Exploring Myths and Misconceptions About Cat Behavior in a Spanish Population Sample

The relationship between humans and cats spans several thousand years, yet a significant proportion of the population still does not fully comprehend feline behavior. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of myths and misconceptions about cats amongst a sample of Spanish participants and investigate if personal characteristics (e.g., demographics, pet ownership status) are associated with them. Nineteen statements about feline behavior, developed by veterinary behaviorists and based on clinical experience, were presented in an online survey that was distributed via social media and veterinary clinics from September to December 2020. There were valid 975 responses. The degree of concurrence on each statement was assessed and the Percentage of Maximum Possible (POMP) score was calculated to summarize respondents’ agreement. While only one statement was accepted by more than 50% of the participants, (i.e., “When a cat purrs, that means they’re happy”), 13 were rejected by fewer than 50% of the respondents, and all 19 items raised doubts in 17% of respondents. Six items were rejected (i.e., “disagree” or “strongly disagree”) by more than 50% of respondents. The mean POMP score was 50.35 (n = 975; SD = 10.09), with scores ranging from 21.05 to 90.00 out of 100. Categorical regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between participant variables and the POMP scores. Factors such as age, gender, experience in animal-related work or study, cat ownership, and general pet ownership accounted for 24.7% of the variance (ANOVA F(46) = 6.61; p < 0.001), while other personal characteristics, such as population size, dog ownership, and educational level, were not found to be predictive of POMP scores (p > 0.05). Pinpointing prevalent misconceptions and the correlating factors could assist in crafting targeted educational campaigns regarding cat behavior and in implementing effective animal welfare policies.