Things that annoy cats… and how to avoid them

 

Mistaking a social roll for wanting my tummy rubbed

When your beloved cat flops on to the ground, stretches out on their back, shows off their belly, and rolls from side to side, it seems like an obvious invitation to rub that fluffy tummy. However, do so at your peril, as in general cats don’t like this area to be touched.

“It can vary from one cat to another as to whether they like to have their tummy touched or stroked. Some cats will tolerate it, some cats — probably a lesser percentage — enjoy it, but for most cats, that’s a really sensitive area,” says cat well-being and behaviour advisor at leading feline charity International Cat Care Alex Taylor.

“When a cat rolls over on their back they obviously look super cute. When they move around like that, it’s called a social roll. It can be an invitation for play and it means they are relaxed but it is not an invitation for a belly rub, and most people misinterpret that.”

As most cats will not be keen, it’s good advice to not touch that area as you are highly likely to be told to get off in no uncertain terms. And ignoring their feelings on the matter could have consequences.

Telling me off for being naughty when I’m basically just being a cat

Hopping on to kitchen work surfaces, pushing something off a table, scratching a chair leg… cats can sometimes do things that we don’t want them to do and this may lead to raised or at least annoyed voices. But from your cat’s point of view, they are not doing anything wrong. They’re just being a cat.

“Cats are pretty unlikely to know right from wrong,” says Cat welfare expert and lecturer Sam Watson. “They aren’t naughty or vindictive, they don’t hold a vendetta or a grudge, and when we misinterpret their actions as naughty, people might be tempted to punish or use a harsher voice with them. And quite often it’s just normal cat behaviour but expressed in a way that perhaps isn’t desirable.

“That must be quite annoying for cats, when they are just going about their normal everyday catty business and all of a sudden, they’re being told off!”

If they are shouted at, or even punished, it is unlikely to have the effect of teaching them that the behaviour is naughty, she says.

“I think it would potentially lead to the cat becoming scared of you rather than being aware of what they’ve done wrong. If you were to do something like spray them with water or yell at them, they’re going to associate that unpleasant feeling that they’ll get from that with you, rather than with what they were doing.”

It’s much better to avoid punishing undesirable behaviour and instead encourage the behaviour you do want.

“What we can do is give them options and reward them for choosing the favoured options,” says Sam. However, if your cat starts doing something you perceive as naughty and it is an abrupt change of behaviour, it is advisable to get them checked with a vet.

Putting cat litter tray in the wrong place

Many of us put our cat’s litter tray near the back door and often those doors are made of glass. This is not ideal.

“Cats like privacy when they toilet,” says Alex. “That’s because they want to feel safe and they don’t want to get interrupted by other cats.

“A lot of people will put litter trays near patio doors, especially if that’s where the cat flap is. You don’t want a litter tray near a cat flap and you don’t want it near somewhere that is very easy for other cats on the outside to look in. They’re not going to want to use a litter tray if there’s another cat, that it doesn’t know, staring at it through the window.”

In fact, placing your cat’s litter tray in any busy area can be a problem. “If that tray is somewhere that’s busy and there’s lots going on, maybe there’s loads of kids and maybe there’s other cats as well, then that cat is much less likely to use it,” says Alex

It’s also ideal — especially in multi-cat households — to have a tray for every cat and then one additional litter tray. Even if your cat toilets outside, it’s still a good idea to keep a litter tray in your home just in case.

Touching cat's paws

If you love cats, their paws are almost irresistible… the fur, the little pads. But while we might like to touch them, the experience is not necessarily so pleasant for the cat.

“Cats’ paws are extremely dense with nerve endings,” says Sam. “It’s one of the most sensitive parts of their body because that’s where they’re making contact with the ground, perhaps exploring foods and objects. They’re very sensitive and I think when we touch a cat’s paw, that’s really invading that very sensitive area.”

Paws are an important part of a cat’s body as Alex explains. “They are little survivalists so they’re programmed to only have themselves to rely on to get food. They use their paws and their pads when they hunt because it keeps things nice and quiet, and they use their claws for grabbing prey. So, they need their paws to function, essentially to survive. But they also use their paws for communicating with other cats by releasing pheromones and odours from their planter – large – pad glands. And they need their claws and paws to defend themselves as well. So, if the owner suddenly starts touching the paw, then that might not be pleasant for the cat.”

While there may be some cats that are OK with it to a degree, she says, but it’s wise to avoid it, particularly if you don’t know the cat in question.

Waking a sleeping cat 

Stroking a sleeping cat is tempting when they’re lying there so snuggly — but think twice.

Much of your pet cat’s behaviour is hard-wired in from their wild cat ancestors. It means they have to be on the alert for an attack. That might seem unlikely when you look at your cossetted puss dozing comfortably on the end of your bed, but the responses are built in. The result is you may get a swipe or even a bite if they’re woken up abruptly, because they feel that they must be ready to defend themselves.

“Cats need to feel safe when they rest because they’re prey animals as well as predators. So, being woken up suddenly, I think with any cat you’d be asking for trouble because you’re going to startle them and they’re going to react badly and it’s going to make them feel not safe in their own environment,” says Alex.

This can be especially true of an older cat whose hearing or sight might not be so good. So, if your cat reacts badly to being woken up suddenly it’s not because they are a generally angry or vicious cat. After all, most of us don’t like to be woken abruptly out of a deep sleep.

“It’s just that the cat feels threatened in a situation where it should feel safe.”

Giving me too much attention (or not enough attention)

“Interaction with cats needs to be on their terms,” says Alex.  That means making sure you don’t overwhelm your cat with unwanted attention and working out what kind of attention they are looking for.

“Sometimes when a cat approaches a human, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to be stroked. Sometimes they just want to sit near you. Sometimes it can be because they’re in a playful mood, but it doesn’t always mean that they want to interact.

“How much a cat wants to interact with us can vary between cats, but most cats do not enjoy being picked up and cuddled tight or kissed, because that’s really intense for them, that’s too much. They are little self-sufficient survivalists and they like to feel in control of what’s happening.”

But the reverse of that situation can also be a problem. “If we don’t give cats attention when they’re used to it, they can get frustrated as well, so that’s something that we need to bear in mind, especially if they’re used to a specific routine.

“When they’re getting frustrated because they’re not getting enough attention, I would say you probably need to speak to a behaviourist if the cat is being aggressive towards the owner or when they can’t predict when it’s going to happen.”

Ignoring the signals when cat is swishing their tail

Most cats only want short bursts of fuss and interaction, even if you’re doing something they enjoy. It’s a good idea to pause when you’re petting a cat to see if they still want you to carry on. They’ll soon nudge you if they want some more. But if you’ve overstepped the mark, cats will let you know and one of the signals is a flick or a swish of a tail.

“The swishy tail comes up a lot, especially with over-handling,” says Sam. “If you’re petting a cat and they’ve had their fill, their tail will start to go and if you ignore it, then some cats will use stronger methods of communication to make their point clear, to say they’re quite sated thank you, they don’t need any more.

“Some cats might push your hand away, some might use their claws, some might even vocalise, or get up and leave. But the swishy tail is a good first sign that they’ve had enough of whatever you are doing. So then give them a bit of space and if they do want you to continue petting, then they’ll maybe push their head into your hand or indicate it in some way.”