15 things you shouldn't do with your cat

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 9 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
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15 THINGS YOU MUST NEVER DO TO YOUR CAT 🐱
Video: 15 THINGS YOU MUST NEVER DO TO YOUR CAT 🐱

Content

Cats make excellent companions, and so should we be for them. This implies that, like your human guardians, it is necessary to know what your cat needs to be happy and what to avoid so as not to create discomfort.

As a tutor, you need to understand your cat. Therefore, in this article by PeritoAnimal we list 15 things you shouldn't do with your cat, so you know how to take better care of your four-legged companion without any gaffes!

1. Not respecting basic animal welfare freedoms

Adopting a cat requires taking on a great responsibility, which we must be aware of long before making this decision. This responsibility that all pet owners have is to ensure the well-being of their pets.


But what do we mean by well being? We refer to this concept when an animal has its five essential freedoms or basic needs satisfied. In order for him to be as happy as he deserves, he needs to be:

  1. Free from thirst, hunger and malnutrition;
  2. Discomfort free;
  3. Free from pain and illness;
  4. Free to express yourself;
  5. Free from fear and stress.

2. Do not take to the veterinarian

Regardless of whether your cat is doing well or you notice that it exhibits abnormal behaviors that make you suspect it may have a health problem, it is important that you take your cat to the vet.

In the first case, if you don't think your cat needs to go to the vet because he's healthy, you should still take him to have a annual checkup preventively, to check if he is in good health and take his vaccination and deworming card on the day.


If you've noticed a sudden change in your kitten's behavior, this is a clear indication that something is wrong. As a guardian, it is your responsibility to ensure that your pet is free from pain and illness; for this reason, you should take him to the vet before his possible illness progresses too far, causing your kitten to suffer needlessly.

3. Punish and/or scold

It is understandable that, when living with a cat, there are situations that make you lose your temper. However, the punishment it is totally contraindicated when you want to educate a cat, since he doesn't understand the reason for his anger and the punishment becomes an unnecessary intimidation.


This leads, in many cases, to the cat beginning to distrust its human and show rejection towards it, in addition to generating stress, which could cause behavioral problems.

4. Not giving enough attention

While it may seem obvious, another thing you shouldn't do with a cat is not spend time with her. Taking responsibility for living with a cat requires more care than simply providing food and protection. It is important to consider that a cat is a social animal and playful, and who needs to exercise daily. For these reasons, you need to spend time every day with your cat, to pamper him or play with him. In short, spending quality time together, in which he performs various activities that stimulate him cognitively and physically, is also part of a cat's basic care.

otherwise your cat will be bored and with a lot of accumulated energy, which will lead to an irritable mood, stress and, consequently, to develop behavioral problems, as your well-being will not be guaranteed.

Find out how to tell if your cat is bored with this video.

5. Not respecting your limits

Pet handlers often unintentionally annoy their cats because they don't understand their body language. For example, they are overly affectionate with the kitten to the point of squeezing it, and sometimes the furry one can get angry and cause damage. Other cats, on the other hand, are more tolerant and never scratch or bite their humans, but that doesn't mean they aren't tired and asking to be left alone.

While it's sometimes unavoidable not to want to tell your cat how much you love him, often the best way to show this is by respecting his boundaries, understanding when he's receptive to cuddling and cuddling, when he wants to play, and when he wants to be quiet.

6. Perform deungulation

Deungulation is a surgical procedure that consists of amputation of the last phalanx of the cat's finger, removing the bone and joint, nerves and blood vessels that make up the cat's fingers, so it doesn't have claws. This is done with the sole intention that the animal does not perform behaviors considered irritating, such as scratching and scratching objects. In other words, it is a cruel practice that does not allow the cat to be, in fact, a cat.

Nails, as well as scratching, scratching and the ability to defend oneself, are essential to the well-being of felines. For this reason, it is necessary to educate your cat so that it can redirect these behaviors to more appropriate elements, such as scratching or toys, so that it can coexist without its natural behavior being a nuisance. However, nullifying such behaviors through inhumane and unnecessary practices, which unfortunately are still allowed in several countries, has a strong negative impact on a physical and emotional level, since it does not allow it to manifest itself freely as its own body requires, generating an irreparable state of stress and anxiety that can lead to the development of other behavior problems, such as excessive meowing or aggressiveness, among many others.

Also, since claws carry the cat's weight, they are necessary for the cat to walk. Therefore, as a result of this mutilation, the cat needs to change posture to move.

7. Humanize it and/or not let it be a cat

You should be aware that the best way to show your cat how much you love him is to let him express himself freely and respect what he is, a cat. This implies that you should avoid relating and understanding your kitten as if she were human, as trying to understand your cat from a human perspective will cause a lot of misunderstandings that will confuse you and make you feel bad. The cat's needs and ours are not the same, so you need to assess whether the "luxuries" and gifts you give your furry one are really satisfying for him or just for you.

