Feline fallacies: What do you know about cats?
By Pet Connection Staff
July 14, 2009
In this week’s Pet Connection, Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori debunk some of the myths about cats… like the one where they suck the breath out of babies:
It doesn’t matter what well-meaning relatives say. You don’t need to find a new home for your pet if you become pregnant. Cats do not maliciously smother or suck the breath out of babies, as the myths hold. While common sense dictates that no pet be left unattended with an infant, you can rest assured that your cat doesn’t present any special danger to your child.A bigger concern involves not infants but pregnancy and the risk of toxoplasmosis. Miscarriages and birth defects can result when pregnant women are exposed to cat feces containing the organisms that cause this disease.
Because of this risk, someone else should take over the maintenance of the litter box for the duration of the pregnancy, and even before the pregnancy in the case of couples who’re attempting to conceive. (Litter boxes aren’t the only way to contract the disease, so talk to your doctor about additional precautions.)
Reptiles can be great pets, with a few simple precautions — really simple, like a little soap and water. Get more info here.
In “The Buzz,” our Dr. Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon write about the rise of the suburban chicken:
Chickens may be the hottest new pet for suburbanites, who appreciate not only their birds’ colorful antics, but also their fresh eggs. Cool chicken coops are popping up everywhere, as cities scramble to consider changing laws to allow handfuls of hens to roam the backyards — noisy roosters need not apply. The trend may seem new, but chickens are sure not. The fowl were domesticated by the Chinese in 1,400 B.C., and came to America with the pilgrims. In fact, one of the most popular breeds of chicken is the Barred Plymouth Rock.
Want more? Read the entire Pet Connection for this week, or download the page (PDF) as it went out to our newspaper clients.
The hen in the photo looks more like a Dominique than a Barred Rock. A rose comb and staggered rather than parallel barring are characterisitic of the Dominique.
Comment by Janeen — July 14, 2009 @ 10:02 am
I pulled that picture to go with chickens in general, not to represent any particular breed. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 14, 2009 @ 10:33 am
It struck me because my favorite “hen” is a Dominique. Actually, I just found out that “she” is a cockerel. But i still love her/him ;-) This just means that my handsome, blonde Svenny Penny will get re-homed.
Comment by Janeen — July 14, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
Naw, keep ‘em both, I wanna see the Dominique vs. Buff Orpington cockfights.
Oughtta be about like turning a golden retriever and a beagle loose on each other in a dog pit.
Now, the profusion of so-called “Delaware” cockerels that have taken over my woodshed and the goat pen are another matter …
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 14, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
They spar like a pair of sorority sisters with freshly manicured nails.
Comment by Janeen — July 14, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
That’s MEAN!
I have chicken news to blog later this week. I have to go be a policy wonk now, though …
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 14, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
when I was a kid we had a rooster named Big Red (not too original on the name) He would come up to the screen door of the house on Saturday mornings and watch cartoons with me - he was also a bit territorial so he watched over the property like a watch dog - some dogs and even some people visitors were fearful of him but basically he was peaceful, though diligently alert…what a rooster.
Comment by mary francis — July 14, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
Concerning toxoplasmosis, pregnancy, and cats: my understanding is that if you live with a cat, it’s common to already be infected. Toxo is only dangerous to a fetus if the pregnant woman becomes infected for the first time during pregnancy. If you’re wondering whether you need to worry about toxo, you can be tested — if you already have it, your immune system will protect your fetus. The CDC has more info: http://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/pregnant.html
Comment by Jessica Hekman — July 15, 2009 @ 4:32 pm