Cats are said to be independent and cunning. No matter how much you love them, you have to admit that theyโre NOT always nice. Throughout a catโs life, it can pick up a few frustrating habitsโ like that annoying one, where it knocks cups, pens, dishes (and whatever else it can get its paws on) off every surface in sight.
Now, if your cat does not do this, then I applaud you. But by all accounts, it seems to be a pretty common hobby.
This penchant for destruction can be aggravating for cat owners. But how many of us have actually questioned why this goes down? When you scour the web, the feline tendency to โtip and destroyโ has a few different explanations.
The first explanation is that your kitty is scolding you for not giving it 100% of your undivided attention.
In an interview with Nerdist, Mike Delgado from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, explains cats knock things over โbecause they have learned it is a quick and easy way to get their humanโs attention.โ
Basically, your cat quickly learns that when he knocks something over, you come running. So, the next time he wants your attention, why wouldnโt he do the exact same thing? Itโs a pretty solid explanation, I must admit. But it likely goes much deeper than that.
Other cat experts say that when your kitty knocks things over, heโs actually just practicing his hunting skills.
โโToyingโ with prey is a common behavior in feline hunters,โ Dr. H. Ellen Whiteley explains.
โWhen your cat nudges a small, stationary object with her paw, sheโs practicing the same behavior.โ
Cats are often called โcruelโ or โsadisticโ by those who donโt understand their motives. A catโs claws arenโt efficient when it comes to killing its preyโ and biting is risky; the prey may fight back and the kitty could get hurt. Instead of biting, the cat opts for endurance.
โAs the prey tries to run away, providing the cat is quick enough to catch it, they become more and more exhausted,โ Cat Curious explains. โThe idea is to knock the prey around, release it and re-catch it until it is exhausted and dazed.โ
Because animals often โplay deadโ when threatened, the feline hunter may even look away when the prey stops moving. If, when unobserved, the animal still doesnโt budge, the smart cat will give it a few bats, just to be sure it truly wonโt escape.
Even though you have a domestic cat, Fluffy still has some wild instinctsโ and, according to Dr. Ellen Whiteley, these instincts โtell her that paperweight or knickknack could turn out to be a mouse. Her poking paw could send it scurrying, giving her a good game (and possibly a good lunch).โ
In all probability, the real reason why cats love knocking things over is likely a bit of both. In the beginning, your cat may just be curious about the object or checking its โpreyโ. Once he realizes the behaviour gets your attention though, he becomes increasingly less likely to stop.
Listen to Dr. Kurt Verkest explain it below!
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