Our cats enrich our lives so much, it pains us to think that we’d do anything to upset them. However, there is a slight language barrier between our species and theirs, so there are things we may accidentally do that they dislike.

If you’ve done anything on the list below, don’t worry; nobody is perfect (except our cats, of course!) and luckily, our felines always find it in their hearts to forgive us. But by being aware of what bothers them, we can help our feline family members live their best lives possible!

30 Things Humans Do That Cats Dislike

Although cats are one of the most popular pets, they are commonly known to be naturally more irritable and aloof compared to dogs. However, it might not be entirely true. You can have cats that are playful, curious, adorable and low maintenance if you know their pet peeves and stay away from them.

30. Loud Noises

Loud noise can easily trigger the flight response in a cat. Do you notice your cats bolting to their safe sanctuaries when there’s audible commotion like fireworks, loud sneeze, car horn and maybe even doorbell?

Click “Next” to find out other things humans do that cats hate …

29. Dirty Litter Boxes

Do you know that cat’s sense of smell is 14 times stronger than human’s? Hence, an acceptable smelling litter box might just be totally unbearable for your kitty. That would also drive them to find a cleaner place like a basket of clean laundry or a corner of a carpet.

29. Old, Dried Out or Spoiled Food

We already established that feline is super sensitive to smell. So any old, dried out or spoiled food will only put your cat in a bad mood. Canned food that has been sitting out for more than 20 minutes should be discarded because spoiled food can introduce toxins like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Salmonellato to your cat’s body.

28. Nasty Tasting Medicine

No one likes the taste of nasty tasting medicine, so does your cat. A 2001 veterinary journey indicates that 84% of capsules and 64% of tablets are still sitting in the cats’ esophagus after they have been swallowed for 5 minutes. Hence, you could potentially observe cats foaming at the mouth or spitting them back out afterwards.

27. Agressive Petting

Cats are quite sensitive to tactile stimuli. Aggressive petting will very much annoy your cat and send it into fight response mode. Hence, don’t be surprised if your cat suddenly growls, hisses, bites or swats at you with its paws if you pet your feline too hard.

26. Territory Competition

Cats hate competition from other felines because of their territorial nature. Unless they are relatives or housemates, cats typically see other felines as competition for everything, from food, toys to attention.

25. Being Ignored

Cats do like to be left alone, but they hate to be ignored. They are not solitary animals, they do enjoy good companion from their human friends. If cats were ignored, they might resort to hours of meowing and constant pawing of legs. For the extreme cases, the cats would suffer separation anxiety and that might lead to destructive behavior and elimination accidents.

24. Car Rides

There are couple reasons why your cats might hate car rides. First, they like their routines so new constant changing environment (i.e. a moving vehicle) is likely to make them unhappy. Second, your cats are actually prone to motion sickness so now you understand why they are not big fans of car rides.

23. Getting Wet or Baths

Cats absolutely loath getting wet. They really don’t need to be bathed regularly as they do a pretty good job grooming themselves. In the event where bath is necessary, just make it quick.

22. Tummy Rubs

Dogs and cats react very differently to tummy rubs. Stomach is probably a cat’s most vulnerable area. Hence, petting a cat’s belly often triggers a defensive reaction. Don’t be surprised if you get attacked by all four paws with claws out while you’re attempting to give your feline a tummy rub.

21. Getting Brushed

Most cats are not fond of being brushed. Some might tolerate it if they have been trained since they were kittens. Don’t be surprised if your cat attempts to flee when you approach your feline with a brush in your hand.

20. Nail Cutting

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that cats do not like nail cutting. You are essentially trimming or getting rid of your feline self defense mechanism. If you have a kitty, start trimming at young age. That will give you a better chance of having a cat that will somewhat tolerate an in-home nail trim.

19. Too Much Attention

Compared to dogs, cats only need very little attention. If you follow your cat around, constantly pet your feline or pick your cat up all the time, you will drive your cat crazy. When a cat wants your attention, it will come to you and let you know by meowing incessantly or rubbing at your legs.

