5 Things That Drive Cats Crazy In Everyday Life7 min read
THERE ARE TONS OF THINGS THAT DRIVE CATS CRAZY
Most cats dream of living a life of leisure. They have us humans wrapped around their little paws. Cats chuckle when they hear that their new owners saved them from a life of depravity yet it was the cat that chose them in the first place, not the other way around. That life of luxury and habitual lifestyle makes cats totally unadaptable to any kind of change. Most people do not like change and cats take that thought way, way beyond what most people feel. I have mentioned over the years that dogs and cats are totally different creatures. Not only are they treated differently from a medical point of view but their mindsets are completely different. What a cat finds bizarre is acceptable by most dog standards. Things that drive cats crazy are the day to day disturbances that they think will bring upon the end of the world. Read on for the top 5 things that drive cats crazy. They are in no particular order because cats consider them all equally nauseating.
1. THE DREADED CHANGING THE BRAND OF FOOD
Cats abhor food changes. Dog owners may often purchase different foods if they have a coupon for a couple of dollars off a major brand. That could upset a dog’s GI tract but most dogs are content with their new chow. What dogs ingest really has no bearing on cost whatsoever. You see they will eat just about anything. I told Labrador Retriever owners to give up on landscaping as the animal will destroy anything planted and swallow all the mulch. I casually mentioned- why buy expensive dog food when you can buy a bag of mulch for a couple of bucks over at a big box store?
Cats are total opposite. Changing brands of cat food is one of the major things that drive cats crazy. Cats get real technical about what they are eating. They note all the different colors and textures of the food. They note the fish shaped food particles. They become accustomed to the diet. If they do not like the food they will not touch it! That is not good. Cats have to eat within 3 days or they will start down the path of developing hepatic lipidosis (liver failure). Don’t even think about cutting the food with another brand. Cats understand that ploy. Ever try disguising the dreaded pink amoxicillin drops in cat food? Cats also understand that ploy. Point is stick with a diet that your cat likes and one that is healthy for him or her. Regardless, cats are in heaven when you top off their food daily with fresher stuff!
2. IT IS TOO COLD!
A cat requires a constant temperature to be happy. A change of .01 degrees in either direction can make a cat lose control. It is difficult for a cat to feel too warm. They never develop heat stroke like dogs since they are all comfortably sleeping during the heat of the day. It is the cold that is another one of the things that drive cats crazy. Life is good when the windows in the house are open with a gentle breeze blowing over them. Wait until winter! Inside of their heads cats think that the outdoors is just as warm as a heated house is in the winter. They whine and hang around the door begging to be let out. Open the door and a jolt of cold air blasts them in the face. Watch them scamper away. Let’s face it. If cats chose to live anywhere in America they would choose Santa Barbara, CA or some other SoCal destination where the climate is beautiful year round and with low levels of humidity. (Sorry Florida).
3. GETTING WET IS A NO NO
Things that drive cats crazy are really minor in the big scheme of life but not to a cat. Getting wet is one of a cat’s worst nightmares. Sure there are stories of cats walking into a shower stall to be with their owner and getting soaking wet. Sure there are cats that will stand perfectly still and quiet in a bath tub while getting soaped up and rinsed. The cats that would do that I could count on my one hand after years of dealing with them. Clients asked me all the time if they could or should bathe their cat. I said once in a blue moon is fine but you may find the bath water turning red- your blood not the cat’s. If you ever want to hear a cat howl just try to bathe it. Some have had to be sedated to get the job done.
Cats see water ONLY as something to drink at room temperature or to play with when the cat discovers a leaky faucet somewhere in the house. After a cat has to suffer a demeaning bath just watch the special cat dance. They walk a couple of steps, shake a paw, walk a couple of steps and the dance continues with a nasty scowl on their face.
4. LEAVE ME ALONE, I’M TIRED!
A cat could spend its entire life sleeping on a soft, comfy bed about 23 hours of the day. Walking to its food and water bowls requires too much exertion. Why eat when they can spend their lives sleeping. Ever watch a cat in the winter when the sun is far south in the sky? They will follow the sun room to room basking in the warmth of the winter’s warming rays. Ah, life is good. Waking them up to play with them or even worse rubbing their bellies will rapidly put them in a foul mood. The big problem is that cats are nocturnal animals. With multiple cats in a household it might sound like a party downstairs when you are trying to sleep.
5. YOU CHANGED THE BRAND OF CAT LITTER!
Changing the brand of cat litter is one of those things that drive cats crazy or ruin a cat’s life. They are creatures of habit and have to go through a special routine in order to get a green light to urinate or defecate in any particular litter box. Owners often will purchase a different brand of litter because it is on sale or on promotion. Cats frown on this. Litter texture is everything to a cat. For things to work right the following occurs: A cat approaches the box, sniffs it, walks in and plays around, scratches at the litter, sniffs some more, walks around in circles a 100 times and finally bells and whistles go off and the cat gets in the position to void. Break any of those steps and cats will do their thing elsewhere. That “elsewhere” is never pleasant and can lead to nasty urinary and or fecal behavioral problems. Once a cat is used to a brand of litter stockpile it and never change the brand!
