After being a dog person for a long time, I’ve had cats for twenty years or so and have learned that there are a good many misconceptions about them.
Misconception #1. Ownership… it’s not ownership at all, but a mutually beneficial relationship, based solely on how much your cat trusts and respects you. If you try to impose discipline on a cat, they’ll merely cease to trust you and respect goes out the window. It is possible to establish boundaries though, with gentle perseverance.
Misconception #2. Intelligence. Dogs treat humans like other dogs. In order to get the best from your dog you have to behave like the pack leader, ergo dogs are too stupid to understand that humans aren’t dogs at all. Cats absolutely understand that humans are different to other cats and will use different vocalizations and body language to a human than they would another cat – even a close litter mate. Cats will also behave differently once again towards trusted dogs, imposing themselves as de facto pack leader.
Misconception #3. Solitude. Cats aren’t necessarily solitary creatures, they can exist in colonies in the semi-wild. My two are inseparable and never fight, despite both being males, they’re extremely affectionate with one another. Cats can even co-operate when hunting…remember this if you get more than one cat, it’s possible that both may be plotting to kill you at the same time (see 4).
Misconception #4. You can’t train a cat. You can absolutely train a cat, but it has to trust and respect you first (see 1). I’ve had cats who will sit and do tricks on command (or more accurately request). Remember though that training a cat is a two way street and that the cat you share a home with will actively be trying to train you to respond to their own commands and requests and will show absolute disdain if you’re too stupid to interpret these correctly.
There’s a great many more, they’re a species of individual characters. My two are snuggled up next to me as I type, one subtly attempting to usurp the laptop from my lap by any means available.