Fluffy tales

Why nine lives? 12 cat myths that need debunking!

Image: Jari Hytönen

Cats may be mysterious, but let’s not give them credit for magic tricks they don’t actually perform. Over the years, these curious creatures have picked up numerous myths—some harmless, others simply misleading. Today, we’re debunking 12 common cat myths and setting the record straight. Ready? Here we go!

Image: Andreea Popa

Let’s kick things off with a classic: black cats are a symbol of bad luck. Poor black cats! This myth goes way back to the days when people thought witches had feline sidekicks. However, depending on where you are in the world, black cats arouse different opinions. In Japan and parts of the UK, for example, they’re seen as symbols of good fortune. What is it for you?

Image: Nick Sorockin

Cats and baths go together like oil and water… usually. While many cats aren't big fans of water, some breeds, like the Turkish Van, will gladly paddle around. The real reason most cats avoid water is that wet fur is uncomfortable and slows them down.

Image: Aditya Sethia

If you have a cat, you don’t need us to debunk this myth for you. This is simply a lie! They may not wag their tails or slobber all over you, but cats have their own subtle ways of saying "I love you." A head bump, a slow blink, or even just choosing to nap on your lap is their version of a warm hug. They're more independent than dogs, sure, but unloving? Not a chance!

Image: David Grandmougin

Cats do have an impressive aerial trick called the "righting reflex," which helps them twist midair and often land feet-first. We wish we had that! However, that doesn't mean they're invincible. Falls from high places can still cause serious injuries. If you live in a place with high windows or balconies, a few safety screens can go a long way!

Image: Thien Phu Pham

We’ve all heard this one: Cats have nine lives. But while they do have a knack for wriggling out of trouble, again, they’re not actually immortal, you know? This saying likely comes from their agility and sharp instincts, which often help them avoid danger. Still, one life is all they get; it’s up to us to help them make it a good one.

Image: Jonathan Fink

Purring can mean a happy cat curled up in a sunny spot, but it's not always a happy sound. Cats may also purr when they're scared or in pain, using it as a kind of self-soothing mechanism. Did you know that? Pay attention: If the purring comes with hiding, limping, or not eating, your cat might be expressing that something’s wrong.

Image: Ray ZHUANG

Cat eyes are pretty amazing, but they’re not night-vision goggles. What they can do is see in much lower light than humans, thanks to their wide pupils and a reflective layer in their eyes. That’s what makes them glow like tiny headlights at night. So yes, they can stalk around in the dark better than we can, but not pitch black.

Image: Chris Yang

This is a widespread myth: Cats aren’t strictly night owls. They're actually most active at dawn and dusk, a rhythm known as crepuscular. It ties back to their hunting roots when early morning and evening were prime times to catch dinner. A good evening play session can help burn that energy off.

Image: Danilo Batista

Despite the classic cartoon image of Tom lapping up a bowl of milk (and Jerry trying to steal it), real-life kitties often can’t stomach dairy. Many become lactose intolerant after kittenhood, meaning milk could lead to an upset stomach, to say the least. In short, they’re much better off with water and a well-balanced diet.

Image: The Lucky Neko

Some cats are social butterflies, others are lone rangers. While many prefer to rule the roost solo, cats raised together, especially siblings, can form strong bonds. The key is a slow and careful introduction. And don’t forget: cats hate sharing their stuff. Extra food bowls, litter boxes, and cozy napping spots can make the difference between feline friendship and a feud.

Image: freddie marriage

Yes, cats are independent, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get lonely. Many enjoy being around their humans and can even form deep attachments. Some cats might follow you from room to room, "help" you around with chores, or curl up next to you every night. And when that bond is strong, long absences can lead to anxiety. So while they won’t fetch your slippers, they miss you when you’re gone! How cute is that?

Image: Andriyko Podilnyk

This tale says that if you move house, you should butter your cat’s paws so they’ll remember the new location. It sounds cute, but it doesn’t do anything. That will only stress out your cat and make a mess on your floors. Imagine you get buttered feet! A better way to help them settle in is to keep them indoors for a while, let them explore slowly, and give them lots of familiar smells and comforts.

INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEYS

Travel Through Time: 10 Amazing Expeditions That Changed The World

Image: Hector John Periquin

Today, our world is so globalized and hyper-connected that it is virtually impossible to find completely unknown places. But long before the internet and low-cost airlines, there was a time when the planet was a mysterious and unexplored territory. Back then, traveling was a real adventure in which even the most intrepid would risk their lives to discover new worlds. As a tribute to all those explorers who followed their instinct and went against the tide, in this article we’ll revisit some of the greatest expeditions in history.

Image: dp1616

Perhaps the most controversial exploration voyage, and the one that changed the world's socio-political landscape forever, is the one that led Christopher Columbus to discover the American continent. The Genoese explorer and navigator reached America for the first time in 1492, following his "crazy" theory that the world was round. Columbus, who sought to reach the East Indies, found another vast continent instead, one that nobody had ever heard of before.

Then other Spanish conquistadors arrived in these faraway lands and new routes were opened for the rest of the European powers, which would ultimately cause numerous losses for the native peoples. Regardless of the historical and ethnic consequences, what is certain is that Christopher Columbus proved to be a visionary and courageous adventurer who continued to explore until the end of his days —in total, he made four voyages to America!

