Cats can't talk to us, but they are amazing communicators. When a cat is happy, the owner knows it for sure. They allow you to stroke their furry bellies, purr loudly, stretch their paws at you and blink softly. But there are also often times when your pet is offended by you. This article will tell you how to make peace with your cat and find a common language with her in the future.
How to recognize resentment?
It is important to learn in time to determine whether a cat is angry with you or not, since every loving owner tries to immediately establish communication with his pet. Just as cats use body language and other vocalizations to show that they are comfortable with you, they do the same to show that they are angry or irritated. Animal signals that indicate a cat is upset:
- You may see attempts to move away or flick its tail, or the cat may use its paw to hit you.
- The cat may turn away from you in the opposite direction and completely ignore your presence for several hours.
- The animal's tail moves back and forth quickly and nervously.
- Hair may rise up on an angry cat's tail.
- If your kitten's ears droop or lie flat against his head, it may mean he's not in the mood.
- Obvious anger which is expressed in hissing and readiness to scratch you.
Fortunately, even in such situations you can earn a cat's forgiveness.
How to deal with a cat's resentment
If you have caused your cat to be offended and have broken the emotional connection with him, do not worry - this situation can be corrected. However, you need to be patient and persevering. The trust and love that the offended pet felt for you must be won again. The most important thing is to show that you still love him through a gentle approach and patient, friendly parenting. Give the purr his favorite treat, play with him - and friendship will gradually be restored.
Before you get yourself a furry animal, you need to expect that it needs constant attention and care. Don't take on extra responsibility if you can't fully give your love. But if you become a cat not just an owner, but a friend, he will be able to reciprocate your feelings and bring a lot of happiness.
- Author: Elena Romanenko
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Choose a good time to apologize
If your cat is clearly angry, you need to give her some time before you try to approach her and apologize. Approaching too quickly may result in scratches. Try not to wait too long and approach your cat as soon as you notice that she has begun to calm down. It is better to approach a still frightened animal slowly while pronouncing kind words in a quiet and calm voice.
If your cat runs away from you, consider leaving a small treat in a place she can find. This will let her know that you are sorry and still care about her.
Personal space for a cat
An offended cat should be approached with caution.
Always leave room for such a cat to escape. She may really need reassurance and reassurance, especially if there was a loud, sharp sound of an alarm or fireworks. At the same time, she may want to be alone, so an escape route is very important to her. We also recommend reading:
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A severely frightened cat can quickly become aggressive in order to protect itself. In addition to everything, a frequent cause of animal grievances is the lack of personal space. This is especially true for those cats that live with small children. In this situation, try to create your own separate corner for the animal, where no one will touch it for several hours.
How can you offend a cat?
There are several reasons why a cat may be offended:
Corporal punishment
Emotional owners can hit their pet in a fit of anger, thereby causing him pain. Experts say that physical violence is an ineffective way of punishment. In addition, it can cause emotional trauma to the animal and leave resentment in the memory for a long time.
Loud curse words
Cats react very sharply to loud sounds - they can get scared and be depressed for a long time. You should watch your tone when communicating with an animal and avoid verbal abuse as a method of punishment.
Lack of attention
Cats are also lovers of attention and affection. Prolonged ignoring and distancing from your furry friend can affect his mood and ruin his character. When you come home from work, pay attention to the cat. It is important for him to feel your touch and care.
Feeling of humiliation from being pulled by the scruff of the neck
It's no secret that mothers drag little kittens by the scruff of the neck. She also uses this method to raise her children. Adults may perceive such a gesture from a person with offense, taking it as an insult addressed to them. Take this fact into account when raising an animal.
Encroachment on a cat's personal space
Among the felines there are those who do not like to be in the arms of their owner for a long time, but prefer independence. Such cats do not like guests and hide under the bed when they see strangers, and can bite and scratch. Therefore, it is important to protect your pet from contact with strangers in order to avoid unpleasant and exciting moments.
