If you’ve been late with your cat’s dinner, given them one pet too many, or even accidentally stepped on their tail, you have probably seen your cat give you the stink eye. This may lead you to wonder if your cat — or any cat, for that matter — can hold a grudge. Technically, the answer is sometimes, but it’s mostly no. Cats don’t have the kind of capability to hold an actual grudge over small things. But if repetitive abuse occurs, cats will remember and will be traumatized for the long term. If you’re interested in learning more about how cats remember (and don’t remember) events, read on. We go over how cats might hold a short grudge, why they are willing to forgive you, and even the best way to earn your cat’s forgiveness.
Do Cats Hold a Grudge? Sometimes all those cat memes and hilarious videos give the impression that cats hold grudges and seek revenge when they feel that they’ve been wronged. But for the most part, this is incorrect. We do know that cats aren’t shy about sharing their opinions on something, particularly if they aren’t happy about it. We also know how fickle they can be. But how does this translate into grudge territory? Much of a cat’s reaction depends on their personality and temperament. Image Credit: Rosa Jay, shutterstock If your cat seems to take pleasure in peeing on your bed, you might be tempted to think that this is some kind of revenge or grudge-like behavior. But more often than not, it’s a behavioral or health issue. But cats will remember repeated behavior. For example, like any animal (or human, for that matter), they will gravitate toward someone who treats them well and avoid someone who does not. This is, of course, a smart way to remain safe. Short-Term Memory The working memory, or short-term memory, contains the things that you can remember for a short period of time. For example, how well you remember someone’s address moments after you’ve heard it. We use our short-term memories for problem-solving, and it helps in learning math or languages, for example. Cats also have short-term memory, and in 2007, researchers from the University of Alberta published a study that through a series of tests, discovered that cats can have a short-term memory of up to 10 minutes! This can mean that if something happens to startle or scare a cat, they will remember it for a short while, but as long as it isn’t too traumatic, they’ll recover and forget about it. Image Credit: outdoor_Rutina, Shutterstock How About Long-Term Memory? Since grudges depend on long-term memory, how much of a long-term memory that a cat has is an important point. Long-term memories are information that we retain beyond short-term memories. This can be childhood memories or something that you ate yesterday. There are cats that can constantly find their way home and that do remember unfortunate events that occurred years ago. The stronger the emotion connected to a memory, the more likely the cat will remember it for a long time, perhaps even the rest of their life. Survival instincts are what can drive cats to remember both short-term and long-term memories. If a cat has an altercation with another cat on a specific street, they more than likely will avoid that street in the future. This isn’t anything to do with holding a grudge and everything to do with self-preservation. Image Credit: rihaij, Pixabay When Cats Get Miffed It doesn’t take much to get some cats ticked off. They are probably already anxious and stressed, and they can easily get angry under certain circumstances. It’s a good idea to become familiar with your cat’s body language, which can help you understand them better and hopefully fix the situation before it’s a real problem. Signs that your cat is angry:
Keeping their distance from you — they might leave the room when you enter
You’re the recipient of “the look” — this might include dilated or constricted pupils and strong eye contact
Hides from you (maybe under the couch or in a closet)
Low tail that is twitching and thrashing
Might refuse food and treats
Petting aggression (biting and swatting when you pet too many times)
Flattened ears
Puffed tail and arched back
Growling and hissing
Image Credit: ANURAK PONGPATIMET, Shutterstock Sometimes cats might even purr, which isn’t always something that they do when they’re happy and content. This can be a way of self-soothing themselves, so if your cat is purring but also exhibiting a few of these signs, give your cat some space. Why Cats Get Angry Sometimes it’s obvious why your cat is angry, particularly directly after a troubling event. But if your cat seems to be upset with you or just in general, you need to figure out why so you can try to not let it happen again. Consider if something has recently happened within your household that’s out of the ordinary. It could be a new roommate, baby, or even a new house. All these events (and similar ones) can contribute to an unhappy cat. Sometimes a change in the household can also mean new sounds and scents that might upset your cat. A noisier new member in the home can distress a cat, for example. Other common reasons that your cat might be angry at you:
Touching in areas that are forbidden (usually belly, tail, and paws)
Petting for too long
Picking your cat up when they don’t want or expect it
Bugging your cat while sleeping
Making too much noise
Not spending quality time with your cat (no playing)
Causing your cat pain (stepping on that tail!)
Constantly changing routine (particularly at feeding time)
Not changing the litter box enough
Paying too much attention to other pets (or your phone)
Ignoring your cat when seeking attention
Leaving your cat alone too often and for too long
Image Credit: Anna Hoychuk, Shutterstock Keep in mind that it might not be anything that you’ve actually done. Cats can redirect their anger at you or anyone close by when something else entirely has upset them. Most of the time, a cat that is upset at a change in routine or some other event is a cat that is dealing with anxiety. If you do have an anxious cat, just be gentle and patient when your cat goes into hiding and seems miffed. Try not to do again whatever it was that you did. Things You Can Do If Your Cat Is Mad at You First, it’s important to let your cat come to you rather than seeking out your cat. If your cat is hiding under the couch, don’t try to pull or entice them to come out; they will do so when ready. When your cat does approach you, address them in a friendly but calm and gentle way. Cats respond to your facial expressions and your voice, so make sure you keep your face and voice relaxed. Image Credit: Piqsels How About for the Long Term? If your cat seems to be anxious and stressed most of the time, it could be a problem within your home environment. Ways that you can make your home less stressful for your cat include:
Use calming scents (pheromones like Feliway can help anxious cats).
