While cats may often seem like they couldn’t care less about what’s going on around them, the truth is that they have a few pet peeves. There are some things we humans do that you may not realize are really frustrating to our felines. Are you guilty of any of these?
1. Playing music too loud can irritate your cat.
Cats, with their satellite-dish-shaped ears, are much more sensitive to sound than we are. Because the cat’s ear is naturally designed to draw sound into the ear canal, enabling a cat to pick up the most sensitive of sounds (such as a mouse creeping across the floor) blaring music is stressful, frightening, and even painful for them. If it’s possible, move your cat to a different room if you’re going to blast the tunes. If not, turn down the volume or wear headphones.
2. Tossing and turning in bed could be bothering your feline sleepmate.
It’s no secret that cats love to sleep. In fact, they snooze for more than half the day! Even with all that rest, most cats love to snuggle up at night with their human and sleep some more. That is, unless you toss and turn in bed! Imagine if someone woke you from a deep sleep by jumping on your mattress! So what can you do? Sleep on your back to reduce the amount of wiggling you do, regulate the temperature in your room with a fan so you can sleep more soundly, and keep your bedroom door open to allow your feline friend to exit, should he get kicked out of bed!
3. Not sticking to a schedule could be driving your cat crazy.
Cats are creatures of habit. Sticking to a strict routine helps them feel safe and confident. Studies have even shown that cats whose environment changes a lot are 1.9 times more likely to get sick than those who stick to daily routines! Keep your cat healthy and happy by sticking to the routine. Feed your cat at the same time each day, and schedule play and exercise with your cat for the same time every day. Of course, there will be times when you can’t stick to your set schedule – like during travel or if you’ve got guests in the home. Consider getting a automatic feeder with a timer, or get a pet-sitter who will feed your cat at the same times each day.
4. Cats often despise the dreaded carrier.
We don’t travel a lot with our cats like we do with dogs. Most often, cats are only shoved in carriers when they’re being put in the car – and then to the veterinarian. Car rides can be scary (or cause motion-sickness) and vet’s offices can be stressful. For that reason, your cat may associate the carrier with a stressful car ride and then being poked and prodded by the doctor. It’s no wonder it can often be a challenge to get your cat into the carrier at home! To solve this issue, leave your carrier out all the time so your cat can use it as a sanctuary. Add to its appeal by putting toys, treats, and a cozy blanket inside. Consider getting a carrier like the SleepyPod that actually converts to a comfy cat bed when you’re not traveling with it!
5. Forcing them to snuggle could be annoying to your cat.
This is one thing that’s really hard for pet parents to resist doing! We return home from work or a long trip, having greatly missed our cats so we chase them down and force hugs on them. It’s no surprise that cats react by wiggling and squirming to get away! It seems the more you force affection on a cat, the less of it they want to give you. In fact, forced affection may drive your cat to avoid you. You’ll bond more closely with your cat by learning about cat behavior, and keeping in mind that cats are animals – not tiny four-legged humans (even if we do refer to them as our children!). Check out our section on cat behavior and learn all about living harmoniously with your fur baby.
Does your cat have any other ‘pet peeves”? Tell us!
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