Long loneliness
Long loneliness can become a reason for serious resentment of your beloved cat. Separation from the owner can turn into a real test. When going on a long trip, leave your pet in safe and gentle hands.
Define the offense
What did you do to make your cat so angry? Did you laugh at her, step on her paw, or yell at her? Or did you take her place on the chair, or maybe you forgot to treat her with a tasty treat? Knowing what you did wrong will help you understand how to quickly make peace with the animal.
If you have insulted your cat by making fun of it, you will have to offer it some treats. If you accidentally step on your cat's paw or startle her by dropping and breaking a glass, you'll probably need a simple hug. If you occupy your cat's favorite spot on the chair, consider clearing that spot and giving your cat a treat.
Walk slowly towards your cat
If your cat runs away from you, she may still be angry, upset, or afraid. Don't chase your cat. Instead, try approaching her again after a few minutes. This will reassure your cat that you won't do anything to hurt or offend her. Having a treat can restore your cat's happiness.
Can cats get offended?
Cats are very gentle and vulnerable animals. Lack of attention and some of your actions can be taken as an insult and seriously offended by you. But you won’t know about it right away. Most likely, the next day you will simply find a puddle in your slippers or a tattered sofa, because the cat’s easy resentment is one of the serious reasons not to get a cat. And in the future, the cat will treat you with caution and expect aggressive behavior from you. So, let's figure out whether cats can be offended.
If a cat has done something wrong and you want to punish it, do it extremely carefully so as not to cause psychological trauma to the animal. You need to punish only once and immediately after the offense has been identified. If the punishment is postponed and returned to it later, then the cat will not understand why they treated it this way and will unconsciously repeat its offense. By its actions, the cat only demonstrates resentment and tries to show you that it expects attention and affection from you. And as soon as you show them, the cat will gladly answer you with mutual love. You should never hit or yell at a cat. In order for the prankster to understand that she did wrong, all she needs to do is raise her voice a little and talk to her in a stern tone. Believe me, the cat will not feel guilty, even if you punish it very strongly. According to veterinarians, guilt is the only feeling that cats lack! So don't try to induce it artificially. Punishments for offenses should not be excessive, but it should be clear that this is precisely punishment. This must also be done consistently and without exception: a misdemeanor is a punishment. And the most important condition: punishment should be immediately after the offense (or even better during), but not in an hour, day or week. This is the only way to develop the correct conditioned reflex in an animal.
Why do cats turn away when they are scolded?
Everything is very simple. When the owner makes a remark to his pet, he looks into her eyes. And for cats, a direct gaze (especially in combination with a stern tone) only means aggression. And it becomes incomprehensible to them why their beloved owner suddenly shows aggression. The cat tries to stop further developments and turns away from the owner to avoid eye contact. In this way, the cat shows that she noticed the aggression of her breadwinner and realized that he was dissatisfied with something.
What can offend a cat?
Many of your actions can cause your cat to be offended:
- Indifference and silence. The cat feels unwanted, which is why it makes unforgivable mistakes, thereby attracting attention to itself;
- Screams and swearing . The animal gets scared and begins to hide in the farthest corners. In especially severe cases, later it takes a long time to get the cat out of its frightened and depressed state;
- Pushes and kicks. The cat will be mortally offended by anyone for this, and it will be very difficult to earn her forgiveness later;
- Imposing your will on the animal. In such cases, the offended cat becomes angry and may behave inappropriately - scratch your hands and face.
Don't leave your cat alone for long periods of time.
Despite the fact that cats are not pack animals, they cannot be without communication for long. A very offensive situation for the animal would be your departure, in which you decide to leave the cat completely alone for a long time. And even the temporary arrival of your friends cannot replace full communication with you. So don’t be surprised that when you return home, you’ll most likely find a little mess in the form of a broken flower pot or peeled wallpaper. The cat, in your absence, feels loneliness and fear, so it will play mischief in order to somehow throw out negative feelings. And you shouldn’t scold her for this - your cat simply had a hard time tolerating loneliness.