Likewise, you must understand that your feline is an animal that has specific needs of its species, such as scratching, playing, meowing, etc. So if you want your pet to be happy, can't try to eliminate these behaviors, as this completely contradicts its nature. Instead, you should, through appropriate guidance and positive reinforcement, redirect these behaviors to more appropriate activities so that you can both live comfortably together.

If your cat scratches everything and you don't know what to do, don't miss our article with all the advice: How to prevent your cat from scratching the sofa.

8. Having fun making him feel bad

Cats have very exaggerated reactions in many cases, which is why many people find it fun to put their cats in compromising situations to see these reactions, usually the scaring and even hurting (ie mistreating).

Cats are very sensitive animals that don't deserve to be treated this way, as a situation that might seem funny on the outside involves making the animal feel fear and stress. Therefore, it is still cruel to laugh at situations in which you are making your pet suffer.

As an example, a very common situation and not recommended is playing with the cat using a laser. Although it may seem fun because the animal chases the light, it never manages to capture it and therefore this game only generates anxiety and frustration in it. For all these reasons, this is one more thing you shouldn't do with your cat. Cats must play with objects they can catch.

9. abandon him

Unfortunately, many pets end up belonging to people who don't love them the way they deserve. This is because some owners are not aware of the great responsibility involved in owning a cat, and when they get tired or think it is bothering them, they end up abandoning it on their own.

This is not something one-off, as the number of abandoned animals is increasing every day and, unfortunately, most it doesn't end with a happy ending. Many of these animals die not knowing how to survive on their own or, at best, end up in a shelter, which can hardly meet all the needs of the animals they host.

10. Don't educate him

Education is an essential part of pleasant coexistence with a feline, since this way your furry will not develop habits that can be uncomfortable, such as biting and scratching furniture. In other words, this type of unwanted behavior occurs because the cat has not been taught since its puppy to redirect behavior (which must be done to ensure its well-being) in an adequate way.

Cats are intelligent animals, which thanks to proper guidance and positive reinforcement they are able to learn house rules and behave correctly.

11. Smoking in your presence

Of course, smoking is not just a bad habit that affects people's health, because if a cat lives with a smoker indoors, that animal becomes a passive smoker, as well as all the people who live in the house.

Smoke is very harmful to your kitten's lungs, and will cause serious health problems for her. Also, you should keep in mind that cats need to clean themselves by licking their fur, and this implies that the furry one ingests with its tongue all the toxic particles that come out of the cigarette and adhere to its fur. So smoking in his presence is another thing you shouldn't do to a cat.

12. Use it as a toy

In some homes, cats are adopted with the intention of being a distraction for the children in the home. That is, children are allowed to treat the cat as if it were a plush toy, without conveying the message that the cat is a living being who deserves respect and not be treated like a toy.

Obviously, there is not necessarily a bad intention behind the children's actions.However, they often enjoy making the cat feel bad (as we explained earlier), because they don't know they're actually doing physical or emotional harm to the cat, or they don't even know the kitten's body language. They don't know what he's communicating and therefore you must explain to the little ones the importance of respecting animals, as well as adult supervision during play sessions. Likewise, it is also important to ensure the safety of children, as the cat can end up getting tired and hurting them.

13. Offering inappropriate foods

Sometimes, you may feel like pampering your cat with food, especially if he's begging you with a longing look. Now, giving him inappropriate food, like chocolate or human biscuits, it's not exactly the best idea, even if he insists, as it will harm his health in the long run.

If you want to offer your furry something more suitable, you can buy all kinds of prizes, moist food and food suitable for him that will not harm his health and will be appreciated in the same way. Check the prohibited cat food list to find out what things you should not give your cat.

14. Expose you to loud or uncomfortable noises

The cats have very acute hearingtherefore it is very stressful for them when they are constantly exposed to loud noises. That's why your cat should have access at home to an area where he can rest quietly, without being constantly exposed to annoying noise.

Also, it is not advisable for your cat to carry a rattle for this same reason, as the sound caused by this object is too loud for him. There is even a risk that the cat will be deaf in the long term. Discover all the negative consequences of rattles in this article: Why are rattles bad for cats?

15. Dress him up with uncomfortable accessories

If we said that humanizing your cat is one of the things you shouldn't do to your cat, dress her in uncomfortable clothes as well. More and more accessories and clothing are available in stores to dress your cat. Now, before buying any of these items, you should assess how much your kitten will appreciate them, because if you insist on dressing your cat with uncomfortable or harmful elements, have no doubts that he won't want that kind of gift.

If you intend to buy an accessory for your cat, always make sure it don't limit your mobility, allow it to clean itself normally and do not rub or cause damage. Otherwise, your furry may have skin problems or be unable to move properly. Finally, if your cat has access to the garden, it is not recommended that he wear anything, as he may curl up somewhere (such as a branch or a fence) and injure himself.

Now that you know the 15 things cats don't like that you should never do with them, give your furry ones the quality of life they deserve.