Fluffy tales

Butter on their paws? Learn the truth behind 12 odd cat myths

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.

Some names stick around

From Table Tap Joe to Ziggy Stardust: Who are the best song characters?

Sometimes, a character is the perfect alter-ego to write a song about oneself without self-referencing so much. Other times, a character is just a character. Over the years, musicians have come up with lonely dreamers, fearless heroes, mysterious strangers, and even supernatural villains who have become just as famous as the songs themselves. Some were inspired by real people, others sprang entirely from imagination, but all of them left a lasting mark on music history. Which of these 12 do you remember?

Tom Waits has always had a soft spot for society's oddballs, and few are even stranger than Table Top Joe. Introduced on the 2002 album Alice, Joe is born with only a head and hands, yet grows into a brilliant piano player whose extraordinary talent earns him fame despite the odds stacked against him.

The song unfolds like a forgotten American folk tale, complete with references to Coney Island's legendary Dreamland amusement park and composer Igor Stravinsky. Although many listeners assume the story is based on an old carnival legend, Table Top Joe is entirely Tom Waits' own creation.

Few fictional musicians have ever become as famous as Ziggy Stardust. Introduced in 1972, Ziggy is an alien rock star sent to Earth shortly before humanity's end, only to be consumed by the very fame that makes him a savior to millions.

David Bowie blurred the line between fiction and reality by performing as Ziggy onstage for more than a year. When he unexpectedly announced Ziggy's retirement during a concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1973, many fans believed the character, and perhaps Bowie himself, had truly reached the end of the story.

Tommy Walker isn't just the hero of a song, he's the central figure of one of rock music's first great operas. After witnessing a traumatic event as a child, Tommy becomes deaf, mute, and blind, yet somehow develops astonishing pinball skills that transform him into an unlikely celebrity.

Pete Townshend built an entire musical world around Tommy, exploring themes of trauma, faith, and redemption. First released in 1969, Tommy later became a hit film, a Broadway production, and one of the most influential concept albums ever recorded.

Johnny B. Goode is every aspiring musician's dream. Growing up in rural Louisiana with little more than a guitar and natural talent, he plays so brilliantly that listeners predict "his name will be in lights."

Chuck Berry based the character partly on himself and partly on pianist Johnnie Johnson. Originally described as a "colored boy," Johnny became a "country boy" in the final lyrics, making the song more likely to receive airplay during the segregation era. Nearly two decades later, Johnny's anthem would even travel into space aboard NASA's Voyager Golden Record.

Few fictional characters have captured loneliness as powerfully as Eleanor Rigby. She quietly moves through life unnoticed, while Father McKenzie delivers sermons that no one hears, creating one of popular music's saddest portraits of isolation.

Paul McCartney later explained that Eleanor's name came from actress Eleanor Bron and the Liverpool shop Rigby & Evens. The discovery of an actual Eleanor Rigby gravestone in Liverpool only deepened the song's mystique, though McCartney maintained the coincidence was unintentional.

Billie Jean may be one of pop music's most famous women, yet Michael Jackson insisted she wasn't a real person. Instead, she represented several women who falsely claimed that he had fathered their children during the height of the Jackson 5's fame.

Released in 1983 as part of Thriller, the song became a global phenomenon. It also provided the stage for Jackson's legendary moonwalk during Motown 25.

Unlike many legendary song characters, Stagger Lee actually existed. His real name was Lee Shelton, a St. Louis criminal who murdered Billy Lyons during an argument over a hat on Christmas Eve in 1895.

The shocking crime quickly entered American folklore through countless folk songs before Lloyd Price transformed it into a chart-topping hit in 1958. More than a century later, Stagger Lee remains one of the most enduring antiheroes in American music.

Tom Dooley was inspired by Thomas Dula, a Confederate veteran executed in North Carolina in 1868 after being convicted of murdering Laura Foster. His surname was locally pronounced "Dooley," giving the ballad its familiar title.

The Kingston Trio revived the old Appalachian folk song in 1958, turning it into an international hit and helping launch America's folk music revival.

When the narrator of "Lola" meets an intriguing stranger in a Soho nightclub, expectations quickly give way to surprise. Ray Davies crafted one of rock's earliest mainstream stories exploring gender ambiguity, decades before the topic entered popular conversation.

The recording rarely reached British radio. Because BBC rules prohibited commercial product names, Davies had to interrupt a U.S. tour and fly back to London simply to replace the lyric "Coca-Cola" with the now-famous "cherry cola."

Unlike most famous song characters, the Piano Man is really Billy Joel himself. Before becoming a superstar, Joel spent six months in 1972 and 1973 performing under the pseudonym Bill Martin at the Executive Room, a piano bar in Los Angeles, after becoming trapped in a bad recording contract. The song transforms those experiences into a bittersweet portrait of ordinary people searching for escape at the end of another week.

Joel has said that virtually every character in the song was based on a real person, from bartender John to "Paul, the real estate novelist" and Davy, who really was in the Navy. Yet the Piano Man himself became the story's most enduring character: a quiet observer who offers music as a brief refuge for dreamers, lonely souls, and regulars alike. More than fifty years after its 1973 release, "Piano Man" remains Billy Joel's signature song, and its title has effectively become his lifelong nickname.

Standing nearly seven feet tall and missing an arm, Amos Moses roams the Louisiana swamps hunting alligators. Jerry Reed filled the song with colorful Southern expressions and exaggerated storytelling that make Amos feel like an authentic folk legend.

Although fictional, Amos embodies the larger-than-life heroes found throughout American tall tales. His adventures turned the song into one of Reed's biggest crossover hits and secured Amos a permanent place among country music's greatest characters.

Big Bad John hardly says a word, but he doesn't have to. The towering coal miner earns everyone's respect through quiet strength before sacrificing his own life to save fellow workers when a mine collapses.

Jimmy Dean's 1961 ballad became a smash hit, winning a Grammy and inspiring several sequel songs. More than sixty years later, Big Bad John still stands as one of country music's defining working-class heroes.