Last updated on December 12th, 2021
Cats are known for being curious creatures with weird mood swings, however, they’ve been living in harmony with humans for thousands of years but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t sometimes get mad at you. If you’ve had a cat for longer than a few weeks, you’ve probably experienced it! There’s always a certain level of temper that swirls around their little furry heads, so why do they get mad at you?
Cats get mad at you because you’re not giving them enough attention, however, if you accidentally stepped on their legs or tail, they’ll get mad at you for that as well and the easiest way to tell is when you’re attempting to pet them and they want to scratch you.
I’m sure you thought that everything was alright between you two even a few minutes ago, and now, you’re suddenly shocked and wondering what has caused your feline such displeasure!
Cats are so hard to understand! But now that your unpredictable furball is angry, you need to find out why.
The Top 5 Reasons That Make Cats Angry!
A world-renowned cat behavior expert like Johnson-Bennett advises that pet owners must take the time to learn about the interests and dislikes of their furry pets and be committed to this relationship like any other.
If you’re a new cat owner, you mightn’t fully grasp the meaning behind the sudden aggression you see in cats. But patience is the key to understanding this type of animal behavior.
Here are some common reasons why cats get mad at you.
1. Too Much Petting
Before you’re surprised to know this, cats do love being petted and cared for. But that has its limits!
Felines hate it when petting becomes excessive, such as for long hours or very frequent. Cats are extremely sensitive, and they easily become overstimulated due to too much petting.
Do you remember the last time you got an unexpected cat bite when you were trying to pet them?
Now you know the reason for this aggression in cats. Some felines may seem to enjoy this overstimulation, but others may act harshly.
Your cat may also be mad at you because they’re receiving too much petting from multiple visitors in one day.
For example, if you invite your friends for dinner, most of them will likely start petting your kitten.
Some cats get thrilled seeing guests because of their outgoing nature. But if yours is rather shy, they’ll naturally resist all interactions with unknown people, making it more stressful for them.
So, the next time you invite guests to your house, and you have an “introvert” feline creature, it’s safer to warn them against over petting, unless you start getting complaints about aggressive cat bites!
In simple words, give your kitty the privacy they need and request that your guests respect that too.
2. Change in Routine
It could be your work schedule or your cat’s eating routine. Cats don’t like a sudden change in their environment or habits, like eating, sleeping, playtime, and so on.
Even if you are coming home or staying up late due to work pressure, this change in your routine will be unacceptable for them.
Here are 5 routines or environmental changes that lead to aggressive behaviors in felines:
- Shifting to a new home
- Death of an owner
- Change of owners
- Not getting the usual attention from the owner
- A new member added to the family (such as babies or other pets)
Cats tend to resist such changes because they fear losing or giving up on their favorite rack, perch, ladder, or living space in the house.
An unwanted environmental change like this will make your cat think that its status is being jeopardized.
3. Not Accepting them as Hunters
Your four-legged feline friend is a hunter by nature, and it’s their instinct to prey on weaker animals like mice, bunnies, and even some reptiles and birds.
Cats probably got this hunting behavior from their ancestors like lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, etc., and hence it’s in their blood.
However, when we bring them home to be tamed, we slowly take away this hunting instinct from felines, unintentionally.
Gradually they’ll lose hunting opportunities, making their life incomplete, and as a result of that, you’ll slowly begin to see sudden aggression or harsh behavior looming.
Do you know why most of our pet cats spend so many hours (approximately 12-16 hours) sleeping? One of the reasons is that they’re trying to cope with this emptiness caused by not being able to hunt.
However, sleeping doesn’t always help, and some cat breeds like the Siamese, American Shorthair, Siberian, etc., retain their hunting instincts.
Some of them will display aggressive body language for not being able to hunt or prey on weaker creatures. It becomes stressful for them, and hence, they’ll begin to express anger and other negative behaviors.
So, if your kitty is mad at you, this may be a good reason, in which case, you should try to create a hunting environment for your furry friend.
For instance, you can find and release small creatures like mice, lizards, along with other harmless reptiles, and allow your felines to go hunting for them. You can also try to make things playful by hiding their favorite preying animals and allowing them to find them.
4. Toys are Becoming Boring
Cats can easily get bored if they are given the same toys to play with every day.
Yes, you’ll see so much drama if you live with these creatures. Cats need a lot of stimulation to keep them high-spirited and energetic. Otherwise, they will sleep for hours out of boredom.
You need to put in the effort to make things interesting for them each day, just like you do for your significant other!
Try rotating toys every 3-4 days to keep things interesting and new for your kitty. Also, never show all the toys at once so that you can offer them in rotation.
5. Lack of Attention
While too much petting overstimulates your kitty and leads to anger, the opposite may also be the reason they’re angry with you.
If you fail to give them enough time every day, they’ll feel lonely and ignored by their beloved owner.
So, try to play and give them your time for at least 1-2 hours every day.
6 Common Signs Your Cat is Mad at You
Cats will express their negative feelings through aggressive behaviors and unusual activities which are mostly displayed through their body language.
While your cat’s behavior can be somewhat puzzling, it makes it a little more difficult to understand their temperament, but if you know what to look for, it becomes much easier to tell what your furry feline pal is upset about.
So, here are some signs that indicate your kitty is angry with you:
1. The Cold Look
If your cat gives you a cold and unpleasant, angry look, they’re mad at you. Eyes are the best modes of expressing thoughts and pains, and they can tell a million things, just like ours.
This look is often seen when there are routine or environmental changes such as when they’re not fed on time or if you accidentally woke them out of their sleep.
2. Hiding
Hiding is one of the signs that your little drama queen is mad at you. However, hiding may also indicate that your cat is unhappy or afraid of something.
Owners may want to offer help by pulling their cats out from their hiding place, but we recommend against it.
An emotionally vulnerable cat can slowly begin to display aggressive behavior if you don’t give them some time and space.
3. Not Caring When You Are Leaving Somewhere
Don’t get tricked with this one. Your cat hates to see you go. But they won’t show it directly, and instead, choose to remain more defensive and calm.
So, the next time you see your little fellow glaring at you when you pack your bags, do leave behind one of your t-shirts or other garments with your scent and place it in their bed or living space.
It shows them that you care and that everything will be fine until you return.
4. Producing Sounds Like Growling and Hissing
Yes, like dogs, cats growl too! If your furry friend is vocalizing their pains and anger through a throaty hiss or growl, it means something is causing displeasure, and you need to give them some space.
Gradually, you can try building a more positive and healthy relationship with your pet by playing, feeding, grooming, petting, speaking softly, and so on.
5. Ears Flattening
Angry cats often have some peculiar body language, such as flattening the ears back against the head, while also sticking it out slightly.
If you notice these ear patterns, it’s better to maintain a distance because if you go near or even attempt to pet them, you’ll be greeted with a soft-ish bite.
6. Eating Less or Refusing to Eat
An upset or angry cat may even show their frustration with food by eating less or refusing it altogether.
This could be a sign of some health condition as well, in which case, you’ll need to consult your veterinarian immediately.
But if your cat is not suffering from any illness and still showing such behavior, it’s definitely because they’re mad at you!
If you find that your feline is displaying destructive behaviors, we recommend that you contact an animal behavior consultant or animal clinic in your local area so that they can further assess your situation and advise you accordingly.
