10 Common Things Cat Owners Do That Can Break a Cat’s Spirit and Its Heart…

Here is a great list of the top 10 “no no’s” for cat lovers. If you don’t want your fur-baby to resent, hate or fear you…these are the very behaviors you should refrain from:

1. Shouting

common-things-cat-owners-do-1 Raised voices can easily terrify your cat more than you think they do. Feline ears are extra sensitive to loud noises. This means that your yelling is amplified to extreme levels for them.

2. Ignoring Pain

common-things-cat-owners-do-2 Looking away and not doing something to help when your kitty repeatedly chews at a sore spot on her belly or maybe furiously scratches at her ears. Cats are masters hiding most of their discomfort, whether an infected tooth makes eating difficult or a urinary tract infection means litter box visits are nothing but agony. Monitoring your cat’s well-being all the time means being a pain detective so you know what ails your cat at all times, even if she can’t tell you directly.

3. Leaving the Lights Off

common-things-cat-owners-do-3 When left alone in a silent home when darkness falls, your cat will feel abandoned and alone.

4. Not Cleaning the Litter Box.

common-things-cat-owners-do-4 How would you feel if the people who live with in your home never flushed the toilet? Probably like you yourself actually belong in the toilet bowl, no?

5. Teasing

common-things-cat-owners-do-5 Some examples of this include pulling on your cat’s tail (or letting your kids do so), blowing in her face, ruffling her fur while she’s is trying to sleep, picking her up if she dislikes being handled, jiggling her in your arms-such antagonizing behavior confuses and also depresses your cat, who wants to love you. We should also add that teasing your fur-baby with food, just not a cool thing to do!

6. Skipping the Small Stuff

common-things-cat-owners-do-6 Only seldomly grooming your cat and allowing her to experience the discomfort of hairballs. Not trimming her claws, so she ends up snaging them on every rug and carpet. Not checking her ears for mites, even when she may be constantly scratching them or shaking her head repeatedly. Ignoring her problems chewing, even if this signals gum or tooth trouble or worse. All these little things do add up and can deplete your cat’s energy and health.

7. Punishing

common-things-cat-owners-do-7 Yelling “bad cat,” (or yelling something worse,) throwing things, motioning in anger and scolding your cat when he or she just misses the litter box or claws at your sofa, tells her you are unhappy with her, but she herself may have absolutely no idea why.

8. Neglecting Your Cat

common-things-cat-owners-do-8 Offering your cat absolutely no attention, no conversation, no affection and no interaction leaves your cat very confused. Cats crave even the smallest gesture or word of kindness in exchange for their pure devotion to you.

9. Not Filling or Cleaning the Water Dish

common-things-cat-owners-do-9 Filling a small bowl with water and letting your cat drink from it no matter how long it sits. Many cat owners just don’t seem to notice sometimes just how much dust accumulates and what spills into it. And how many times have you yourself enjoyed a fresh, cold bottle of water today?

10. Hurting

common-things-cat-owners-do-10 Hitting, kicking, even physically harming a cat in any way, shape or form. Everything from a “light tap” to a hard smack, is actually inhumane, evil, morally wrong and guaranteed to instill fear in any cat. These actions can easily and quickly break the very spirit of a cat and her heart, in the process. Both physical pain and also emotional pain teach cats to fear people. If you are going to do any combination of these things to your cat, then you probably shouldn’t have a cat, ever.