Cats are highly sensitive beings. They are more attuned to their environment than we can possibly be because their hearing is more acute in both the low and the high registers. Their vision is not as sharp in details as ours is, but they can see the glint of light off a dust mote drifting through the air. Their vision is better than ours at detecting motion, and this affinity for movement shapes their response to our body language.
more cat pictures
Cats are also sensitive emotionally. Their response to events is almost entirely based on how something makes them feel. They have some of our own ability to rationalize their own actions, as we can see when a failed acrobatic maneuver makes them pretend I meant to do that. They can talk themselves into listening to their curiosity instead of their caution if they think the circumstances are safe enough. But most of the time they will continue to be cautious, and alert. The consequences of a bad decision is something they feel very deeply.
What does this mean for we humans? We should be sensitive ourselves to how cats react to stimulus. Even the pleasurable acts of grooming, petting, and playing with our cats can be too stimulating. For the cat to handle the vast input they get from our interactions, the cat needs to rely on our trust and love so they know how to handle the feelings that stem from us.
When a cat starts lashing their tail and biting at the comb or toy we are using, it’s a sign for us to back off and let them process the stimulus they already have, not add more. Many people “overcrank” the cat during play, becoming aggressive with their body language and pushing the cat into responding in kind.
They think that because the cat doesn’t leave, the cat is still enjoying it. But this is not so. Some cats will stand their ground, but it’s not out of pleasure. The cat feels they cannot back off, so the only thing they can do is to be more aggressive in their response. They are trying, in cat language, to make us stop.
We can also commit to training methods of persuasion, rather than coercion. Loud voices, wild body language, or physical methods will only make the cat afraid of us. They will totally forget whatever they were doing because our sudden angry presence is so threatening. An expression of dismay or sadness is much more effective at letting the cat know what they are doing is not something we like, and this will let them connect their actions with ours.
Even affection can be too much if the cat is not prepared for it. Suddenly grabbing the cat for a hug will not work as well as a slower approach, starting small, and then getting extravagant. Cats like physical contact more when we let them be mentally ready for it.
A lot of busyness and activity will often send the cat into one of their quiet spots, simply because it is too much for them to handle. They need a place that is not going to overwhelm them. It’s not that they don’t like us or want to be with us.
They just need their input to be at a lower volume.
Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.
Pingback: Coping with Oversensitivity