Signs of a Frustrated Cat

Dr Bruce Fogle, the well-known veterinarian/author tells us that in his experience “the most common physical signs of frustration is the teeth chattering of the indoor cat watching a potential prey outdoors through a window”. We know this behaviour. But is it a physical manifestation of feline frustration?

The renown zoologist Dr Desmond Morris in this equally renown book ‘Catwatching‘ describes cat chattering as a ‘vacuum activity’. The cat is performing the specialised bite which kills a bird by severing the spine. But as there is no bird the cat is performing it as if in practice. He is unable to control himself when watching birds through the window.

It is therefore a substitute for bird killing. But the cat does not appear to be upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to kill the bird. I am not convinced cat chattering is a sign of frustration.

I am not convinced in fact that cats can feel frustrated as it entails being upset and annoyed at not being able to do something. Rather than feeling upset cats do something else which substitutes the activity they are prevented from doing.

There are many indoor cats who can’t express a range of typical feline activities the most obvious of which is hunting. They may play for a while and then snooze instead. Domestic cats are excellent adapters to circumstance.

There is another possible sign of a frustrated cat: redirected aggression. When a cat is wound up to be aggressive perhaps towards a cat outside that he can’t get at, he may redirect the aggression at another cat or a person inside. Once again I am not sure if this is frustration. Perhaps it is more about finding an alternative activity to the original. Dr. Fogle mentions something similar; the domestic cat who has lost a fight outside and comes home to lash out at another resident cat.

In finding an alternative, frustration is avoided. Of course there is still a discussion about the emotions that cats can feel. We are not sure. However, there will be many cat owners who will vouch that their cat shows signs of frustration. I’d like to hear from them.

If domestic cats do feel the emotion of frustration cat owners should allow them time to calm down. This is certainly important when a cat has become wound up and aggressive for whatever reason. Keep clear and respect the cat until the frustration has dissipated.

2 thoughts on “Signs of a Frustrated Cat”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. Humans spend a lot of time, energy & money falling over themselves to prove that only the human mammal has a wide range of emotional responses. Much of that need to prove superiority, comes from an innate insecurity that maybe we aren’t superior to other species. Lots of this denial of affect in other species has roots in jewish/christian creed.

    Desmond Morris did a wonderful thing in bringing the study of behaviour to the masses. He managed to convey the subject with enthusiasm and accurately explained the knowledge of the time. His big cat book did a big favour to domestic cats.

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  3. I don’t think I have ever felt that one of my cats was frustrated. I think that is a very human emotion. The Clowder I have now for the most part get along. When they watch out the security doors and watch prey animals in the yard, they try to go through the door, but then wander off to do something else. I may feel frustrated when a disagreement breaks out and cats scatter in every direction and I can’t tell who the instigator was, but they settle down and go back to whatever they were doing.

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