How Do You Calm Your Cat?

How Do You Calm Your Cat?

by Michael
(London, UK)

This page presents some ideas on calming our cat. There are a lot of people searching for information on aggressive cats but far fewer searching for the opposite, namely calm cats. ‘Aggressive cat’ is the flip side of ‘calm cat’. A lot, perhaps most, of the underlying reason for aggressiveness in cats is due to the environment in which we place them. We control the environment if our cat is a domestic cat.

And how we control the environment depends to a large extent on our mood, our mental health and our expectations regarding our cat. We need to realise that a cat is not a human. We need to have expectations that match a domestic cat’s abilities. And we need to realise a cat lives in a land of giants. We can be intimidating. Men especially can be too rough with cats for example when playing, grooming or even stroking. This may provoke the wrong reaction (
for us) but a predicable one for the cat.

Charlie looking handsome
Here’s my boy. I think he is calm & handsome.

I believe that cats respond to our moods. This is to be expected as our moods dictate our behavior. Bad moods can make a cat unsettled. Arguments with our wives and husbands creates noise and unsettles our cat. We can’t be perfect but we can consider our cat. It may stop an argument!

I like to create as secure an environment as possible. One in which my cats feel absolutely safe. This must be a good start. Cats can be quite nervous in unsettled surroundings.

I tend to speak to my cats very quietly and I get close to them when I speak. I stroke them gently keeping contact with them when stroking. I also tend to get down to their level. So if my lady cat is on the floor I get on the floor too. I whisper in her ear actually, while stroking. In fact she knows what to expect and when I look at her she calls me over for a bit of cat whispering and cuddling. Reacting positively to our cat’s requests generates routine and routine creates a sense of security for our cats (and us!).

I think that nullifying the effect of our much superior size also helps to create a calm cat, hence getting lower down.

Being with our cats as much as possible is an obvious help to create cat calm, provided as mentioned that we create the correct environment when we are around.

All these elements create a calm cat and a calm cat cannot be aggressive.

Perhaps people searching the internet should not search for aggressive cat but calm cat as the latter is a proactive, preventative step, while the former is reactive, the problem already exists.

Lets avoid problems. And lets leave the drugs to last. I wonder if a number of cases of ‘aggressive cat’ that were treated with tranquillizers could have been fixed more naturally. All drugs are ultimately a form of poison. How often do vets or shelter employees discuss the cat caretaker’s behavior when discussing reported ‘poor behavior’ in domestic cats?

I would love to hear from one or two visitors. How do you calm your cat? We might discover something far better than my simple suggestions.

Note:.. All the above presupposes that our cat is not ill and suffering discomfort and/or pain. And that I screw up as much as the next person!

Michael Avatar

How Do You Calm Your Cat? to Cat Health Problems

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How Do You Calm Your Cat?

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Mar 28, 2011 calming cats
by: Anonymous

wonderful article! so sweet and heart softening.

I have few requests… please have a picture of cat clicker for training cats and toilet training kit the one placed on the toilet bowl.

I have 2 cats and yesterday I got another one. My other cat growls whenever I carry her which she never does even once. please help!


Jan 14, 2011 Herbal Formula
by: Michael

Feline Lesstress for Cat Anxiety
Feline Lesstress for Cat Anxiety
– $ 37.95
Treatment for Cat Anxiety and Stress in Cats. Lesstress will calm you cat and make him more relaxed and manageable.



Apr 20, 2010 More Calming Tips
by: Gail (Boston, MA USA)

The classical CD is a fabulous idea. I leave the TV on softly when I go to work. Most of the time, it’s either on the soft classical channel (satellite TV, you gotta love it), or it’ll be tuned to Animal Planet.

Oftentimes I’ll see Sadie watching a program on Animal Planet with rapt attention. She especially loves the woodland creatures – particularly lions and wolves. It makes me think she’s identifying with her heritage, from generations past.


Apr 16, 2010 Another great blog
by: Rose

Getting down to cat height sort of links in with another great blog you wrote a while back Micheal
https://pictures-of-cats.org/cats-live-in-a-land-of-giants.html
as it was discussed on there also.But I never did get around to commenting although I bookmarked it.
I believe in doing that,with my rescue cats I begin as soon as they arrive.Spending time on the floor with them,singing quietly(thanks Ruth for that tip you gave me ages ago)or if I’m rushed off my feet with kids,cats and dogs,I put a classical CD on.
Cats aren’t agressive for no reason,some come to me traummatised by the idiots who have treated them badly.
It makes me fume that people can do anything they please and it’s the animals that suffer.


Apr 16, 2010 Calming cats
by: Ruth

Michael, you are one true cat lover and your cats are very lucky you put so much thought into how to interact with them.
Whispering to a cat is wonderful, it makes them feel they are sharing your secrets.
While I’m answering questions about declawing the subject of aggressive cats comes up a lot, because many people use that as the excuse to have their aggressive cats declawed. They’ve ‘tried everything’ they say ‘Shouting, squirting liquids, hitting the cat etc etc’ but the cat is worse, they call him a ‘bad cat’
They don’t seem to realise that aggression breeds aggression.Many cats are aggressive because they are afraid and on the defensive, therefore they attack before they are attacked.
Kindness, gentleness and distraction is what those cats need !
There is no such thing as a bad cat but there are many bad cat caretakers !
Don’t forget cats love singing too (unless you have a voice like a musical saw lol)Quiet calm singing or calming music played can soothe most cats, even ferals.
One of our boyz had anxiety problems from a bad start in life,which sometimes flares up.I sing to him or put on my Taize CD and he’s soon calm.
It breaks my heart to think of the many misunderstood cats living lives of misery because people don’t bother to learn much about them.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


Apr 15, 2010 Calm Kitty
by: Gail (Boston, MA USA)

Excellent article, Michael. I had to giggle, though, because all I could think of was the cartoon series “Simon’s Cat” on YouTube, LOL.

Dr. Wember speaks into Sadie’s ear, while he gently strokes her during examination. It’s been over 1.5 years now and he thinks she’s wonderful and finds it hard to believe that she attacked her previous vet, opening a gash in her palm requiring stitches. No wonder – that vet treated her roughly as did the staff.

I also get down to her eye level, speaking gently with calm eye blinks to indicate friendliness. Her favorite thing is to be brushed with a very soft baby brush. Just watching the luxurious stretches as the brush gently caresses her fur is a sight to behold. When I stop, she grabs my arm, no claws, to indicate more, more!

Sometimes we quietly sit together looking out the window. Eventually she’ll put a paw on my face or head butt for ear scratches. It’s a special time. She doesn’t meow much, but when the mood suits her, she’ll let out a little mew. It’s very sweet and very relaxing.


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