18. Strangers

Cats are not super social pets. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they might not be a big fan of strangers, especially little kids who want to hold and pet them constantly.

17. Water Bottles

Cats do not like water. So they equally do not like the culprit that can hold water and make them wet — water bottle. A water bottle might be a great deterrent for misbehavior. Try placing water bottles at locations where you don’t want your cat to go near, that might just do the trick.

16. Bad Experiences

People always say elephants have a long memory, actually cats do too. Cats will remember bad experiences that may have caused them discomfort or pain. The only thing you could offer when that happens is to just let your cat works through it as long as it’s not hurting itself and wait for the bad mood to pass.

15. Without A Safe Hiding Space

Cats like consistency in their environment. They need a consistent safe place to hide when they are spooked, which is quite often since they are very sensitive to loud noises including doorbell.

14. Hugging

Hugging is a hit or miss with cats. Some cats like the physical contact, some don’t. Listening to your feline is the best approach. If your cat wants to get away, then let it be; if your feline crawls towards you purring loudly, then gladly pick it up and give it your love.

13. Treating Like A Baby

It’s funny, cute and adorable when your pet is dressed up like a baby. But, please be mindful that your cat might not enjoy it as much as you do. Again, pay close attention to your cat’s body languages, which will tell you how it feels about the whole dressing up game.

12. Lack Of Play Time

Indoor cats often lack the opportunities to use their hunting skills. How can we help? Schedule a daily playtime together. Let your feline chase, hunt and catch a toy. Playtime can greatly strengthen the relationship between you and your cat.

10. Dropping Off At A Shelter

Don’t give up on your cats easily. If your cat demonstrates behavioral problems, consult your veterinarian or a cat behaviorist. If you have financial issues in taking care of your cat, there are organizations that would help out with the veterinary care.

9. Cold Food

Some cats really detest cold food straight out of the fridge. If your feline is one of them, try microwaving the food for thirty seconds. Don’t forget to stir the food up before giving it to your cat, that will prevent any burning hot spots in the food.

8. Going To The Vet

Most cats dislike visiting the vet, just like how we do not like seeing a doctor. A trip to the vet is quite a big ordeal as your cat needs to go through being transported in a carrier, going for a car ride, meeting a stranger who pokes and prods, and maybe having some nasty medicine. Some owners give their nervous kitty a spray of Feliway, synthetic version of “feel good” pheromones that cat has on the cheeks, to help calming them down.

7. Sweets

Cats do not have sweet tooth actually. They do not seem to favor the sweetness in cakes, cookies or sugary drinks. Oddly enough, your cats might actually prefer the bitterness in grass than sweet treat.

7. Being Stared At

Cats consider direct eye contact as threatening and dominating, and most of them do not like it. Want to know if your feline likes you, you need to try this: try looking at your cat and blinking very slowly, if your feline does the same thing back to you, it means that he loves you!

5. Forced To Socialize

Cats are very independent creatures and they hate to be forced to socialize. They would react a lot better with strangers and stressful situations if they were provided a consistent safe hiding place and a place that allows your cat to move vertically like a cat tree, carpeted shelf or window boxes.

4. Make Them Pose For Photos Or Videos

With the popularity of cute animal pictures and videos on the internet these days, more and more owners are making their furry friends pose for them. We all love the adorable videos of cats, but sometimes you can clearly see some cats displaying frightened, stressed and aggressive behaviors that are sadly ignored or misinterpreted by their owners.

3. Jingling Collar

Jingling collar just doesn’t fit a cat personality. Cats are naturally independent, graceful and sly. Having a noisy collar every time they make a move just drives them nuts.

2. Ignore Their Eating Habits

Cats are quite particular with their eating habits. Putting aside the quality and taste of the food, they are also quite particular about the location, the bowl and the placement of their food. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the perfect combination. However, once you figure it out, you will have a very happy kitty!

1. Interrupted From Their Sleep

Cats love their sleep. Just don’t try to interrupt, or else they might get rather annoyed.