Can you hurt a cats feelings?

Famously independent, sometimes falsely assumed to be immune to feelings, cats are in truth super-sensitive to emotions, sound, and stress. Perhaps because felines lack the eager-to-please openness of their canine colleagues, humans overlook the big and small ways they can break a cat's spirit.

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Can cats be emotionally damaged?

Signs of Emotional Trauma in Cats and Dogs

Like humans, traumatized cats and dogs can develop fear and anxiety disorders, says Dr. Kelly Ballantyne, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

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How do you know if your cat's feelings are hurt?

Cats who are painful may withdraw from their usual family interactions, may become less engaged in their surroundings, and may start hiding. You may notice decreased eating and/or drinking. You may also notice changes in sleeping patterns. Some may sleep more, while others may sleep less.

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Is it okay to hurt your cat?

Never hold down, shake or hit your cat. Physically harming your cat can actually make the situation worse and cause her to lash out or become withdrawn. Also, cats have a hard time associating the physical punishment with the bad behavior, so you're not actually training her to stop doing it.

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How do you say sorry to a cat?

Tell it "I'm sorry." You may even use your cat's name.
...
Stroke your cat gently in it's favorite spots.
  1. Scratch your cat behind the ear. ...
  2. Scratch your cat under the cheek and against the cheek. ...
  3. Scratch your cat at the base of her tail.

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16 Things that EMOTIONALLY Hurt Your Cat

28 related questions found

Can cats remember abuse?

Overhead movements or certain noises may frighten an abused cat, triggering a long-term memory of prior trauma. It's possible your cat will carry that unpleasant memory for the rest of his life.

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Do cats forgive easily?

“Cats don't forgive, and once they realize a person is causing them anxiety or hurt, they keep away.” So says John Bradshaw, an anthrozoologist at Bristol University and author of “Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet.”

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Will my cat forgive me if I hurt it?

Eventually, your cat will forgive you if you hurt it accidentally. You can always pat your cat, talk to it in a soft voice, the way you talk to a baby, and offer it a treat. Find time to spend with your cat to let it know it's loved and cherished.

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Should you hit a cat if it attacks you?

DO NOT HIT THE CAT. This will only enrage the cat more. Make a loud noise or throw something (at a wall) as a distraction. Leave the area of which the attack is taking place.

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Can you abuse a cat?

Studies show cats are abused at higher rates than dogs or other domestic animals in almost every category of abuse — beating, throwing, mutilation, drowning.

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How do you emotionally hurt a cat?

10 Ways to Crush Your Cat's Spirit
  1. Not Cleaning the Litter Box. Leaving the box filled with kitty's waste because some new cat litter promises freshness for multiple days. ...
  2. Shouting. Raised voices will terrify your cat. ...
  3. Punishing. ...
  4. Ignoring the Pain. ...
  5. Not Providing Mental Stimulation. ...
  6. Teasing. ...
  7. Skipping the Small Stuff. ...
  8. Hurting.

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Do cats get mad at you?

Ears flattened back against the head and slightly sticking out—”like airplane wings”—are a sure indicator your cat is upset, Shojai says. Don't worry too much but do keep your distance. “An all-out attack toward people isn't terribly common and, when it happens, may actually be a redirected aggression,” she explains.

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How to discipline a cat?

Toys that can be chased, swatted, and batted should be provided. Species appropriate punishment such as “hissing” or the use of punishment devices such as a water sprayer, can of compressed air, or hand held alarm are better than using any physical techniques since they are less likely to lead to fear and retaliation.

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What causes a cat to be traumatized?

Cats can also have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), reports Atlanta Pet Life. They can have it from abuse, abandonment, loss of an owner, and a life-threatening disaster. Treating a cat with severe PTSD should be done under the supervision of a professional.

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Do cats react when you cry?

"Your cat is most likely staring at you while crying because they're trying to make sense of what they see and hear," McGowan says. Your cat might not understand human crying, but she'll gather as many clues as she can and use them to adjust her behavior.

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Do cats get sad when their owners cry?

Cats are able to sense sadness in a way that they associate the visual and auditory signals of human sadness such as frowning and a listless voice with how they are addressed or treated whenever their human is in a sad state.

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What happens if you punch a cat in the head?

The cat may have seizures, some evidence of trauma to the head or other part of the body, bleeding into the eyes, or bleeding from the nose or ears.

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Should I hiss at my cat when he bites?

You shouldn't hiss at your cat because they might perceive your hissing as a threat and become scared. Since cats use hissing as a defensive mechanism to express discomfort, stress, or fear and to avoid confrontation, you should also avoid using hissing to discipline them.

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Is spraying a cat with water abuse?

No, it is not abuse. People have gotten into the habit of calling anything that they don't agree with “abuse.” Spraying a cat with water (ONLY) is not harmful in any way.

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Can a cat be traumatized for life?

These all cause psychological scars that can lead to the formation of PTSD, which may manifest months, even years, after the traumatic event. Sadly, even some dogs and cats that have lived for long periods of time in shelter environments have been shown to exhibit PTSD symptoms.

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How do I regain my cat's trust?

Steps to Gaining Your Scared Cat's Trust
  1. Stick to a routine with your cat. ...
  2. Minimize noise and other stressors. ...
  3. Use a soft, reassuring tone of voice. ...
  4. Give your cat their own space. ...
  5. If your cat reacts by running away, that's okay. ...
  6. Play with them often. ...
  7. Learn more about feline body language.

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How can you tell if a cat's been abused?

The following are likely signs of animal abuse:
  1. Tucked tail, flinches at human contact.
  2. Unexplained fractures or limping.
  3. Unprovoked aggression, whining, or whimpering.
  4. Overly submissive (rolling onto back, tail tucked, urinating)
  5. Suddenly avoiding any physical contact.
  6. Attempts to bite or scratch when petted.

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Do cats forget you?

When it comes to short-term memory and your cat, cats do have short-term memory and are known to recognize and remember humans (as well as other animals) even after only one interaction.

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Do cats forgive you if you abuse them?

Till the end of its life. In my experience (and I've had a lot with cats), they learn to “forgive” (i. e., trust again) humans in general, but they remember their abusers and they remember things associated with their abuse.

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Do cats forget their owners in 3 days?

If you only have one interaction with a cat, she's likely to remember you up to 16 hours later. However, a cat's long term memory is quite strong (about 200 times better than that of a dog). This means that a cat can remember someone they are familiar with for years.

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