Cats are incredibly flexible. They have full control of their sleek bodies and manage to get through tiny holes and manoeuvre themselves out of impossible positions, and yet they keep knocking things over. Cats are certainly not clumsy. So, do they break things on purpose?
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Your cat is exploring
Cat's paws are crucial to their ability to ‘be a cat’, and felines use them to test and explore objects. How else can you, as a kitty, see if it’s safe or not if you don’t touch or feel it first?
Your cat’s paw pads are very sensitive, so when they pat, swat, and knock something down, they learn something new. No wonder things accidentally get knocked over on that curiosity journey.
To support your cat's natural desire to inspect new things, make sure you keep fragile items away from the edge of your table or desk or anywhere your cat is likely to jump, Daily Paws advises.
Your cat is seeking attention
Cats know that broken glass will attract your attention better than a purring session, so why not? Amy Shojai, a certified animal behaviour consultant and the author of several books about cat antics, says:
Cats are incredibly adept at finding ways to manipulate what they want, which often comes down to: Look at me, feed me, play with me.
She explains that since even bad attention is better than being ignored, knocking over objects provides another way for cats to get a reaction out of their owners.
If exploring is a rather innocent activity, attention-seeking by breaking glass is clearly carefully planned mischief.
The best way to stop it is to ignore your kitty’s sabotage so they find a better way to make you notice them.
Your cat wants to play
Your cat may knock things over simply because it’s fun.
If your home doesn't offer lots of chances for both mental and physical enrichment, cats are left to their own devices to find means of fun stimulation, and that can include sliding your glass across the table until it just happens to fall.
To prevent accidents, make sure your cat has plenty of appropriate toys around and rotate them in and out of service to keep them exciting and new. And schedule play and exercise time with your fluff-ball every day.
The combination of boredom and pent-up energy will always lead your feline into 'looking for trouble'.
Sources used:
- PetMD: ‘Why do cats knock things over?’
- Daily Paws: ‘Why Do Cats Like to Knock Things Over?’
Read more:
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⋙ Do cats see in black and white? Here is what the experts say
