OK, the cat’s out of the bag – our fluffy friends don’t always appreciate everything we do for them.
When they’re overwhelmed, overstimulated, and anxious, there’s a chance we’re the ones to blame. We pick them up when they’re napping, pet them when they’re munching on something, and annoy the heck out of them. We record them when they’re doing something and post them on TikTok, for heaven’s sake.
Our four-legged friends put up with a great deal, but they’re no strangers to glaring looks of disdain, raised hackles, and gut-wrenching yowls. Claws and fangs make an occasional appearance, too. Contrary to popular belief, there are things you can do (or avoid doing) to stay on your fluffer’s good side.
What are you doing wrong?
1. Forgetting to feed her every fifteen minutes, buying the wrong food, and not cleaning her litterbox every time she sniffs around
Cats get really, really annoyed when you don’t do the things you promised to do when you adopted them. Now, cats are purrincesses which means you’ve got your work cut out for you.
Cats don’t forget about your late-night promises, “Bubba, I’ll feed you in the morning, let me sleep now.” We suggest keeping your fluffer happy by feeding her on time, buying the brand of food she loves the most, and cleaning her litterbox multiple times a day.
2. “So, you think you can sing, Mom?”
That’s right – your cat might not be your biggest fan, after all.
To make matters even worse, cats hate anything and anyone that disturbs them when they’re trying to rest, nap, or chill. They’re like your elderly neighbors that call the cops every time you turn your music up or throw a barbecue party for your friends. Truth be told, your cats would reprimand you, too.
We can’t forget about the fact that cats’ ears are sensitive and pick up high frequencies that humans can’t hear – another reason to stop making strange sounds around your feline friend.
3. Giving her too much attention
Cats are creatures of consent.
When you want to snuggle with them, you need to wait for them to come to you, for example. When you want to give them a belly rub, you need to check whether they’re comfortable with that. When you want to pick them up, you need to be cautious.
We’re aware that there’s nothing you want more than to smother your fluffer with affection. However, for your own sake, don’t do that without checking whether she’s comfortable beforehand.
4. Not giving her enough attention
We never claimed that cats weren’t the strangest creatures out there, too.
Cats hate it when you bother them when they’re doing their own thing, going about their own business. But, cats also hate when you don’t pay attention to them, spend your time watching TV and scrolling through your phone, and don’t play with them.
Before you argue that you don’t know how to keep your cat happy anymore – we understand. Wait for her to approach you and shower her with affection. Feed her on time and provide her with plenty of physical activity. Play with her whenever she’s energetic and leave her alone whenever she’s sluggish.
5. Rubbing her belly when she asks you to rub her belly
No, that’s not a mistake on our part.
Cats are known to seek snuggles, purr out of satisfaction when you pet them, expose their bellies to ask you for belly rubs, and proceed to scratch your eyes out when you do what they asked you to do.
No matter how frustrating that might be, there’s no way of knowing when your cat might decide she doesn’t want the belly rubs she asked for. Now, TikTok does offer a few tips and tricks on how to survive rubbing your cat’s belly. But we urge you to proceed with caution and at your own risk.
6. Waking her up when she’s napping
Cats can sleep for hours and hours without batting an eye. Humans sleep throughout the night, for the most part, and don’t understand why cats need to sleep throughout the day, too. However, cats have different needs and we need to come to terms with that.
Waking your kitty up when she’s napping on the floor or nodding off on the sofa should be a crime. She’s going to wake up annoyed and agitated, and that’s not what you want. And no, she won’t sleep through the night because you didn’t let her sleep through the day – that’s not how cats work.
7. Dressing her up – “I’m not a doll, Mom!”
Cat clothes are adorable, there’s no question about that.
Most cats have soft, silky coats covering them from head to toe and keeping them warm.
Maine Coons, Ragdolls, and Persian cats have more fluff than you might think – they don’t need your help to stay warm during the winter. Sphynx, Bambino, and Donskoy need sweaters when they’re going out, but even that’s a question considering the differences between different cats.
Most cats get overwhelmed and overstimulated when wearing clothes, so you might want to miss out on dressing your fluffer up for Halloween.
8. Spraying smelly stuff next to her
We adore our precious pets, but we can’t help but notice the strange scent coming from the litter box. That nasty smell of pee overwhelms you when you open the door as well as the odor that comes with the mating season.
We know that’s normal and natural, but we often resort to perfumes, deodorants, and fresheners, nonetheless. Cats hate that.
First things first, cats can be allergic to some of the ingredients you can find in perfumes, deodorants, and fresheners. Furthermore, essential oils can be toxic to cats and cause them to suffer serious repercussions. Oh, not to mention that cats hate when we use fragrances and creams, too.
9. Other humans, babies, and cats – “Eww!”
We know that sounds strange, but cats aren’t always about hanging out with humans, babies, and kittens/cats. Cats can be quite solitary, especially when they’ve been raised without siblings, neighborhood cats, or family members.
