TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › How do I sneak up on my Cat?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

How do I sneak up on my Cat?

post #1 of 19
11/29/06 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so my cat ambushes me all the time and I usually have no idea he is there until its too late.

I try to sneak up on him to give him a taste of his own medicine - usually while he is sleeping, but he always wakes up and busts me before I can get within 5 feet.

How do you sneak up on your cat? Is it impossible? Can they hear my heart beating or something crazy like that? Or am I not as quiet as I think I am?

Thanks.
Reply
post #2 of 19
11/29/06 at 10:38pm
I really don't know what determines this behavior...
I guess it depends on how interested they are in the situation.

My cat, Mischief will sleep under the table and on the kitchen window ledge, for the most part... he usually doesn't bat an eye when I enter those rooms but when he's sleeping on the couch for example, he'll quickly open his eyes, scan the room and go back to sleep. I think it also has to do with whether or not he's vulnerable... he's very smart and knows he's safe under the table, which is why he doesn't seem to care when I enter that room.

So when your cat is sleeping, it probably knows whether or it's in vulnerable to anything, which I assume is why it wakes up before you get too close.

I play a fun game with my Mischief sometimes... he'll run upstairs and I'll kneel down at the bottom, on the other side of the wall and stay very quiet. He'll think I've left and when he comes down to investigate and discovers me waiting to pounce, he meows in a strange fashion and darts back up. It's hilarious, really... and a lot of fun for the both of us.
Reply
post #3 of 19
11/29/06 at 11:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by charmaniac View Post
Ok, so my cat ambushes me all the time and I usually have no idea he is there until its too late.

I try to sneak up on him to give him a taste of his own medicine - usually while he is sleeping, but he always wakes up and busts me before I can get within 5 feet.

How do you sneak up on your cat? Is it impossible? Can they hear my heart beating or something crazy like that? Or am I not as quiet as I think I am?

Thanks.
Well, their hearing is tons better than ours, so it's nearly impossible. That being said, you are giving your cat a lot of credit. If you do manage to sneak up on your cat, and I assume scare him, I seriously doubt he will make the mental leap and realize he is getting "a taste of his own medicine". More likely it will satisfy some need for revenge on your part, and a little less trust in you on your cat's part.

You'll both live happier once you realize that you are no match for your cat's ninja-like maneuvers. Admire him for them!
Reply
post #4 of 19
11/30/06 at 1:10am
How old is he? And did he have any brothers and sisters he stayed long enough with to play with? Coz it sounds to me like your little go-go cat doesnt have a clue that this can hurt.
Also, is he an only cat? My guess is yes, and that makes you the ultimate plaything in the house, since you re the only thing moving...

If he did have siblings when younger, try letting out a highpitched auw!(providing you want to teach him not to do this anymore of course; trying to return the favor is likely to happen when hell freezes over my friend )
Anycase, the auw should allert him to the fact that he is being too rough, its how siblings learn during playtime what is fun and what is overboard.
If he didnt have siblings you can still try this method, but you might also wanna run around with a plantsprayer around the places where he ambushes you, to teach him its not something that is fun.

On top of that...let him play on your terms, sit down on the ground, let him chase somethingn thats hanging of a fishing rod, so that its safe for your ankles and stuff, and play play play till he cannot play anymore. That way he ll be less inclined to attack you since that urge has been taken care of

let us know how it goes :P
Reply
post #5 of 19
11/30/06 at 3:17am
When he does that, it's because he wants you to play! I suggest you join in with his games when he is awake, don't be mean and wake a sleeping kitty
Reply
post #6 of 19
11/30/06 at 8:40am
Thread Starter 
For the record, yes I play with him all the time. We have 2 cats, but the other one wants nothing to do with him and they fight alot because he is constantly trying to horse collar her. She is 18 pounds (we got her from the pound...she was always big) and he is 10 pounds, so I have never seen her lose a fight. Luckily she doesn't pursue him or anything, just makes it so he gets out of her face.

They do seem to conspire together to wake us up when they are out of food...so at least they do something with each other.

My cat got to play with his brothers and sisters, and was cared for by his mom for a few weeks before we picked him up. He has always been a trooper.

And no, I am not sneaking up on him to scare him...just to see if I can get near him, which I cannot because he always sees/hears me.
Reply
post #7 of 19
11/30/06 at 8:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by charmaniac View Post
And no, I am not sneaking up on him to scare him...just to see if I can get near him, which I cannot because he always sees/hears me.
I don't think you'll have much luck, I swear my cat can hear a fly landing 2 rooms away and be chasing it about before his eyes are even fully open
Reply
post #8 of 19
11/30/06 at 8:46am
Thread Starter 
Yeah I used to think I was a dog person until I actually had a cat. Cats are just so physically amazing.

They move so quickly.

Plus, they do a great job of keeping unwanted pests out of my home.
Reply
post #9 of 19
11/30/06 at 10:14am
I have snuck up on Radar and frightened him but that was when he was younger- I'd never get away with it now...

I've just noticed how much he enjoys loud music- finding it relaxing. Perhaps this is because he was adopted from a house with lots of children and he enjoys noise... But even with loud music I wouldn't be able to sneak up on him
Reply
post #10 of 19
11/30/06 at 10:31am
my cat can hear the car coming home before I can so I doubt you will ever beat your cats great sense of sound. plus they hear in a frequency we can't hear.
Reply
post #11 of 19
11/30/06 at 2:20pm
Muwhaha
I play peek a boo up the stairs I walk upstairs see his little eyes creep down a stair or two and he walks forward...so of course I move further down..then we charge each other....ok well i am daft so what
Reply
post #12 of 19
11/30/06 at 3:03pm
I've scared the daylights out of both my cats. Not on purpose of course. It always happens when they are distracted by something, usually a toy that they consider to be their prey, or when they are exploring some empty boxes or suitcases. They aren't paying attention to what's going on outside of what they are doing and when I walk by they freak when they realize that something is moving really close to them that they didn't realize was there.

When Monty gets scared he jumps straight up really really high and his tail gets all fat. When Bootsie gets scared she'll jump up and do a half turn or a flip. It's amazing what they can do when they're freaked.

Also, they prowl around, crouch in hiding, and pounce on each other to the same effect. They're much better at sneaking up on each other than I am at sneaking them. It's a really good show too.
Reply
post #13 of 19
11/30/06 at 3:24pm
In my case, I do not think it can be done. However; he can of course sneak up on me whenever he feels like it!
Reply
post #14 of 19
11/30/06 at 4:35pm
In order for me to cut Abby's nails I have to sneak up on her when she's sleeping. However, she's caught onto that and wakes up before I can get to her now. So now I sit on the couch and wait for her to come lay next to me to get "brushes", and when she falls asleep I gently take each paw and carefully cut her nails.

A cat is very vulnerable when they are sleeping, and while their hearing is great, I suspect that they also feel a change in the air flow as you approach. No matter how careful you are, you will displace air as you move and even a slight movement may cause the cat to notice. At least that's my theory.
Reply
post #15 of 19
3/29/11 at 5:47am
This is just a random idea, but you could hide in a bush or tree or something ?
Reply
post #16 of 19
3/29/11 at 2:34pm
Fact: You cannot Outninja a Ninja.
Reply
post #17 of 19
3/29/11 at 3:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post
Fact: You cannot Outninja a Ninja.
Reply
post #18 of 19
3/29/11 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post
Fact: You cannot Outninja a Ninja.
i love it
Reply
post #19 of 19
3/29/11 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by charmaniac View Post
How do you sneak up on your cat?
Very quietly, don't make a sound, don't even breathe
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Behavior
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › How do I sneak up on my Cat?