Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/cats-knock-things/

Why do we love our cats?

It will take you a day and a night to recall some of the reasons, and a lifetime to reveal all. Because loving a cat is living with a darling, mysterious creature who is full of energy, antics, and mind-boggling habits.

At times, it loves you to death, never leaving your side, and keeps hanging on to you as if it would drown if you would not give it its usual dose of affection. Other times, it is too busy with its toys or something else that is outside the window that it does not seem to notice that you exist. (Save when it’s dinnertime.)

Well, after a year of living with your cat, you must have already grown familiar with its personality quirks. But, the habit that never fails to catch your attention is when you hear your cat drop something from the kitchen, from your study table, or from the top of the cabinet.

And the most troubling sound for you is when you hear your cat drop something that shatters upon hitting the floor! OMG! What could it be this time?

Is there a way to stop your cat from knocking things over? And why does it keep on doing it? Is your cat harboring a grudge against you?

Now, don’t get so alarmed. Of course, the broken object it had knocked over could get into your nerves, especially if it’s a newly-bought handcrafted flower vase or a vintage teacup. But, since you’re already aware of this feline habit, it’s best to put away expensive, fragile objects in a cabinet or somewhere else that’s safe.

As for your cat’s keeping a grudge against you, cat behaviorist Pamela Merritt, author of The Way of Cats: How to Use Their Instincts to Train, Understand, and Love Them and blogger at wayofcats.com, has a different explanation. She believes that the behavior is owing to the cat’s play-prey drive which is a fusion of feline genes and experiences early in life. By knocking things over, a cat gets to know its surroundings better and learns how it should react.

Also, your beloved cat must have already observed how you “react”. It has learned that by knocking things over, it easily gets your attention. Yes, Rita Branson Bowman, a cat behavior expert and executive director of Kitty Kat Haven & Rescue, agrees that cats do this at times to attract their owners’ attention.

There are times when a cat gets bored, and so it calls on you to help it find something else to do that is enjoyable. That is why if you want your cat to stop knocking things over, get it interactive toys and change toy sets from time to time to keep your cat’s interest.

Be sure to have regular playtime together, as well, so your cat does not feel deprived of your affection.

No relationship is perfect, from humans to pets. But, the dividends of loving a cat are worth more than an occasional headache over a broken teacup.

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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog