Why Does My Cat Act like A Jerk?

Cat owners would agree that sometimes, pet cats can be total jerks. Yes, they’re soft, cute, and lovable, but in actuality, their personalities kinda suck. Before you start bashing us for that, you know it’s true. They can be really selfish at times, and they act like they just don’t care even when we shower them with love and affection.

Which brings us back to the question. Why do cats act like total jerks?

A number of recent studies actually found that it’s not that your cat is a jerk, it’s actually just their nature why they act they way they do. Do don’t feel bad if you think your cat hates you. It’s just behaving normally.

Cat calling

Call on a dog and it’ll run up happily and jump on your lap. A cat, however, won’t even look at you for a second. Although your cat can hear you when you call its name, and even recognize your voice from a stranger's, that cats just don’t want to respond to you. The research involved observing the behaviour of 20 house cats for a span of 8 months to see how cats recognize and respond to our voices when we call out their name. About 70 percent of cats acknowledged their owner by moving their heads or ears. However, only 10 percent actually gave a response to the call, by moving their tail or meowing. According to researchers from the University of Tokyo, cats don’t take human orders because they have not evolved to become as domesticated enough, unlike dogs. The researchers suggested that cats “domesticated themselves” by living with humans.

Cuddling ticks them off

We love to cuddle and pet our cats, but this actually irritates them. According to Daniel Mills, a veterinary behavioral medicine professor at England’s University of Lincoln, some cats actually feel stressed when you pet them. Mills says that cats living in households with other cats are less stressed because they have a lesser chance of getting petted by their owners. Let’s just face it, if Snowball walks away from you when you try to give it physical affection, she just doesn’t want to deal with the stress you give her.

I am the captain now

Just because fluffy is rubbing herself against your leg, it doesn’t mean that it likes you. It might be nice to feel good about yourself when a mean old cat is finally acting nice around you and starts brushing up against you, but what it’s actually trying to say is that it owns you. Physical contact doesn’t automatically translates to “i love you”. Most of the time, it actually means “i own you”. By rubbing itself onto your leg or arm, it’s marking its property by putting his or her scent on you. Like dogs, cats have a heightened sense of smell, and  when a cat rubs against you, it’s informing other cats that you are its territory.

Mr.bigglesworth ain't so smart

A University of Oxford research on animal brains found that dog, because of their very social nature, have developed a bigger brain to adapt better in social settings. Cats, however, are more happy in solitary cultures, so their brains are not as developed to act in social settings. This is why your cat acts like a total stranger and won't come in to greet guests hello. If you’re still not convinced that cats have all the makings of a bad friend, there are countless videos of cats stealing dog beds, or terrorizing other animals so they can't pass through where they usually hang out.

Kitty kissing might lead to scratches

Many believe that a “kitty kiss” or when a cat greets you by slowly staring and blinking at you, is an expression of affection. But you might be surprised why kitty starts acting hostile the moment you reach to pet it. According to animal behavior experts, a long, deep, unblinking stare is a cat’s way of guarding his or her territory, meaning you’re actually not welcome.

Cats won’t hesitate to eat you

No matter how much you love fluffy, that cat is not going to hesitate to eat you if you die at home. According to a forensic pathologist who presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences conference, cats would not think twice about eating their owner if they’re left unfeed. When people who live by themselves with pets unexpectedly die, their bodies are usually left inside the house for days without anyone noticing. With their owners dead and no food on the bowls, pets begin to starve. Dogs would go several days without touching their owner’s body, but cats would only wait a day or two. The phenomenon is called “postmortem predation.”

Cat poop is toxic, but it makes you want to have more cats

Cleaning out the litter box is a real hassle, but did you know that i could also be affecting your health and brain? A certain parasite called the Toxoplasma gondii is found in cat poop. In rare occasions, this parasite can actually cause the disease called toxoplasmosis, which starts out with flu-like symptoms and leads to a weakened immune system. The illness has also been linked to a number of serious mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Since the parasite affect people’s mental conditions, some individuals have been recorded to develop a strange and intense, almost obsessive, attraction to cats. Those who have been infected with Toxoplasma are known have a fondness for the smell of cat urine and feces.

Smelly human

And lastly, you might wonder why your cat just loves to keep licking itself. While the activity does give them a calming effect, cats actually lick themselves because they want to get rid of the “human” smell, as well as smooth and groom their fur. so  yes, your cat thinks you stink.

Whether they’re being cute and cuddly or acting like total jerks, we can’t seem to get enough of cats. Like this article? Leave us your comments on why we love cats, and suggestions on future topics. Don’t forget to share this article!