Mary Allen
Vacuum cleaners are the household appliance that cats hate the most. In the eyes of house cats, they are monsters. This is how you can take away their fear.
Is your velvet paw so deeply relaxed that even the roar of a vacuum cleaner can’t shake it? Or is your house cat one of the majority of cats and is terrified of the device?
Surely you don’t want to inflict this fear on your darling. But stopping suckling is not an option, especially if your cat has long hair or sheds a lot of hair during shedding.
Why is the cat afraid of the vacuum cleaner?
Cats are true marvels and we humans are far behind them. It is well known that cats can see in the dark or in low light. But cats’ hearing is far superior to that of humans.
We humans can perceive frequencies averaging just 20,000 Hertz. If our cats could, they would just laugh about it. With their excellent hearing, they perceive frequencies of up to 100,000 Hertz. They even recognize sounds in the ultrasonic range, because this is how mice communicate. And of course, the adventurous fur noses want to hear where they are.
Big ears for the best hearing
In addition, the ears of cats are relatively large. Like funnels, they catch every sound. The 32 muscles that surround the ears allow cats to rotate them up to 180 degrees. Your cat won’t miss a thing.
Unfortunately, these special characteristics also mean that our cats are particularly sensitive to noise. And such a vacuum cleaner is usually more than uncomfortable for us humans. For a cat, that noise must be pure horror.
In addition, the vacuum cleaner not only makes noise, but other household appliances do the same – but to make matters worse, the vacuum cleaner also moves! And most suction devices are larger than the cat. So it’s no wonder that even the bravest house cat flees.
Can you get the cat used to the vacuum cleaner?
The good news is: that it doesn’t have to stay that way. Your cat’s fear of the vacuum cleaner can be taken away. In fact, it is quite easy to familiarize them with it.
Getting young cats used to the vacuum cleaner
Small cats are one thing above all: curious. If there is a vacuum cleaner lying around somewhere, they will approach it and want to know what it is. Ideally, the kittens will learn from their mother that the device is not a threat. If she stays calm when the screaming monster appears, the kitten will stay calm too. It will observe how you work with the sucker and, if she doesn’t perceive it as a threat, will quickly adapt to it.
Getting old cats used to the vacuum cleaner
Once your cat’s fear of teats has taken root, it becomes a little harder to take it away. But it’s not impossible. Step by step you can introduce your velvet paw to the seemingly overpowering “enemy” vacuum cleaner.
Here, too, you can rely on the proverbial curiosity of the cats. Such a vacuum cleaner is usually well hidden in a storage room. He only appears when he is in use and moves noisily through the apartment. But if you leave it in plain sight in your home and don’t use it, your cat can get to know it.
Cautious approach
If she notices that he isn’t moving, she will approach cautiously. It is important that the courageous kitty always has the opportunity to escape. She should be able to examine the supposed monster calmly and with the security of being able to run away at any time.
The teat should not be placed near the cat’s feeding, sleeping, or litter box. That would unsettle her too much and she might not visit these places again. If she has managed this step and fearlessly approaches the “monster”, praise and one or two treats are a must. With this, your velvet paw will not only recognize that the teat is not that bad, it will also associate it with a positive experience. This is an important step toward losing her fear of the vacuum cleaner. She will get used to his presence.
Tips for cat-friendly vacuuming
You have taken an important step in your “Take Afraid of the Vacuum Cleaner” project when your kitty approaches the vacuum cleaner without fear while it stands quietly in a corner.
Now when you start sucking, you should do it in a room that is as far away as possible from where the cat is currently staying. This way she can slowly get used to the noise and that will also take away her fear of the vacuum cleaner.
When you get to the room where the cat is, it is important that there is always an escape route if the noisy monster annoys or panics the cat. You should never just drive the vacuum cleaner towards your darling.
If you clearly drive past your velvet paw and steer in the other direction, that’s also an easy step to allay her fear of the vacuum cleaner. She will see him as a nuisance but not as a threat.
Which vacuum cleaners are particularly cat-friendly?
You can also help your darling with the choice of vacuum cleaner if he is afraid of the device. Powerful vacuum cleaners, such as those optimized for removing pet hair, are not necessarily quieter, but they make vacuuming easier and, above all, faster. Your four-legged friend will not be exposed to the noise for as long as with an ordinary vacuum cleaner. This shortens the ordeal for the kitty and she can relax completely more quickly.
Another alternative vacuum robot. They are smaller and usually much quieter than conventional vacuum cleaners. They are therefore not so threatening for your velvet paw. There are even said to be cats who enjoy driving through the apartment on vacuum robots.
Most vacuum robots can be programmed for a specific time. If the robot vacuum starts working at the same time every day, the intelligent cat will quickly get used to it and its internal clock will adjust accordingly. This may not mean peace, but a truce between kitty and vacuum cleaner, and your cat will be able to experience the “monster vacuum cleaner” more relaxed.
If your cat is very tense and anxious overall, CBD oil for cats might help. Have a look at our article!