Debunking Common Pet Myths

By Sophie Kininmonth · 13 Nov 2025 (updated 21 Jul 2026) ·5 min read

Pet myths are usually harmless right up until they shape a daily decision. What you feed, how you house an animal, and which risks you brush off all get quietly steered by beliefs that sound reasonable but do not survive a closer look. The six below are common in Australian homes, and each one falls apart against basic anatomy, behaviour, and welfare guidance. Getting them right leads to safer choices, fewer preventable injuries, and calmer, healthier animals. None of this is complicated, it just needs to be accurate.

Myth 1: Cats always land on their feet

Cats have a genuinely remarkable righting reflex that lets them twist in mid-air and often reorient feet-down. The catch is that "often" is not "always", and landing feet-first is not the same as landing safely.¹ Veterinary literature describes "high-rise syndrome": cats falling from windows, balconies, and stairwells can suffer serious trauma, including fractures and chest injuries, and they need urgent assessment even if they seem to walk away unharmed.¹

Practical safety checks

Fit secure flyscreens or pet-safe window guards, since screens alone can fail if they are loose or damaged.
Supervise balcony access, especially for young cats and newly adopted cats still adjusting to a new space.¹
If a fall happens, seek veterinary care promptly, even when there are no obvious injuries.¹

Myth 2: Dogs see in black and white

Dogs are not limited to black and white. Most dogs have two types of colour-sensing cone cells rather than the three typical in humans, which gives them a reduced colour range, not an absence of colour.² In practical terms, dogs tend to see blues and yellows more distinctly, while reds and greens are harder for them to tell apart. It is often compared to red-green colour blindness in people.²

What this changes at home

For fetch on grass, blue or yellow toys are usually easier for dogs to pick out than red or green.²
When training with visual targets such as markers, cones, or agility gear, high contrast matters as much as colour.

Myth 3: Fish have a three-second memory

The three-second memory line is folklore, not a scientific finding. Research and expert commentary on fish cognition describe fish, goldfish included, learning routines and retaining information for far longer, from weeks to months, and in some cases longer still.³ What matters for care is the direction of the evidence: fish respond to their environment over time. They learn feeding patterns, they can be stressed by poor conditions, and they benefit from a tank that supports natural behaviour rather than a bare, cramped box.³

Better welfare basics for pet fish

Keep water quality stable, because filtration, cycling, and regular testing matter more than decoration.
Provide space and structure suited to the species, including hiding places and plants or hardscape where appropriate.
Avoid sudden changes, since light, temperature, and handling all register even when the animal is quiet.

Myth 4: Rabbits thrive on a carrot-only diet

Carrots are safe as an occasional treat, but they are too sugary to be the basis of a rabbit's diet. Welfare guidance in Australia stresses that rabbits are built for long hours of grazing and chewing fibrous plant material, not concentrated sweet foods.⁴ For most pet rabbits, good-quality hay or grass should make up the bulk of daily intake, supported by leafy greens, with pellets and treats kept modest.⁴

What a balanced rabbit diet looks like

Unlimited access to hay or grass, where the "always available" part genuinely matters.⁴
Daily leafy greens and suitable vegetables in appropriate amounts.⁴
Carrot as a treat, not a staple.⁴

Myth 5: Birds should be caged all the time

A cage is a bird's safe base, not a permanent holding cell. Good welfare practice recognises that many companion birds need regular chances to exercise, forage, and engage with their surroundings, and those activities are hard to provide inside a cage alone, even a large one.⁵ Out-of-cage time is safest when it is planned: doors and windows closed, ceiling fans off, hazards removed, and supervision kept steady. The aim is not "freedom", it is predictable, low-risk movement and enrichment that suits the species and the individual bird.⁵

Myth 6: All reptiles should be kept in a terrarium

Reptiles do need an enclosure, but there is no single reptile setup that suits every species. Welfare codes and care standards focus on matching temperature, light cycles, humidity, space, and shelter to the animal's biology and natural history.⁶ Even among commonly kept reptiles the requirements vary sharply. A bearded dragon, for instance, needs a suitable enclosure with a usable temperature gradient of warm and cool zones plus appropriate lighting to support normal function and behaviour.⁷

A sensible approach before you buy or rehouse any reptile

Identify the exact species, because common names can be misleading.
Work from a reputable care standard and, where relevant, a state welfare code.⁶
Confirm heating and lighting requirements, including how you will measure temperatures, not just which bulb to buy.⁷
Plan enclosure size and layout around movement, thermoregulation, and hiding rather than aesthetics.⁶

Fewer myths, steadier care

Good pet care tends to look plain up close: secure windows, species-appropriate food, an enclosure that fits the animal rather than the room, and enough stimulation to keep boredom from turning into stress. Most problems start with a confident shortcut. When advice conflicts, lean on reputable welfare guidance and local regulations, and check with a vet or qualified animal professional for your species. In Australia, animal welfare and pet rules are largely set and enforced at state, territory, and local levels, so the right answer can depend on where you live as well as what you keep.⁸

References

Sophie Kininmonth

Dog lover and writer at My Pets Australia, sharing practical breed guides and care advice for Australian pet owners.