Companion Animals: Facts, Not Folklore.
Caring for a companion animal isn't about good intentions; it’s about informed actions. Despite abundant research, harmful myths about dogs and cats persist, creating confusion and undermining the welfare of animals in our care. A recent survey of over 200 guardians from the UK, US, and Australia exposes just how widespread, and damaging, these misconceptions remain.
Guardians Still Get It Wrong
Nearly half of participants (42%) still believe dogs require strict hierarchies and must know "who's boss," clinging to outdated and discredited dominance theories. 37% believe having a garden is essential for dog guardianship, inadvertently excluding countless animals from adoption into loving homes without large outdoor spaces.
For cats, myths can be just as harmful. 29% of respondents wrongly assumed cats are “low-maintenance” pets, perpetuating neglect of cats' complex behavioural and environmental needs. Disturbingly, almost a quarter (24%) believed cats could safely fall from high places without injury, reinforcing careless attitudes toward safety and wellbeing.
Misreading Behaviour Is Harming Animals
Participants commonly misinterpreted nuanced animal behaviours, leading to potential harm or distress:
39% believed that cats jumping onto laps always means they want affection, overlooking signals of stress or anxiety.
33% assumed a dog wagging their tail is always happy, missing signs of fear or agitation.
32% thought dogs universally enjoy being hugged, ignoring evidence that many dogs find hugs stressful or threatening.
Misreading these signs isn't trivial—animals suffer when guardians repeatedly misunderstand their attempts to communicate discomfort.
Outright Cruelty Still Exists
While the majority rejected clearly harmful practices, disturbing beliefs remain among a minority:
7.5% supported scruffing cats to calm them, a practice causing fear and distress.
2% thought pushing dogs’ noses into their own urine is acceptable punishment.
Small numbers still believed dogs act out of spite or that physical punishment (like rolled-up newspapers) is justified.
Even low percentages mean real animals are still experiencing unnecessary harm in supposedly loving homes.
Who's Most Vulnerable to Believing Myths?
Younger respondents were more likely to accept aggression in dogs toward strangers or other animals as normal behaviour, a dangerous misconception that ignores underlying emotional or physical distress. Older guardians, meanwhile, were prone to attributing guilt or punitive intentions to dog behaviour, perpetuating harmful punishments.
Interestingly, women were slightly more susceptible to believing outdated myths about animal eyesight, such as cats seeing perfectly in total darkness or dogs viewing the world in black and white. While less immediately harmful, such beliefs contribute to a wider culture of misinformation.
Why Myths Die Hard
These misconceptions aren’t accidental. Cognitive dissonance, discomfort when realising one has unintentionally caused harm, makes guardians resistant to new information. It's psychologically easier to deny science than accept one's beloved animals may have suffered because of ignorance.
Real Consequences
Believing myths has serious, tangible outcomes. Animals frequently endure neglect, unnecessary punishment, or chronic stress because guardians interpret natural or anxious behaviours as deliberate mischief or dominance struggles. In worst-case scenarios, misunderstood behaviours lead to abandonment, shelter relinquishment, or euthanasia.
What Can You Do?
Guardians have an obligation to educate themselves, and others. Misinformation persists not due to a lack of scientific evidence but because too many still choose comfort over truth. Animal advocates must actively debunk these harmful myths, relentlessly promoting scientifically accurate knowledge to improve animal wellbeing.
Being a responsible guardian isn’t just about love, it’s about continuous learning. We owe animals nothing less than our informed, unwavering respect.