With the increasing number of cat lovers, there are many misconceptions we may have about raising cats, which can lead to health problems that cats might otherwise avoid. Let's take a look at some of these misconceptions!
Myth 1: Cats love fish. Cat nutrition experts point out that while fish provides cats with good protein and other nutrients, excessive amounts can be harmful to their health. For example, tuna contains a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids and requires a considerable amount of vitamin E to prevent rancidity. If a cat consumes a diet high in tuna for a long time, it may develop yellow fat syndrome. This condition is caused by insufficient vitamin E in the diet, leading to the accumulation of a yellow substance in the body's fat. This disease can cause a painful inflammatory response. The key to preventing this disease in cats is to provide them with a nutritionally complete and balanced diet, while avoiding feeding them excessive amounts of tuna. 
Myth 2: Cats Need Milk. Cat nutritionists tell us that cats can obtain the water and some calories from carbohydrates in milk; however, cats cannot survive solely on milk. Furthermore, many adult cats are lactose intolerant; they lack the enzyme lactase and therefore cannot digest the lactose in milk, leading to loose stools or diarrhea several hours after drinking it. If diarrhea occurs, the intestines cannot adequately absorb water and nutrients. Therefore, cats can drink moderate or small amounts of milk, but kittens should never rely on milk for growth and development.
Myth 3: Cats can live a vegetarian diet. Many vegetarians believe their beloved cats can also live a purely vegetarian diet like them. While cats may occasionally chew on houseplants, this does not mean they prefer plants as their only food. Nutritionists state that if cats only eat grains or plants, they cannot obtain all the nutrients needed for healthy growth; therefore, a purely vegetarian diet cannot produce a healthy and beautiful cat. The most important reason is that cats cannot synthesize taurine and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) necessary for health, and these two nutrients can only be obtained from animal meat and fat. Therefore, cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet.
Myth 4: Dogs and cats can eat the same food. Families with both dogs and cats often believe that exchanging food or feeding them the same food is convenient, but this can negatively impact the health of either animal. The nutrients required by dogs and cats are not the same. Cats obtain higher amounts of protein, B vitamins, vitamin A, taurine, and eicosapentaenoic acid from their diet. If a cat's food lacks sufficient amounts of these nutrients, its health will be significantly affected. A diet suitable for cats is not suitable for dogs; therefore, dogs and cats should eat from separate bowls, ideally in separate rooms, to avoid food exchange. Food bowls should be removed after meals to prevent dogs from eating leftover cat food or vice versa.
Myth 5: Low-ash or low-magnesium diets can prevent feline lower urinary tract diseases (PUDs). PUDs are relatively rare in cats, often presenting with symptoms such as difficulty urinating, not urinating in the litter box, blood in the urine, or loss of appetite. Cat owners often believe that low-ash or low-magnesium cat food can prevent PUDs; however, PUDs cannot be cured by low-ash cat food. The key is to feed a cat food with low magnesium content that makes the urine acidic, thus preventing magnesium ammonium phosphate urinary stones, a major cause of PUDs. In fact, ash contains various minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc, and healthy organisms require adequate amounts of these minerals. Therefore, drastically reducing the mineral content in cat food is not a good thing.
Myth 6: Cats Need Catnip. While about 50% of cats find the scent of catnip appealing and enjoy scratching it, this doesn't mean cats absolutely need to eat catnip to maintain their health. In fact, catnip is a hallucinogenic herb. After ingesting it, some cats may experience temporary (5-15 minutes) behavioral changes, such as sneezing, rubbing, rolling around, meowing, or talking incoherently. Some cats may chase imaginary mice after eating catnip, while others may sit blankly staring. These behaviors do not cause any harm, and catnip is not addictive. In short, catnip does not fundamentally help a cat's health.