What to do if the cat is still “offended”?
This behavior absolutely does not mean that you need to immediately approach the cat sitting in the corner and stroke it, caress it. You should wait a few minutes, maybe half an hour - the cat will come to you on its own: she must make sure that the owner is no longer showing aggression towards her. And when she comes up, you can pet her and talk in a soothing tone. She will understand that everything is fine and will calm down.
And remember: a cat is a living creature, and it will be calm and comfortable next to you if you learn mutual understanding.
Talk to the cat
Tell the animal: “I’m sorry.” You can even use your cat's name. Make sure you use a soft, calm voice with a slightly higher pitch than usual. Your cat may not necessarily understand your words, but she will understand your tone. Do not use a loud, shrill voice, as cats have sensitive hearing and shouting will only irritate her further.
Gently pet your cat in her favorite places
If your cat still seems angry or upset, leave her alone and wait until she becomes calmer.
Stroke the animal behind the ear, in the area between the eyes. Use your fingertip and slowly smooth out the fine hairs there. Pet your cat on the chin and neck. Now she may even forgive you and start rubbing herself against your hand. Pet your cat at the base of her tail. Stroke your cat's head, back and chest. Keep in mind that not all cats enjoy being caressed in these areas, so choose proven areas for a relaxing massage.
Offender cats: a hilarious photo selection of pets who are offended by their owner
Do your kittens also like to be offended by you with or without reason? Sometimes it seems to me that my cat is the most touchy creature in the whole world! Well, she will make such a face, well, she will turn it away, as if she was at least deprived of her favorite food for the year ahead. There is melancholy and universal resentment in his eyes, he will turn away and cover himself with his tail. And now tell me that cats are stupid creatures who don’t understand anything!
Just look at this weirdo - from the outside it may seem that he is just playing hide and seek... But no! The cat was offended. Really offended! I don’t know what the owner of the fluffy dog did that was so terrible, but there’s just more than enough resentment here. We can only hope that the slippers are dry after this, and the furniture is safe and sound.
And this is simply my favorite photo! When I'm in a particularly bad mood, I open it and laugh at this handsome red-haired guy. Just look at this red face: the cap adds even more color to the frowning nose. By the way, you know that Persians themselves are so gloomy? It's just a feature of their face. But this is soooo touching!
And here, apparently, something very terrible happened... Are we placing bets? I think the little tail was scolded for a broken vase or a torn curtain. What do you think? I can’t stand the sight of offended cats - I immediately want to cuddle them, pat them behind the ears, pick them up or feed them something tasty. And then look at this cutie with a fluffy tail - it’s a shame not to cuddle!
They probably put the red-haired kid in the corner... He did something, did some mischief. How can you offend such a cat? I wouldn’t dare to yell at my pet so that he would go into the corner on his own. Probably because I’m such a cat lady, I’ve never yelled at my mischievous Liska, even though she deserved it many times.
Just look at this handsome red-haired guy! Just look at that leonine look! Under such a look, you feel a little uneasy, you will agree. I immediately want to cuddle him or at least feed him something tasty. Or maybe just no one plays with him? The pet wanted to go for a walk with a fishing rod, but the owner suddenly decided to wash the floors, and sent the fluffy away...
Oh, that proudly raised nose! Just look at this! I'm offended and don't come near me! How to appease this baby? Perhaps I should offer him a fish or some tasty food?... Play with him, pet him behind the ear?... I am very, very touched by such cat toys, what about you?
And this is the most unfortunate cat in the world! Just look at the expression on his face: so sad, sad, offended... I wonder what happened: they didn’t feed him on time, didn’t give him a treat, drove him out of the bedroom or even sent him out for a walk?... Poor cat, especially in the second part of the photo - this one the sad, doomed look seems to say: Lord, why am I suffering all this torment! I was born a cat that everyone hates...