5 things that cats really don’t like

Cats are very independent animals compared to dogs, and they tend to be much more self-sufficient too, and if they are unhappy with something or feel unsettled, many cats will think nothing of extricating themselves from the situation and going outside, or even searching out another person or home to provide for their needs in the interim!

Despite the fact that cats are very good at taking care of themselves, they do also very much like to have a stable, comfortable living environment, food on tap, and a safe, secure territory to call their own. Cats also have a number of marked dislikes too, which are almost universal, and that most cats will avoid or be unsettled or unhappy about.

In this article, we will examine five of the main things that cats really don’t like, and checking off the list thoughtfully can help you to ensure that you’re not making any errors of judgement with your own cat! Read on to learn more.

A lot of noise

While some cats such as the Siamese and Bengal tend to be fairly vocal and chatty, often having full-on conversations with their owners and being quite demanding when they are not getting their way, most cats have a strong dislike of a lot of noise and fuss from others!

Part of this comes down to their familiarity with the normal situation in your household-for instance, if your household is generally quite busy and sometimes noisy, your cat will likely be used to this and accept it as the status quo and no threat, while cats that generally live in a quiet home will be more sensitive about noise. However, as a general rule, few cats enjoy a lot of noise and fuss, and most cats will particularly dislike things like loud music, fireworks, and other surprising or loud sounds-so try to make your home calm and quiet, in order to make your cat feel more comfortable!

Change

One thing that cats really don’t like is changes to their status quo when it has become established, and any form of change will potentially put your cat a little bit out of sorts for a while. Whether this change be something like adding a new pet or person to the home, moving house, or changes to your cat’s normal routine, most cats will be a little uncomfortable with things until they get used to it.

In order to make necessary change easier for your cat, try to achieve it gradually and with your cat’s comfort in mind.

New things on their territory

Cats soon establish themselves into distinct territories, which start with their home and fan outwards to take in part of the surrounding area. The size and range of a cat’s territory can vary considerably, and sometimes, these territories will be shared with other cats too-but once they have established the boundaries of their territory and who they are expected to share it with, they will be fairly speculative about any changes or additions!

A new cat moving into the area, moving to a new territory and anything else that causes change or alteration on your cat’s territory, or even a change of the territory itself can be disturbing for your cat, and will take some time for them to get used to!

A dirty living environment

Cats are naturally very clean animals, which spend a lot of time taking care of their grooming and personal cleanliness! As well as being very finicky about their own grooming and maintenance, they do not like to live within a dirty environment either, and out of choice, will leave no trace of their own presence and where they have been, which manifests in various ways such as burying their waste.

The litter tray in particular is one area that cats like to keep fastidiously clean, and few cats will be happy using a dirty litter tray, or sharing the litter tray with another cat.

If your cat toilets outside of the box, refuses to use their tray or otherwise turns their nose up at the litter tray, the tray may be being used by another cat, or not quite clean enough for your cat’s liking!

Water

Cats need clean, fresh water available to them to drink at all times, but for most cats, this is where their affinity for water ends! While some cats will enjoy drinking from a dripping tap or batting at drops of water, most cats make a concerted effort to keep themselves dry and out of rain and water, which means that baths are the absolute nemesis of most cats!

Cats do not need to be bathed like dogs do, and unless your cat gets something like oil, paint or glue on their fur that your cat cannot clean off themselves, do not bathe them just for the sake of it!