Image: DanielWanke

If Columbus was the first to arrive in America, the Portuguese navigator and explorer Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India through the South Seas. During his first expedition (1497-99) he sailed down the Atlantic to round the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa.

Three years later, he sailed the Indian Ocean and landed in Calicut. This voyage —the longest by sea until that time— allowed the expansion of Portuguese possessions in Asia and Africa. The great explorer made a second expedition to India, of which he would be named governor in 1524, shortly before contracting malaria and dying.

Image: Jack Anstey

If we are speaking of the most famous explorers in history, it is imperative to mention the name of Marco Polo. This Venetian merchant of the late 13th and early 14th centuries epitomized the adventurous spirit of the time and was responsible for introducing the wonders of Asia to the European continent. During his 23-year-long voyage, he traveled through what is now China, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tibet, India, and Myanmar.

Marco Polo had incredible experiences: he found remote cities and exotic palaces, discovered totally unknown religions, and met strange animals. Luckily for us, all these adventures were reflected, upon his return to the West, in the Book of the Wonders of the World, written by Rustichello of Pisa, with whom he shared a cell after falling prisoner during the Venetian–Genoese wars. But that is another story…

Image: Phillip Sauerbeck

French explorer and botanist Jeanne Baret is considered to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. But to do so, she had to disguise herself as a man! Dressed as a sailor, she joined Admiral Antoine de Bougainville's expedition in 1766.

The French Navy prohibited women from boarding its ships, so Jeanne tied a bandage over her breasts and enlisted as valet to the French naturist Philibert Commerçon. During her expedition, she collected samples of more than 6,000 plants from all over the world, some of which were later kept in the French National Herbarium at the Jardin des Plantes. We certainly must thank this courageous woman explorer for unearthing new and invaluable ground in the botany field.

Image: Victor

Another titan of maritime exploration was Captain James Cook. Adventurer, navigator, cartographer, and military man, Cook was a very complete human being. No other marine explorer traveled and discovered as many miles and lands as he did.

His biographers describe him as cultured, tough, indomitable, with a genuine interest in the foreign cultures of the places he discovered and, let’s be honest, a rather irascible temper. In 11 years, Cook completed three journeys across the Pacific, mapping coasts and islands that remained unknown. New Zealand, the east coast of Australia, the Hawaiian Islands —where he died after an altercation with the natives— and Easter Island are some of the places he discovered.

Image: Fernando Venzano

In 1859, the foundations of science and accepted beliefs were completely overturned by the publication of Charles Darwin's seminal work, The Origin of Species. The seeds of his revolutionary theory can be found 24 years earlier, when Darwin arrived in the Galapagos Islands —located in the Pacific Ocean, 560 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

The British naturalist had been sailing for three years aboard the HMS Beagle, captained by Robert FitzRoy, before reaching the archipelago. Once there, he observed species of wildlife that had never been seen before. This unexpected encounter would inspire his studies for the next two decades. Thanks to his adventurous spirit Darwin became one of the most influential scientists in history and his work continues to be a cornerstone of biological science today.

Image: Halima Bouchouicha

Intelligent, sword-wielding, bully, capable of speaking 30 languages, drunkard, diplomat, disloyal, and explorer. That's how scholars describe Sir Richard Burton, a British adventurer who was never afraid as he explored Arabia, Syria, India, East Africa, Brazil, and the western United States.

A shot in the jaw, syphilis, malaria, bandit attacks, and opium highs were among his travel ordeals. Not to mention the time he circumcised himself to pass as a Muslim. Despite being a controversial character, it is said that Burton was the first anthropologist of the modern era, so let’s just say, we owe him a lot.

Image: Una Miller

The frozen lands of Antarctica, one of the most inhospitable places on the planet, were one of Ernest Shackleton's most profound obsessions. The first time the Anglo-Irish adventurer attempted to reach the Antarctic continent was in 1901 when he joined Capt. Robert Falcon Scott's British National Antarctic Expedition. Unfortunately, a health condition forced him to abandon the crusade.

A few years later, he led the Nimrod Expedition which succeeded in arriving at the southernmost point ever reached by man. Then, in 1914, he set sail again intending to cross Antarctica from end to end. But the ship became trapped in the ice and the explorers had to manage to survive, totally isolated, for more than two years. It was his leadership and endurance that made him one of the most legendary adventurers who ever lived.

Image: Parth Savani

It took three decades, many failed expeditions, and several lives taken before New Zealander climber Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay managed to finally crown the merciless summit of Everest. On May 29, 1953, they became the first climbers to reach the highest mountain on earth, which rises majestically over 29,000 feet above sea level.

Yet, Hillary's adventurous spirit did not stop there. Years later, in 1958, he reached the South Pole as a member of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and in 1985 he made it to the North Pole, achieving another record: that of being the first person to get to know both poles.

Image: NASA

In the early morning of July 21, 1969, no one was able to take their eyes off the television set. What was about to happen was to become the greatest milestone in the history of humanity. The moment when Neil Armstrong would descend from Apollo XI to take that "small step for man", which in reality was a huge stride "for mankind".

That crew —completed by Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins— had gone farther than the vast majority of mortals ever dreamed of. From that moment on, the astronauts became true rock stars and an atmosphere of optimism pervaded everything. If they had managed to reach the moon, what else could human beings achieve from now on?