Misconceptions about Pets - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep.6)

Hi, I'm Elliot, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube

Today I'm going to talk about some misconceptions about your pets. Normal pets, that is

If you own something exotic, like a skunk, then, um, why? Okay, miscompet-tions, here we come

Misconception number one, there are hypoallergenic pets. Mm-mm, no. In 2011, a study examined how much various breeds of dogs were shedding the main dog allergen, Canis familiaris 1, or Can F1

They studied 173 homes and found Can F1 in all but 10 of those homes

They were all one-dog families, some with dogs that are typically considered hypoallergenic, and some with dogs that aren't

The researchers found that there wasn't even a difference in the levels of Can F1 from home to home

The American Kennel Club backs this information up. though they have a list of dogs that people who have allergies are usually less affected by

the club notes that this is not a guarantee. As far as cats go, scientists aren't sure if there is a hypoallergenic breed

Some people with cat allergies feel fine around certain breeds, but like with dogs, it varies

Personally, I'm super allergic to most cats' personalities. Misconception number two dogs see in black and white We known since 1989 that dogs can see color and we now know that dogs can also distinguish hues thanks to a 2013 study at the Laboratory of Sensory Processing at the Russian

Academy of Sciences. The study used different colored papers in front of locked boxes

including one box that contained meat. Researchers found that the dogs learned in three trials

which colored paper were associated with the box that had the treat inside. The dogs chose the

correct color 70% of the time. In the words of Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park, life finds a way

Misconception number three, you should totally give your cat milk. Most cats do love milk, but

some are lactose intolerant. These cats will get upset stomachs and or diarrhea after drinking milk

Your cat might not be lactose intolerant, but most veterinarians still suggest that you do not give

your cat milk. It's not essential to their diet, and it's just not worth risking them getting sick

because they're not as cute when they're sick. Misconception number four, cat food and fish are

interchangeable. Most experts agree that you should not give your cat fish because fish is

actually the third biggest allergen for cats behind beef and dairy. Speaking of fish, misconception

number five, a goldfish only grows to the size of its bowl. This myth is actually probably true if

you're keeping your goldfish in a bowl, but by doing that, it's actually you, not the bowl, that's

preventing your goldfish from growing to its full size. Fish are poikilotherms, which means their

internal heat is varied as opposed to homeotherms like mammals Poikilotherms actually continue to throughout their entire lives Putting a goldfish in a small bowl with bad living conditions including a poor diet and poor water quality

stunts its growth. So if you move your fish into a bigger tank and properly care for it

your fish will continue to grow forever and ever until it can have its revenge on you

Misconception number six, a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth

I'm gonna be frank with you. Both a person's mouth and a dog's mouth

contain bacteria. and comparing the bacteria isn't really relevant because we're two very, very different species

In fact, because their bacteria is only found in dogs, you're less likely to get a disease

from coming into contact with your dog's mouth as opposed to another human's mouth

Cleanliness of your dog's mouth actually depends on you. Take care of your dog, keep it away from the toilet

and the trash can, and brush its teeth. And make visits to the vet because that's how you'll know

if your dog has a serious problem like gum disease, which is gross. Misconception number seven, cats always land on their feet

Cats have something called the cat riding reflex or aerial riding reflex

Thanks to their bone structure, they're usually able to shift their bodies midair so they can land on their feet

In fact, in 2006, a cat from South Carolina fell 80 feet completely unharmed, minus like some dehydration and stiffness

But a few factors may affect a cat ability to land on its feet like shock disorientation injury etc Misconception number eight you can teach an old dog new tricks Yeah this is just an expression Older healthy dogs can absolutely learn new tricks In fact

they might enjoy the activity and mental exercise. Fine, Gilligan, I'll teach you how to look

adorable. Oh, wait, too late. Speaking of exercise, misconception number nine, if you leave your dog

outside, it'll exercise by itself. Some people believe that providing a dog with a yard means

that it will take care of its own exercise. But if you observe your dog in the yard, you'll

probably notice that it is not running around or getting a decent amount of exercise at all

Even if you have a yard, you should still be taking your dog for regular walks. Misconception

number 10, if you want a short-term pet commitment, you should get a rabbit. Actually, a well-cared-for

rabbit can live up to 12 years. In fact, the Guinness World Record for oldest rabbit was a

rabbit named Dew who lived for 17 years and two weeks. You know, it kind of makes you wonder

if Dew's owner had known he was going to live that long, would she have given him a better name

Anyway, if you're planning on getting a rabbit, prepare yourself for a long-term pet