10 Things You Do that Annoy Your Cat - Pet Hub USA

10 Things You Do that Annoy Your Cat

Cats can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Scratching the furniture and meowing all night is a little annoying. But did you know that some things you do annoy them, too? Here are the ten things you do that your cat can’t stand.

Overstimulating

person holding orange tabby cat's head
Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash

Cats aren’t like dogs. You can’t just shower them in pets all the time. If you’ve ever been petting your cat with no issue for a few minutes and then they “randomly” claw or bite you, they’re not being villains. They got overstimulated and needed you to stop!

Changing Things Up

selective focus photography of brown tabby kitten on cat tree
Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash

Try to avoid moving furniture around or changing up your cat’s feeding spot. Cats like it when things stay the same. They’re adaptable creatures, but having to adapt to too many changes, or having to adapt too often, can stress them out.

Small Food Bowls

brown tabby cat on brown wooden table
Photo by Abeer Zaki on Unsplash

Don’t use extremely small food bowls for your kitties. They might be cute, but they also irritate your cat’s whiskers. They prefer to not have their whiskers brush against the sides of a bowl when they’re eating, so get them larger bowls!


Want more pet content and exclusive offers? Sign up for our newsletter today!


Hugs

brown tabby cat on black textile
Photo by Studio Pizza on Unsplash

Cats, like dogs, don’t usually love hugs. Some cats might enjoy it when you give them a big hug, but most of them really don’t like this invasion of their personal space. If you’ve noticed your cat squirming or meowing when you hug them, it might be better to give them some space.

Belly Rubs

orange Persian cat sleeping
Photo by Ludemeula Fernandes on Unsplash

This is another behavior that a small handful of cats are okay with, and most are very annoyed by. If your kitty shows you their belly, they’re usually not asking for you to touch it. In fact, doing so can often result in getting badly scratched up by a now-defensive cat.

Citrus Smells

orange fruits under blue sky during daytime
Photo by Philippe Gauthier on Unsplash

Don’t get a citrus-scented air freshener if you have cats. While you think oranges smell wonderful, they smell foul to your kitties. If you use these types of scents in your house, you’ll notice your cats will be stressed out and irritable. Imagine how you’d feel if someone was pumping nasty smells into your house!

Forcing Them to Interact

Mann and Woman Petting a Cat by the Window
Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels

Sometimes your cat wants to be left alone. If you see their tail swishing or their ears back, just leave them alone for now. You can’t always just grab your kitty and cuddle with them. Let them come to you on their own terms and they’ll trust you much more.

Cleaning Too Much

woman holding green textile
Photo by Volha Flaxeco on Unsplash

If your cats have a favorite blanket or favorite scratching spots, take care to avoid cleaning these too often. When you see your kitty rubbing their face on a spot, they’re marking it with identifying smells. If you clean these too often, it can be pretty annoying to your cat to have to lay their marks so often.

Read More: Easy Tips to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water

Noisy Activities

a woman in a green shirt and black gloves vacuuming a gray ottoman
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Try to avoid repeated noisy activities around your cat. If you need to do something particularly noisy, like home renovations, consider taking your kitty to stay somewhere else until the construction is done. They’ll otherwise be stressed out and irritable the whole time.

Read More: 10 Things to Know Before You Foster a Cat

Bringing Home New Cats

kittens in basket
Photo by The Lucky Neko on Unsplash

Cats aren’t the most social creatures. In fact, many cats strongly prefer their owners to other cats. If you’re constantly bringing home new kitties, the ones you already have might be extremely stressed out. In general, try to get no more than two or three cats at a time and let them all get to know each other well. Once those kitties have lived out their happy lives and are gone, you can adopt more cats without stressing them out.

Read More: 10 Things You Do That Your Dog Hates

    Providing expert tips, practical advice, and personalized product recommendations for happy and healthy pets. Part of the Castaway Studios media network.

    As an Amazon Associate, PetHub USA earns from qualifying purchases.

    Scroll to Top