The sound of the same home that people can hear quietly in the background can be a shock to the cat as an alarm. The reason behind such a wide margin between the occurrences of so many “ordinary appliance” moments becoming viral cat reactions is that such a twitch may be a whisker-twitch, a complete body flinch, a jump of startled surprise and then a run to safety.
Cats are created to observe the changes. Sudden movement and startling, new sound might be a signal of prey, predator, or danger in the wild and thus an instant startle reflex is one of the wiring mechanisms of normal feline survival. According to Best Friends Animal Society, this sensitivity is instinctual, and when it is exaggerated and stressful (this is when trouble commences), this becomes very noticeable in respect to sudden movements which may not appear harmful to humans.
The appliances load many of these “startle triggers” into a single experience. A vacuum does not howl but gets near, turns and vibrates the floors. Another high, piercing pitch is added by a blender. Even a toaster can switch on without making a noise, then it clicked, sprung and emitted a plume of heat and fragrance. The cats are also hearing and smelling more than the human beings and this implies that an appliance can be recorded as many unexpected signals at a time. Catster includes loud sounds and abnormal odors as some of the typical causes that can make a cat jumpy unexpectedly in particular when the cat is already on his or her guard. Cats do develop a habit of such routines with time, whereas others develop a vice versa.
Behavior science has a name of that difference. Animals are able to habituate (respond less with repetition) or sensitize (respond more with repetition). According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, sensitization is the pattern according to which the more the reaction is repeated, the more intense the reaction is. At home, it may be a cat that begins to be suspicious of the hair dryer, but upon opening bathroom door, dashes away as the next person attempts to open the door expecting what is in store.
Context matters, too. The cat in a stressed state is hardly relaxed in a “curious” state, thus the triggering level of startle reflex drops. Changes of environment due to moving, renovation, strangers or a new pet may lead to heightened vigilance and render a cat more receptive to even minor disturbances. Catster also mentions that sickness, injury or a sense of loss may also make a cat jumpy, since a scared cat may be more eager to back up and stay out of the way.
These reactions are determined by the early experience. Cats that did not experience the domestication of sounds in the house as kittens can develop into adults who perceive normal movement and sound as something suspicious. Best Friends notes that there are just cats which are more sensitive in nature and there are others which react strongly due to trauma or lack of early exposure. I guess, in reality, it means that two cats may be living in one apartment with the same dishwasher and behave in totally different ways.
Even the intention to do something right can get in the cycle inadvertently. As an illustration, frequent counter-deterrent measures are based on shocking sensations; Food52 tells about the use of foil to make a cat jump down by the noise and feel of the foil. The repetition of startles in some cats will strengthen the notion that the kitchen is an unpredictable place, by associating appliances, cooking noises and human action into a giant uncomfortable area instead of creating a peaceful one.
The appliance itself does not need to be the most relevant change in many houses, but the escape plan. Best Friends stresses on giving a terrified cat the chance to wander and find a place to rest, thus the cat will not be on high alert. When cats are allowed to develop space distance behind a door, under a bed, on high perch their bodies tend to fall (albeit in less than a moment) out of that brief state of “danger” that may have accompanied the sound of the vacuum, despite the fact that the vacuum may still sound like a monster.
