Cats will tell you when they hate you and they don’t hide it. There are things you can do to fix the it, but first let’s find out why they’re acting this way.
Cats hide from the person they hate; they hiss, flatten their ears and lower their tail, and bite when touched.
Changes around the house affect our pets and whatever it may be, it contributes to the sudden shift of your cat’s attitude towards you. In this article, let’s find the answers to your worries.
What Are the Signs That My Cat Hates Me?
- Their pupils dilate and they flatten their ears to the sides of their heads when they see you.
- Their tail is hanging low to the ground.
- They walk away and hide the moment you’re around.
- They hiss or swat at you when you try to touch the cat.
- They bite.
Some of these signs are seen on kittens but adult cats displaying two or more of the signs above signify that they’re upset and scared. If other people can approach and touch your cat, it’s understandably upsetting especially when you think you’ve done nothing wrong to hurt them.
Things could have happened around your house that you weren’t aware of that made your cat feel threatened and scared.
Read: Where Can to Declaw Cat for Free?
How to Make Your Cat Warm Up to You Again?
- Keep giving them food and treats. Don’t be discouraged by how your cat acts around you. Keep being the food provider as usual as the step one as if your cat was new to your home again.
- Be gentle when approaching. Don’t hover your hand over your cat’s forehead and don’t force your presence the moment they run away and hide. Instead, let them approach when they want.
- Interact using toys. A toy that allows distance between you two should start to mend a bond broken. For example, wand toys allow your cat to be engrossed in the play without minding you too much, and so do laser toys. Dedicate an hour to this every day until they don’t hesitate to jump on the fun even with you being close.
- When you get a chance to touch them, pet them the way they used to like it. This enforces familiarity to your cat how it felt good being touched by your hand.
- Use a reassuring tone of voice. Never shout or raise your voice at your cat as it’s already upset and your patience will be rewarded.
Read: Why Having a Cat Helps You Reduce Stress and Anxiety?
Why Does My Cat Hate Me?
- Traumas of their past makes them hostile towards you. Almost every cat has a unique past. If possible, learn what happened to your cat in its previous home life and you’ll find it easier to understand why they’re behaving the way they do and that the fault isn’t from you.
- Your lifestyle isn’t compatible with their personality. Some cats prefer solitude over our company. A loud home full of kids upsets a cat that loves its alone time, and a social cat left in the small apartment of a busy owner makes the cat feel isolated.
- Suffering from an injury or an underlying health condition. When your cat not only changes in behavior but appearance as well, the cause could be an injury from a cat fight or an ailment. General symptoms include foul odor, lethargy, lack of appetite, inability to groom itself, and rapid weight loss.
- Changes in the home. A new pet can change a cat’s behavior as well as the loss of a pet. It could also be a new person in the house, or a change in their routine.
Why Does My Cat Hiss at Me?
Because cats and humans can’t speak a common tongue, cats have found a way of communicating to us. Hissing is a way of expressing fear, annoyance, discomfort, and vulnerability.
It’s a warning to stay away. Don’t touch. Stop getting close. Let your cat retreat to its safe place and it’ll come around when it feels safe and secure enough to come to you.
Read: Why Do People Love Their Bengal Cats So Much?
Why Does My Cat Swats at Me and Runs Away When I Pet Her?
When a cat swats at you, it doesn’t want to be touched or petted at the moment. The cat runs away when it feels upset or scared.
Try coaxing your cat with treats and if it comes, it’ll forgive you for whatever slight you have done, real or imagined.
Can Cats Get Mad at Their Owners?
Cats understand that a quick change of pitch in your voice meant you didn’t like what they were doing, and so they flee the scene. They can get mad and upset at you for that when they don’t understand what wrong they’ve done.
They also get mad at their owners when you bring major changes to their routines. They could have gotten used to you being around and then you leave for days or have someone cat-sit.
Read: What Makes Bengal Cats So Special?
Do Cats Hold Grudges?
Cats can’t hate a person unless they were harmed. Cats know who kicked them when they were a year old because they played around too much and caused something to break.
For more minor hurts like when you accidentally cut their nails too short, cats tend to forget it after a day and lots of affection.
Still, cats are intelligent animals, and they remember who hurt them. When they see that person, they run and hide. They growl and hiss, and swat away the hand that brought them harm.
Anthrozoologist John Bradshaw of Bristol University has said, “Cats don’t forgive, and once they realize a person is causing them anxiety or hurt, they keep away.”
How Long Does It Take for a Cat to Warm Up to You?
When you’ve put all the work and time into bonding with your cat in a week and it still doesn’t like you, it requires more patience on your part. Bonding with a kitten will take a few days to a few weeks and longer for adult cats, which can take several months.
As adult cats have had their experiences, they’ll be less trusting. Be constant with your show of affection and play with them a lot. Don’t assume threatening poses like putting your hand up as if to hit them and raising your voice. Eventually, your cat will come brushing its fur against your leg with a sweet meow for your attention.
Unfortunately, some cats with extreme trauma can’t bond with a new owner quickly or some never at all. They require special care and attention to be able to trust again.
Consider rehoming cats that insist on harming you even after you have done a lot for them. Bring them to a shelter or an organization that deal with such cases.
Read: The Role of a Scratching Post in Maintaining Your Cat’s Nails and Claw Health
Conclusion:
A cat that is well loved doesn’t display sudden shifts of behavior from being affectionate to cold. When your cat doesn’t like you, it hisses and growls, swats at your hand when you pet, runs away from your presence, and shows dislike with dilated pupils, flattened ears, and a low-hanging tail.
Punishing your cat by withholding food and affection will not fix it. Instead, be calm when talking and approaching your cat. Offer them food and treats. Keep attempting to play with them until they start to engage willingly.