Spend time with your cat, especially playtime!
Create a stable and familiar routine (especially for mealtime).
Try to keep strong scents and excess noise to a minimum.
A cat enrichment area is essential — ensure that you have a cat tree, scratching post, and plenty of toys.
Image Credit: Dora Zett, Shutterstock If your cat seems to have issues even after you’ve made the necessary changes, you might need to speak to your vet or an animal behaviorist. But for the most part, with these elements, most cats will feel much more confident and comfortable, which means less anxiety and anger.
Conclusion Cats are capable of remembering wrongs and holding a grudge to a certain degree. But these wrongs would definitely need to be plural. Accidentally stepping on your cat’s tail will not make your cat poop in your shoe. Cats will react accordingly to their situation. They’re smart and capable of remembering things. How many people have cats that will remind their owners that it’s dinnertime one hour before the actual time? Sometimes, badgering gets you what you want! In the long run, it’s not really a grudge so much as it’s just remembering something and reacting to it. As long as you treat your cat with love and respect, you should get that right back!
Featured Image Credit: choosangyeon, Shutterstock
If you’ve been late with your cat’s dinner, given them one pet too many, or even accidentally stepped on their tail, you have probably seen your cat give you the stink eye. This may lead you to wonder if your cat — or any cat, for that matter — can hold a grudge.
Technically, the answer is sometimes, but it’s mostly no. Cats don’t have the kind of capability to hold an actual grudge over small things. But if repetitive abuse occurs, cats will remember and will be traumatized for the long term.
If you’re interested in learning more about how cats remember (and don’t remember) events, read on. We go over how cats might hold a short grudge, why they are willing to forgive you, and even the best way to earn your cat’s forgiveness.
Do Cats Hold a Grudge?
Sometimes all those cat memes and hilarious videos give the impression that cats hold grudges and seek revenge when they feel that they’ve been wronged. But for the most part, this is incorrect.
We do know that cats aren’t shy about sharing their opinions on something, particularly if they aren’t happy about it. We also know how fickle they can be. But how does this translate into grudge territory?
Much of a cat’s reaction depends on their personality and temperament.
If your cat seems to take pleasure in peeing on your bed, you might be tempted to think that this is some kind of revenge or grudge-like behavior. But more often than not, it’s a behavioral or health issue.
But cats will remember repeated behavior. For example, like any animal (or human, for that matter), they will gravitate toward someone who treats them well and avoid someone who does not. This is, of course, a smart way to remain safe.
Short-Term Memory
The working memory, or short-term memory, contains the things that you can remember for a short period of time. For example, how well you remember someone’s address moments after you’ve heard it. We use our short-term memories for problem-solving, and it helps in learning math or languages, for example.
Cats also have short-term memory, and in 2007, researchers from the University of Alberta published a study that through a series of tests, discovered that cats can have a short-term memory of up to 10 minutes!
This can mean that if something happens to startle or scare a cat, they will remember it for a short while, but as long as it isn’t too traumatic, they’ll recover and forget about it.
How About Long-Term Memory?
Since grudges depend on long-term memory, how much of a long-term memory that a cat has is an important point. Long-term memories are information that we retain beyond short-term memories. This can be childhood memories or something that you ate yesterday.
There are cats that can constantly find their way home and that do remember unfortunate events that occurred years ago. The stronger the emotion connected to a memory, the more likely the cat will remember it for a long time, perhaps even the rest of their life.
Survival instincts are what can drive cats to remember both short-term and long-term memories. If a cat has an altercation with another cat on a specific street, they more than likely will avoid that street in the future. This isn’t anything to do with holding a grudge and everything to do with self-preservation.
When Cats Get Miffed
It doesn’t take much to get some cats ticked off. They are probably already anxious and stressed, and they can easily get angry under certain circumstances. It’s a good idea to become familiar with your cat’s body language, which can help you understand them better and hopefully fix the situation before it’s a real problem.
Signs that your cat is angry:
Keeping their distance from you — they might leave the room when you enter
You’re the recipient of “the look” — this might include dilated or constricted pupils and strong eye contact
Hides from you (maybe under the couch or in a closet)
Low tail that is twitching and thrashing
Might refuse food and treats
Petting aggression (biting and swatting when you pet too many times)
Flattened ears
Puffed tail and arched back
Growling and hissing
Sometimes cats might even purr, which isn’t always something that they do when they’re happy and content. This can be a way of self-soothing themselves, so if your cat is purring but also exhibiting a few of these signs, give your cat some space.
