Can someone explain this to me?

lookingglass · Nov 12, 2006

8-Bit, the most fearless cat I've ever met. He's the one that tried to pull a lamb chop out of the pan it was cooking in while ON the stove, is TERRIFIED of the vacuum. Scratch Fury Destroyer of Worlds, the kitty who is scared of his own tail, will roll over and let us vacuum him with the attachments. I have no idea why this happens, but it bears some sort of TCS discussion.

epona · Nov 12, 2006

Sorry I read part of that as: '...will roll over and let us vacuum his attachments'

That certainly is a weird one. The vacuum cleaner is the only thing that disturbs Radar - he slinks around the edges of the room looking a bit worried. Alas I don't have a scaredy cat to compare him with!

lokismum · Nov 12, 2006

Loki hisses every time the vaccuum comes out and hides! Jacob just jumps to a high perch and follows me around the house (from a safe height) watching! Neither one of them would ever let me get near them with a vaccuum or blow dryer! I still have the scars from Loki's last bath, and it was a month ago!

cheshirecat · Nov 12, 2006

My Chester like your Scratch is a scardy cat. He is afraid of everything, and especially the vacuum. Just taking it out of the closet will send him running.

Fortunately (a necessity not a luxury) I have someone who does it for me. This usually happens while I am at work so it gets me off the hook as being the tormentor.

He is also afraid of hair dryers. All I have to do it pick it up and he will leave the room. And one morning I discovered that the noise from a spray can has the same effect on him.

Keep in mind I have never done anything that would cause him to fear these things. It makes me very sad to even think or what might have happened in his former life that made him this way.

satai · Nov 12, 2006

SlÃ¡ine has had a similar sad history to Scratch - and is also, understandably, normally quite cautious. Still, she's the only one not frightened of the vaccuum (ours is especially loud, BF bought a very MANLY one for himself - he does all the vaccuuming in our house).

She isn't frightened of the carpet washer either, or the "Brush of Doom" that we use to sweep naughty kitties out of the kitchen. One only has to reach for the "Brush of Doom" while saying the words "Brush of Doom" in an atmospheric tone, and the rest of them FLEE the kitchen.

No, we're not sure why they're scared of the "Brush of Doom" either. At least the other two are loud. It's a puzzle.

Molly, Slayer and Talin have all had rough patches in their lives - but something tells me that Scratch and SlÃ¡ine just have a different idea of scary that is a lot more - realistic - in terms of identifing threats, for sadly, very good reasons.

satai · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by CheshireCat

He is also afraid of hair dryers. All I have to do it pick it up and he will leave the room. And one morning I discovered that the noise from a spray can has the same effect on him.

Keep in mind I have never done anything that would cause him to fear these things. It makes me very sad to even think or what might have happened in his former life that made him this way.

Nobody thinks your using them to terrify your baby, most cats are like that. In the case of the spray can, most likely it sounds like hissing to him.

epona · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by Satai

She isn't frightened of the carpet washer either, or the "Brush of Doom" that we use to sweep naughty kitties out of the kitchen. One only has to reach for the "Brush of Doom" while saying the words "Brush of Doom" in an atmospheric tone, and the rest of them FLEE the kitchen.

That had me in stitches!

trouts mom · Nov 12, 2006

I think cats have a predisposition to be afraid of vacuums

white cat lover · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

I think cats have a predisposition to be afraid of vacuums

You should tell that to my 5! Damita is cautious about the vacuum, but she would like it if she could see. Twitch & Ophelia usually sleep through me vacuuming & I typically end up moving to vacuum under them. Dorian puffs up & chases it around the house inflating his ego.

Lily just watches it...trying to figure out what on earth it is.

If I move the vacuum I usually have at least 3 cats chasing the cords as it trails behind me....

I personally think Scratch is taking his opportunity to show Bit that Bit's a chicken! Scratch deserves to have that one thing to hold over Bit's head....

katachtig · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by Satai

but something tells me that Scratch and SlÃ¡ine just have a different idea of scary that is a lot more - realistic - in terms of identifing threats, for sadly, very good reasons.

They know what is truly scary and it isn't the vacuum.

kittenkiya · Nov 12, 2006

Every cat I have ever owned has been terrified of the vac. I just pick it up and my 21 pound Pete leaps over buildings at a single bound, at the speed of a bullet. If you get in between where he is headed for, when the vac comes out, you are begging for a broken leg.

KittenKiya levitates to the top of the cabinet, ChanKahli heads lickety-split for the kitty litter room and the walking disaster area goes with them.

willie'slove · Nov 12, 2006

Epona;1426843 said:
Sorry I read part of that as: '...will roll over and let us vacuum his attachments'

QUOTE]

That's hysterical!

I do agree, vacuums are wierd things! Our dog Maizey LOVES to play and bark at the vacuum!

lookingglass · Nov 12, 2006

The first time I took the vacuum out when Scratch was first here I thought that he'd just run and hide like 8-Bit, but he just sort of stood there and shrugged at it. DH and I were shocked. He had to usher Scratch out of the room to get all the fur off the carpet. Finally, one day he grabbed the crevice attachment and vacuumed his belly. I don't know what was louder, the machine or the odd cat that was purring.

gemlady · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by Epona

Sorry I read part of that as: '...will roll over and let us vacuum his attachments'

Welcome to the gutter!

I'm with Bit. I hated the vacuum as a kid and would go to my grandparents house (about a block away) when mom got it out. (I couldn't tolerate the volume.)

satai · Nov 12, 2006

Originally Posted by Epona

That had me in stitches!

Thank you! My BF came up with that method, he's a funny guy.

starryeyedtiger · Nov 12, 2006

My foster kittens LOVE the vaccume cleaner- they even spend their naptimes with it

maddensmom · Nov 12, 2006

Madden is a watcher, usually from the top of the T.V. or the cat-tree. On the other hand, my 65 pound "watch-dog" is terrified of the vaccum and runs away with tail tucked as soon as it comes out of the closet!

I have no idea why, we got him as a pup and never teased him with it, he just dosen't like it. I guess if anyone breaks in and happens to grab the vaccum we're in trouble!!

natalie_ca · Nov 13, 2006

Originally Posted by lookingglass

He had to usher Scratch out of the room to get all the fur off the carpet. Finally, one day he grabbed the crevice attachment and vacuumed his belly. I don't know what was louder, the machine or the odd cat that was purring.

That sounds like my Chynna. She absolutely loves the vacuum. As soon as she sees it she's following me around jumping on tables and meowing at me, or flopping down in front of it. She didn't like my other vacuum though (Sears Kenmore cannister type). It was only after I got my Fantom Fury bagless upright that she started doing that.

Abby on the other hand is the timid one and that includes running from the vacuum. Though lately she's just taken to laying across the room and not always running to hide in the bedroom closet.

luckygirl · Nov 13, 2006

Originally Posted by Epona

Sorry I read part of that as: '...will roll over and let us vacuum his attachments'

Louie runs from the vaccuum too

....and LuckyGirl will just sit on top of the couch & give it dirty looks

trinettec · Nov 13, 2006

Last night DH did the vacuuming for me, the only one to run and hide was Dianna. To Annie the vac is a foe to be conquered!!
All the little foster kittens just followed him chasing the cord. We had to keep picking up kittens and moving them so no one got sucked up! The two 54 lb "guard" dogs run like scared rabbits.
We have an antique Kirby so it is not quiet.

Can someone explain this to me?

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