Buat yang Punya Kucing, BACA INI!!!

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Myths and Facts About Cats

Are these statements true or false?
• Cats always land on their feet.
• Cats should drink milk everyday.
The correct answer to both is FALSE.

These are common misunderstandings that veterinarians frequently hear from pet owners, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Following is a list of popular myths that AAHA veterinarians and The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) would like to dispel.

Myth: Cats always land on their feet.
Fact: While cats instinctively fall feet first and may survive falls from high places, they also may receive broken bones in the process. Some kind of screening on balconies and windows can help protect pets from disastrous falls.

Myth: Cats should drink milk everyday.
Fact: Most cats like milk, but do not need it if properly nourished. Also, many will get diarrhea if they drink too much milk. If it is given at all, the amount should be small and infrequent.

Myth: Cats that are spayed or neutered automatically gain weight.
Fact: Like people, cats gain weight from eating too much, not exercising enough or both. In many cases, spaying or neutering is done at an age when the animal's metabolism already has slowed, and its need for food has decreased. If the cat continues to eat the same amount, it may gain weight. Cat owners can help their cats stay fit by providing exercise and not over-feeding.

Myth: Cats cannot get rabies.
Fact: Actually, most warm-blooded mammals, including cats, bats, skunks and ferrets, can carry rabies. Like dogs, cats should be vaccinated regularly according to local laws.

Myth: Indoor cats cannot get diseases.
Fact: Cats still are exposed to organisms that are carried through the air or brought in on a cat owner's shoes or clothing. Even the most housebound cat ventures outdoors at some time and can be exposed to diseases and worms through contact with other animals feces.

Myth: Tapeworms come from bad food.
Fact: Pets become infected with tape worms from swallowing fleas, which carry the parasite. Also, cats can get tapeworms from eating infected mice or other exposed animals.

Myth: Putting garlic on a pet's food will get rid of worms.
Fact: Garlic may make the animal's food taste better but has no effect on worms. The most effective way to treat worms is by medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

Myth: Pregnant women should not own cats.
Fact: Some cats can be infected with a disease called toxoplasmosis, which occasionally can be spread to humans through cat litter boxes and cause serious problems in unborn babies. However, these problems can be controlled, if the expectant mother avoids contact with the litter box and assigns daily cleaning to a friend or other family member.

Myth: A cat's sense of balance is in its whiskers.
Fact: Cats use their whiskers as "feelers" but not to maintain their balance.
Myth: Animals heal themselves by licking their wounds.

Fact: Such licking actually can slow the healing process and further damage the wound.
For the most accurate information on these and other concerns about pet health care, the American Animal Hospital Association and The Cat Fanciers' Association advise cat owners to contact a veterinarian.

The AAHA is an international association of more than 12,000 veterinarians who treat companion animals, such as cats and dogs. The association is well-known among veterinarians for its high standards for hospitals and pet health care.

The CFA is the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats and has reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion of the welfare of ALL cats, pedigreed or random bred.

The Winn Feline Foundation was founded in 1968 by CFA as a source of funding for medical studies benefiting cats. The Winn Foundation has provided funds over the years for a wide variety of studies and has helped to advance veterinary knowledge in all areas of feline health. Grants totaling more than $1.2 million have been awarded by the Winn Foundation since its inception.U For additional information on CFA, AAHA or the Winn Foundation, please contact:

The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc.
1805 Atlantic Avenue
PO Box 1005
Manasquan NJ 08736-0805
Phone: 732-528-9797 * Fax: 732-528-7391

American Animal
Hospital Association
PO Box 150899
Denver CO 80215-0899
Phone: 303-986-2800

sumber:http://www.cfainc.org/articles/myths-facts.html

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Menurut agan-agan, apakah kucing selalu mendarat dengan aman? apakah kucing harus minum susu setiap hari? Jawaban dari kedua pertanyaan ini adalah SALAH. Berikut mitos dan fakta seputar kucing. Mitos: kucing selalu mendarat dengan aman. Fakta: secara naluri, ketika kucing mendaratkan kakinya pertama kali dan bertahan ketika jatuh dari tempat yang tinggi, mereka dapat pula mengalami patah tulang. Berbagai jenis saringan di balkon dan jendela bisa lindungi kucing dari kecelakaan yang fatal. Jadi, kucing pun bisa kecelakaan ternyata. Mitos: kucing harus minum susu setiap hari. Fakta: Kebanyakan kucing suka susu, namun tidak perlu diberikan kalo kebutuhan gizinya sudah terpenuhi. Selain itu, ada juga kucing yang diare kalau minum susu terlalu banyak. Kasih susu ke kucing kita dalam jumlah sedikit dan enggak terlalu sering. Mitos: kucing yang mandul otomatis bertambah berat badannya. Fakta: sama kayak manusia, berat badan kucing bertambah akibat dari makan terlalu banyak dan kurang olahraga. Pada banyak kasus, pemandulan dilakukan ketika metabolisme hewan menurun, dan akibatnya kebutuhan akan makanan menurun pula. Kalo kucing makan secara terus menerus dengan jumlah yang sama, maka berat badan akan bertambah. Kita bisa bantu kucing kita dengan cara kasih dia olahraga dan makanan yang enggak berlebihan. Mitos: kucing enggak akan rabies. Fakta: sebenarnya, kebanyakan binatang mamalia berdarah panas seperi kucing, kelelawar, sigung, dan musang, dapat menyebabkan rabies. Sama dengan anjing, kucing sebaiknya divaksinasi secara rutin menurut aturan yang berlaku. Mitos: kucing rumahan tidak akan terserang penyakit. Fakta: kucing masih dapat terkena berbagai penyakit yang dibawa udara atau sesuatu yang menempel di sepatu atau pakaian kita. Bahkan kebanyakan kucing rumahan yang sekali-sekali keluar rumah bisa pula terkena penyakit dan mengidap cacingan lewat kontak dengan kotoran hewan lain. Mitos: cacing pita datang dari makanan yang kotor. Fakta: binatang peliharaan bisa terinfeksi cacing pita kalo dia menelan kutu yang mengandung parasit. Selain itu, kucing bisa juga terkena cacing pita lewat makan tikus yang terinfeksi atau tertular dari hewan lain. Mitos: Menambahkan bawang putih pada makanan akan melindungi hewan dari cacingan. Fakta: Bawang putih dapat membuat makanan lebih enak namun tidak dapat mencegah cacingan. Cara yang paling efektif mengatasi cacingan adalah dengan obat resep ahli peternakan atau dokter hewan. Mitos: perempuan hamil sebaiknya tidak memelihara kucing. Fakta: beberapa kucing dapat terinfeksi penyakit yang disebut toxoplasma yang dapat menyebar ke manusia melalui kotoran kucing dan menyebabkan masalah serius pada bayi yang dikandung. Meski demikian, masalah ini bisa diatasi apabila si calon ibu menghindari kontak dengan kotoran dan menugaskan seseorang untuk menjaga kebersihannya sehari-sehari (teman atau saudara). Mitos: keseimbangan kucing ada pada kumisnya (whiskers=jambang), karena kucing gak ada jambang, jadi saya artikan kumis. Semoga bener Fakta: kucing menggunakan kumis mereka sebagai perasa, bukan untuk keseimbangan. Mitos: kucing menyembuhkan dirinya dengan cara menjilati lukanya. Fakta: menjilati luka sebenarnya dapat memperlambat proses penyembuhan dan membuat luka lebih parah.