Why Do Cats Knock Stuff Over?

Cats are one of the most popular and loved pets all over the world. People love cats for the companionship they provide and their general goofiness. They are playful, loving, and highly independent and intelligent animals. However, some of the things these beloved pets do are confounding. One of the biggest questions cat owners have is, why does my cat knock stuff over all the time?

Are you tired of cleaning up after your cat? Does your cat knock things over all the time? Are you wondering why your cat does this and how you can stop it? Many cat owners want to understand their kitty’s behavior better so they know what their pet might want. Is knocking things over a behavior you should be worried about? Although there is no definitive research yet on this subject, cat researchers do have a few answers for you.One reason, researchers believe, is that cats knock things over out of instinct. Cats have padded paws, and these pads have a lot of nerve endings in them. Touching things with these pads tells cats their texture, weight, and other characteristics. In the wild, they test out their prey the same way, by touching and swatting them. Knocking things over is an expression of this instinct that cats retain from the time they were wild animals.Another reason is simpler and easier to control, one that shows you how smart your kitty actually is. Cats at times knock stuff over to get your attention. If you lead a busy life and are not able to spend a lot of time with your cat, your cat may get bored, miss your company, or have to constantly remind to feed your beloved pet. One way cats do all this is to draw your attention to themselves by knocking stuff over. Bad attention trumps no attention, and that is what your kitty is aiming for with this behavior.

• Ensure you feed your cat on time every day without fail.
• Take time out every day to play with and engage your cat.
• Get a lot of toys for your cat and keep rotating the toys around to keep things interesting for your cat.
• Keep all breakable valuable items locked away and out of reach of your cat.
• Ignore your cat when it knocks things over, so your cat knows it is not a behavior that you encourage.

Now you know that your cat might simply be telling you it is hungry, bored, or missing you when it starts knocking stuff over. Pay attention to your beloved kitty, and you might just learn a lot about what your cat wants to tell you.