Why cats seem to be so afraid of cucumbers? Watching online memes, gifts and videos about cats that are leaping in the air right after seeing a cucumber can be funny, but what is the real reason why cats react so fast and violently when seeing a cucumber?
Why Are Cats So Afraid Of Cucumbers?
I know that this can be very hilarious for us the humans, but how an animal that is more like a miniature tiger, would be so scared at the sight of a simple cucumber?
To test their feline, many owners quietly place a cucumber behind their cat’s back while the animal is eating from its food bowl.
When the cat turns around, and notices the strange looking green and elongated thing lying near it on the ground, they will either jump and run away, or stay to stare at the cucumber and be ready to react quickly if needed.
There are also very brave cats that will engage in a fight with the cucumber.
I know that this could be very hilarious for some people, but our kitties are not very happy to find a cucumber especially at their eating place.
To understand why cats behave like this when seeing a cucumber, you need to know that cats being miniature lions or tigers, are very suspicious and stealthy especially in an unfamiliar environment because they need to be aware of any danger that could affect them.
A domestic cat, even living inside the house along with its owner, is still a very skilled predator that is ready to hunt or fight for its life at any moment.
They are very wary of flashing lights, moving items and noisy toys, and they can react extremely fast if they consider that the situation created imposes such a behavior.
Dr. John Bradshaw, biologist at England’s University of Bristol (he studied cat behavior for three decades) says that cats are considering their owners only as a large, dumb and non-hostile cat (just a big mama cat) and because cucumbers look more like snakes for cats, they react so violently especially because they don’t expect to see a snake at home, which is considered a known and safe environment.
Cats react in such a violent manner because they never expect to find such a big danger at home and especially behind them.
Let’s not forget that in all these videos that are showing cats scared of cucumbers, those pet owners sneak up on them when they’re eating (a moment when both humans and animals feel most relaxed), and place the cucumber, exactly behind their back.
Even people get scared and may react in a violent manner when eating, and others sneak up behind them to place something scary there.
Dr. Con Slobodchikoff, animal behaviorist says that cats, consider cucumbers as snakes (a deadly enemy for cats).
Cucumbers have a long green shape that looks more like a snake, and this shape and also the color of the fruit are both responsible for triggering cat’s instinctive fear of snakes.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Scare Your Cat With Cucumbers Anymore
You shouldn’t scare your poor kitty using cucumbers, bananas, pineapples or fake spiders because all of these things will produce a similar reaction from your cat.
Cats are not used to being caught off guard, especially when eating at their favorite place and have their guard down.
Such a prank may be hilarious for people, but the poor animal scared with the cucumber is not so happy, and if you do this more than one time (you shouldn’t do it at all) can do some serious damage on the psychic of your cat.
When doing this, you always make them think and react like there is a deadly danger that suddenly appears at the eating place, and this can cause them psychological harm and stress.
Dr. Slobodchikoff also says that scaring your cat with cucumbers, bananas, fake spiders or pineapples can inflict psychological trauma, mostly because you are placing those scary things behind them in the eating place.
If you scare your kitty numerous times in the same manner (just because you consider it funny), it could lead to anxiety and aggressive behavior and even PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
When cats feel threatened, especially at their feeding place, they can lose their appetite, and because they don’t eat, they can develop life-threatening fatty liver disease.
How To Know If Your Cat Was Affected By The Cucumber Prank?
You know that cats love to be in control, and being a creature of habit, they can become distressed when the owner changes their routine or does something unpredictable and stressful such as a prank with cucumbers, bananas, fake spider or a pineapple.
A study conducted by the College of veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University, says that cats may exhibit sickness behaviors in response to unusual external events like the cucumber prank.
If the cat was already affected by your reckless behavior, you can notice sickness behaviors such as vomiting, refusing to eat, diarrhea, and urinating outside the litter box.
If your cat suffers from stress, it could become more clingy with you the owner or with other members of the family that live in the same house.
However, there are also cats that are stressed by a certain behavior of the owner or another member of the family, and they become aggressive usually with the person that is responsible for the stressful situation created in the house.
If a problem appears in using the litter box, there is always a problem with the cat.
Due to stress, cats can also develop psychogenic alopecia, and they can start eating non edible items, such as your socks, plastic bags, rubber or wood.
A cat that is stressed by its owner or other person in the house can show nervous, jumpy or skittish behavior.
They can even injure themselves, and this is showing that the cat is extremely stressed and maybe social unstable.
How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy All The Time
Your kitty is not a toy, is only a very sensitive being, and this is the reason why you should be a considerate pet owner that takes care of her every day.
Never stress your cat, it isn’t normal to do such things to your lovely furry friend.
You only need to feed her daily (with her preferred meal), to keep her clean and groom her whenever is needed.
Always be a responsible pet owner, respect your tiny feline and make her happy without stressing her.
Being a responsible person is the only way of making your cat live a long, happy and healthy life in your home.