Attacking the Answering Machine

Everytime I check the messages on my answering machine, Charlotte starts attacking the answering machine and violently knocks it onto the floor. She doesn't really care about the out-going message (probably because it's my voice), but she totally has a fit whenever I listen to my messages. I had to start closing the door to the room so she doesn't have access to the room when I check them. Who knows what she does when people are actually leaving messages because the answering machine usually stays on the table.

Ironically, she could care less about the voices coming out of my regular speakers when I listen to music or watch movies.

Does anyone else's cat have a "thing" against answering machines?

Oh my god.. This is the funniest thing I've read all day!!

LOL no, but my cats had to develop what jason calls battle tactics because he has surround sound.. he turns on the Television and Paige makes the face of "here we go again".. we lived with a cat that played video games with us.. he chased the characters on the Television. other than that, no such problems here

I bet that's amazingly funny to watch

OH ROFL!!! That's hilarious. Not with answering machines, though, but Sasha hates my cell phone, he just hates it. He can tolerate it when I check messages but when it rings and I am talking he will run out of the room - even if he just spent 15 minutes grooming and making a nest. If I pick it up to make a call, he will look at me cooly and sneer! never fails.

My cats like to push buttons on my answering machine- They've actually recorded a new outgoing message before that was me and my husband talking - for like 5 minutes. And we didn't realize it until my friend called and we didn't pick up the phone quick enough, LOL . But they don't attack it- that must be cute .

Dori does the exact same thing when I am talking on my Nextel! She tries to attack it. I mean she literally goes nuts. I told my boss about it and now if he buzzes me and I tell him I am at home for lunch he will say 'hey kitty cat' its so funny

LOL - I've heard of dogs doing that, but not cats. Our cat makes phone calls by pressing the redial button or the fast-dial buttons. He also likes to push the start button on the fax and watch the paper come out.
The voices must sound unnatural to her - perhaps she thinks the machine is going to hurt you?

That must be hilarious! Frustrating, too, though. No such problems here. Red Cat is such a fraidy cat that he runs out of the room to hide when the phone rings. When I listen to messages, he is visibly upset, but doesn't usually leave. Purdy is much more accepting, though he does hide from people. I think Red Cat taught him that, as he didn't initially.

Originally Posted by chastidy

My cats like to push buttons on my answering machine- They've actually recorded a new outgoing message before that was me and my husband talking - for like 5 minutes.

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Well, what did they say???

This story concerns my very brave and beloved collie Penny, who was my greatest buddy growing up. We had moved to NJ when I was a teen. One night my mom went out with a neighbor and the neighbor's elderly mom shopping. Suddenly, the elderly mom had chest pain, so the neighbor rushed her to the nearest hospital Now my mom did not drive, and could get lost in a paper bag, plus we were new to the area. While the docs were taking care of the neighbors mom, my mom decided to call my sister and I , who were babysitting away from home to explain the situation. Then she called my younger brother at home...continual busy signals. My mom got worried. My brother was not a telephone talker so my mom was confused as well. She called the operator for assistance. "What town are you in mamm", the operator asked, my mom said, "I don't know, I'm in a hospital." What hospital mamm? "I don't know" said my mom. Finally after a few minutes, of trying the number my mom exclaimed, "OH, that damn dog is on the phone again!" I've often pictured that operator relating that story to her family once she got off shift...."Boy did I have a nut tonight!"

Penny hated the ring! She drove my Nana nuts too when she would "pick up" the phone and bark LOUDLY into her ear. Oh I miss her so!

Thats really cute!

This is just a guess but perhaps there's a hiss or whine on the playback that is too high for human ears to hear, but is annoying to Charlotte. Same thing with the mobile phones, the cats may be overly sensitive to the radio waves activated when you talk on the phone.