Keeping their distance from you — they might leave the room when you enter
You’re the recipient of “the look” — this might include dilated or constricted pupils and strong eye contact
Hides from you (maybe under the couch or in a closet)
Low tail that is twitching and thrashing
Might refuse food and treats
Petting aggression (biting and swatting when you pet too many times)
Flattened ears
Puffed tail and arched back
Growling and hissing
- Keeping their distance from you — they might leave the room when you enter
- You’re the recipient of “the look” — this might include dilated or constricted pupils and strong eye contact
- Hides from you (maybe under the couch or in a closet)
- Low tail that is twitching and thrashing
- Might refuse food and treats
- Petting aggression (biting and swatting when you pet too many times)
- Flattened ears
- Puffed tail and arched back
- Growling and hissing
Why Cats Get Angry
Sometimes it’s obvious why your cat is angry, particularly directly after a troubling event. But if your cat seems to be upset with you or just in general, you need to figure out why so you can try to not let it happen again.
Consider if something has recently happened within your household that’s out of the ordinary. It could be a new roommate, baby, or even a new house. All these events (and similar ones) can contribute to an unhappy cat.
Sometimes a change in the household can also mean new sounds and scents that might upset your cat. A noisier new member in the home can distress a cat, for example.
Other common reasons that your cat might be angry at you:
Touching in areas that are forbidden (usually belly, tail, and paws)
Petting for too long
Picking your cat up when they don’t want or expect it
Bugging your cat while sleeping
Making too much noise
Not spending quality time with your cat (no playing)
Causing your cat pain (stepping on that tail!)
Constantly changing routine (particularly at feeding time)
Not changing the litter box enough
Paying too much attention to other pets (or your phone)
Ignoring your cat when seeking attention
Leaving your cat alone too often and for too long
Keep in mind that it might not be anything that you’ve actually done. Cats can redirect their anger at you or anyone close by when something else entirely has upset them.
Touching in areas that are forbidden (usually belly, tail, and paws)
Petting for too long
Picking your cat up when they don’t want or expect it
Bugging your cat while sleeping
Making too much noise
Not spending quality time with your cat (no playing)
Causing your cat pain (stepping on that tail!)
Constantly changing routine (particularly at feeding time)
Not changing the litter box enough
Paying too much attention to other pets (or your phone)
Ignoring your cat when seeking attention
Leaving your cat alone too often and for too long
- Touching in areas that are forbidden (usually belly, tail, and paws)
- Petting for too long
- Picking your cat up when they don’t want or expect it
- Bugging your cat while sleeping
- Making too much noise
- Not spending quality time with your cat (no playing)
- Causing your cat pain (stepping on that tail!)
- Constantly changing routine (particularly at feeding time)
- Not changing the litter box enough
- Paying too much attention to other pets (or your phone)
- Ignoring your cat when seeking attention
- Leaving your cat alone too often and for too long
Most of the time, a cat that is upset at a change in routine or some other event is a cat that is dealing with anxiety.
If you do have an anxious cat, just be gentle and patient when your cat goes into hiding and seems miffed. Try not to do again whatever it was that you did.
Things You Can Do If Your Cat Is Mad at You
First, it’s important to let your cat come to you rather than seeking out your cat. If your cat is hiding under the couch, don’t try to pull or entice them to come out; they will do so when ready.
When your cat does approach you, address them in a friendly but calm and gentle way. Cats respond to your facial expressions and your voice, so make sure you keep your face and voice relaxed.
How About for the Long Term?
If your cat seems to be anxious and stressed most of the time, it could be a problem within your home environment.
Ways that you can make your home less stressful for your cat include:
Use calming scents (pheromones like Feliway can help anxious cats).
Spend time with your cat, especially playtime!
Create a stable and familiar routine (especially for mealtime).
Try to keep strong scents and excess noise to a minimum.
A cat enrichment area is essential — ensure that you have a cat tree, scratching post, and plenty of toys.
If your cat seems to have issues even after you’ve made the necessary changes, you might need to speak to your vet or an animal behaviorist. But for the most part, with these elements, most cats will feel much more confident and comfortable, which means less anxiety and anger.
Use calming scents (pheromones like Feliway can help anxious cats).
Spend time with your cat, especially playtime!
Create a stable and familiar routine (especially for mealtime).
Try to keep strong scents and excess noise to a minimum.
A cat enrichment area is essential — ensure that you have a cat tree, scratching post, and plenty of toys.
- Use calming scents (pheromones like Feliway can help anxious cats).
- Spend time with your cat, especially playtime!
- Create a stable and familiar routine (especially for mealtime).
- Try to keep strong scents and excess noise to a minimum.
- A cat enrichment area is essential — ensure that you have a cat tree, scratching post, and plenty of toys.
Conclusion
Cats are capable of remembering wrongs and holding a grudge to a certain degree. But these wrongs would definitely need to be plural. Accidentally stepping on your cat’s tail will not make your cat poop in your shoe.
Cats will react accordingly to their situation. They’re smart and capable of remembering things. How many people have cats that will remind their owners that it’s dinnertime one hour before the actual time? Sometimes, badgering gets you what you want!
In the long run, it’s not really a grudge so much as it’s just remembering something and reacting to it. As long as you treat your cat with love and respect, you should get that right back!
Featured Image Credit: choosangyeon, Shutterstock
