Kitten Scared Of Me Petting Him Because Of Vaccum

[Lwebster60]

My dad who I’m furious at was vacuuming even though I told him to stop because he was scaring my kitten. As he continued, I was trying to pet him to calm him down but he flinched because the sound got louder. After my dad vaccumed, I tried petting him again and he flinched. I’m scared my kitten is afraid of me now. What should I do?

 

[ArtNJ]

Wait an hour, give him some treats and try again. Takes more than that to change a kitten's opinion of you long term.

Might take a tad more waiting if the kitten wasn't fully settled in before this episode.

Lesson for the future, we can't really comfort our pets by touching them when they are scared or riled up. In fact, if a cat that normally likes you a lot is scared/agitated and you try petting them, sometimes you can get bit or scratched.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, just keep on doing all the things you normally do, but don't force petting quite yet for a while. Your cat will be fine, until the next vacuum session. Don't get mad at your dad, just find a place where you can put the cat as far away from the vacuum as you can, before he starts the machine. Don't try to interact with the cat until the vacuuming is done and it's put away. My Big Guy hates the noise as well.

 

[tabbytom]

Speak to your kitty in a soft assuring calm voice and keep telling him it’s ok which at this moment you may or may not want to pet him. He’s just terrified of the sound and let him calm down and get over it in a short while.

Sometimes it’s not easy when you try to pet him to calm him down when he’s not over the situation. Best is leave him alone till he knows it’s safe else you’ll cause further panic if you try to hold him or pet him as he’s being restrained and in his mind, he can’t escape from the vacuum cleaner.

Leave the vacuum cleaner in the open so that he can check it out and smell it and you may want to push the vacuum cleaner around without turning it on so that he can get use to it and know that it is not a threat to him and turn it on when he’s further away and shut off. This is to let him get use to the object and sound.

My boy was also very afraid of the vacuum cleaner initially. Then I use the same technical I mentioned above and now he got use to it. He’ll just look from a distance when I’m vacuuming and if it gets close to him, he’ll move to another location and watch.

 

[Lwebster60]

Thanks guys, taking your advice! He seems calmer now. Still not petting him though.

 

[Furballsmom]

Go you!! you'll be just fine.

 

[Etarre]

Does your cat have a nice place to hide, far away from the evil vacuum cleaner? I think one of the best ways to build a cat's confidence is to make sure that they are able to get away from things they perceive as threatening. Then if they choose to be curious and investigate new things, at least they're doing it on their terms.

My cat also hates the vacuum, and has a special set of places to hide on Sundays, when we get it out, and as it makes the rounds through the rooms of the apartment.