There are hundreds of myths and old wives tales, but the ones that relate to animals are among the most persistent. Not only that, they can be harmful to the animals. Here are some myths that should be retired.
Cats Suffocate Infants
Most likely attracted to the scent of warm milk, a kitty may have been caught investigating the delicious smell. Cats were once associated with evil spirits making them easy targets for those who hated them anyway. It's physically impossible for a cat to cover a baby's mouth with his own, even if he wanted to.
Bats Are Blind
Bats are not blind and have the same five senses as people do. According to the Florida Bat Conservancy, bats are not aggressive and don't get tangled in hair. Also, they are not rodents; they are classified as chiroptera, in a class of their own.
Dogs Get Worms from Eating Sweets
Dogs get worms from contact with worm eggs or larvae. Dogs can get tapeworms from eating fleas and heart worms from a mosquito bite. Dogs can also get roundworms, hookworms and other internal parasites from contact with the feces of a dog who had those worms. Eating sweets does not give a dog worms.
Healthy Dogs Have a Cold Wet Nose
It's possible that someone's dog was warm and dry shortly before the dog died and that is where this myth came from. A dog's nose can be cold and wet, dry and warm, or any combination thereof.
Birds Will Ignore Baby Birds If You Touch Them
If believing this myth keeps some people from bothering baby birds in a nest, well, that's a good thing. Birds do not have a great sense of smell and so they really can't tell if a human has touched their babies. However, if the safety of a nest is compromised because the nest has been discovered by a human, the mother bird may abandon the nest.
Only Male Dogs "Hump"
Dogs hump for a variety of reasons. Some dogs hump in an effort to simulate a sexual act. But some dogs hump to show that they are "in charge." Females will hump as often as males and many do it to get the "upper paw" over the "humpee."
Throwing Rice at Weddings Hurts Birds
It is not true that birds will explode if they eat the rice thrown outside a church after a wedding. Birds regularly eat the rice growing in rice paddies, much to the chagrin of rice farmers.
Horses Can Only Sleep Standing Up
Horses doze while standing, but for them to go into the deep REM (rapid eye movement) sleep that all mammals need, they will lie on their side or squat on their stomach with their nose to the ground.
A Horse With a Broken Leg Must Be Euthanized
This used to be the case, but advances in medical science has made it possible to treat broken legs so that the patient may go on to live a healthy, four-legged life.
Fish Can't Feel Pain
New studies suggest that fish can, in fact, feel pain. While experts differ on the degree of pain that a fish can feel, or whether there is a psychological component to the pain, most agree that fish do feel pain and discomfort just like other animals.
There are hundreds of myths with their roots in the animal kingdom. Some of them, such as the one about horses sleeping, are harmless. But others, like the infamous "black cats are bad luck" are hurtful for animals. In this age of the internet, there is no reason to believe myths and superstitions and old wives tales
Michelle Rivera - Michelle A. Rivera is the author of several books including HOSPICE HOUNDS, Animals and Healing at the Borders of Death; CANINES IN THE ...
