be some truth here. I know that hubby and I can't get within two feet of each other without a dog (or two or three) getting in between somehow! It can really...well...spoil the mood! So to speak...if you get my drift

Cats are a little smaller.... but yep... just as big in the spoiler department....

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by Dracko

How could anyone meet Bunduk and say something like that??? Obviously they haven't had the pleasure yet.

I agree......one look at his adorable innocent face and they wouldn't be able to resist him.

[ancientgirl]

Oh man, I hate when people talk about things they think they know about only because some other moron mentioned it with little knowledge.

Yeah, when you are pregnant you can't scoop litter (oh darn), but that's about it. There's no reason to not have your cat around. Heck, my friend had two kids and her cats were indoors. She put her hubby on litter duty with the first kid, then got a litter maid with the second. No biggie.

I hear stuff like that all the time from older Cubans. I heard once that if you do something to make your cat angry at you it will kill you in your sleep. And this was followed by a "story" about a man who had that happen to him.

Then there's the they take your breath thing. Gee, maybe that's why I have asthma. Please! I'd like to think cats are smarter than to want to take stinky sleepy breath from anybody.

I know very little about Mohammad's teachings. Only bits from when I worked with a Muslim but I think it's interesting to hear things like what you said about cats. Very cool.

[mollywog]

Learn something new every day.....
up until now, I had never heard of toxoplasmosis. Good to know!

[TacoGrl]

Originally Posted by ancientgirl

I heard once that if you do something to make your cat angry at you it will kill you in your sleep. And this was followed by a "story" about a man who had that happen to him.

They won't?!?

You know, sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night and Mooki is sitting there with her face not 3" from mine, staring at me, I have to wonder...

On topic...it's funny how people will interpret their religion to suit their needs...these folks probably just don't like cats/dogs and make up stuff so they don't come out the bad guy/girl.

[onster]

u know what it is mooki??

Coincidently I found out that person B who told me about the fur and prayer thing has a grandkitty who now needs to be rehomed cuz of the "fur" This coincides with the female cat leaving blood around the house and yowling cuz she is in heat. What about spaying the cat?? .....Use that much money on on operation for a CAT? was the answer I got....ummm then why did u freaking get the cat in the first place.

Its just annoying cuz person B is very well educated, her kid looking to rehome the cat is applying to medschl and has already completed a masters I mean he should know better than to blindly listen to some person saying something (not that education is everything but in the scientific field u really should hope that someone would know how to question things!). So say he made it up so he doesnt look bad, or so that no one can look down on him. Then he tells person A thru the grape vine...person A as much as I love him as sweet and kind man is a bit naiive, takes everything at face value etc. So if he was told this fur thing by someone else he'd believe it u know??? and then all this nonsense spreads....makes me so mad.

[onster]

LOL at the cuban story....well if u never hear from me again guys u know what happened to me

[onster]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Well, if cats are anything like dogs, there may be some truth here. I know that hubby and I can't get within two feet of each other without a dog (or two or three) getting in between somehow! It can really...well...spoil the mood! So to speak...if you get my drift

Originally Posted by CyberKitten

OMG, old wives tales (what a sexist idea - prob half were started by men, )
Never heard some of those and I am sure ppl do not believe them and if they do, just educate them. How many women have children AND cats? LOTS!! I know- I have so many patients who have cats - that alone should rest your case. I would guess right now my patient load is 5,000 tho I do not see all of them every week (it would be impossible and many are for maintenance as they see their family doctor back home) but more than half have cats and siblings so there, lol Say that is 2900, that is a pretty good sample.

I have heard the Muslim story and actually thought about it once when I had a beautiful polydactyl calico who wondered to my home (a so called stray I would guess someone dropped off BECAUSE of her pregnancy but really, it was their loss!) - and after being in my home for about 3 wks give or take a few days, delivered her brood of four ADORABLE kittens in my bed! Here is a friend holding them as I was cleaning out their room.

awwww the kittens are beautiful My mom had a siamese cat as a little girl and she too gave birth on her bed but also heartwarming cuz that means they really trust you.

The problem with giving them examples of women who have had babies yet they have cats is that they will tell u "yes but so and so had cats and then look at what happened"

[onster]

Originally Posted by Dracko

How could anyone meet Bunduk and say something like that??? Obviously they haven't had the pleasure yet.

Originally Posted by rainbow

I agree......one look at his adorable innocent face and they wouldn't be able to resist him.

Actually, although Bunduk doesnt hide when people come (actually he runs towards the door when he hears the doorbell) he doesnt really like to be pet (except at 4am ) so unless someone is willing to play with him he doesnt interract much with guests - take out a toy and he's all ures . Maybe thats the problem lol we need some Bunduk power

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by onster

Actually, although Bunduk doesnt hide when people come (actually he runs towards the door when he hears the doorbell) he doesnt really like to be pet (except at 4am ) so unless someone is willing to play with him he doesnt interract much with guests - take out a toy and he's all ures . Maybe thats the problem lol we need some Bunduk power

Yep.....when the guests arrive bring out his springs, bath sponge and stuffed mouse and let his adorable little face work like magic on them.