I think my cat doesn’t like me – What should I do now?

It is not surprising to hear people complaining that ‘my cat doesn’t like me’ because the relationship with pets can surely get distressing sometimes for several reasons. It is possible that your cat may start showing a negative or unresponsive attitude towards you making you think that it hates you. However, before you become sure that your cat actually feels what it shows, there is a lot that needs to be explored and analyzed with the right approach.

We are going to help you with doing what we said above by presenting all the possibilities for the behavior of your cat towards a better understanding followed by exploring the potential solutions.

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Signals that my cat doesn’t like me

There can be many reasons behind you thinking that your cat hates you like when the cat doesn’t do what you want them to do or when do the super annoying things that may seem like being done on purpose. However, these are just plain disappointments that can happen to anyone because cats will just do what they like, and may be you are just putting up high expectations. To be sure about the cat disliking you, you can check for some signals that have been commonly observed in aggressive cats:

A puffed or low hanging tail of the cat is an indication of them feeling intimidated or threatened by your presence around them.
If they keep hiding away from you upon sensing your presence, it is a sign that they do not like the environment or the company.
If your cat just walks away whenever you call them, it indicates the possibility of some kind of chronic disinterest.
Signs like unnecessary hissing, biting, etc. being done by the cat whenever you try to pet it means that they are seriously unhappy with you.
Your pet cat might be going gaga around others but not showing the same affection to you. This can mean a lot of things but the underlying emotion is disinterest.
You may also observe a sudden change in their temperament where they would do everything that
Your cat might also annoy you with actions like messing with their litter box, scratching stuff, knocking off things, etc.

These are the major signs that can help you understand your cat’s interest in you. If these things have been happening for a long time, then there is a possibility that your cat hate like you but the surety has to come only after understanding the reasons behind them.

Also, many other causal things may leave you confused that ‘my cat doesn’t like me’.

The point is to observe them separately and not associate them with the thought that the cat hates you. They may include:

Not responding to the calls and verbal cues
Absence of efforts from their end to be close to their owners
Being unresponsive to the cuddle, petting, and affection requests
Responding only when there is any reward involved
Not making eye contact

The list is endless.

Reasons behind your cat being averse to you

Now comes the part of exploring and understanding the reason behind the aversive behavior of your cat. The first thing to understand is that the EQ and IQ of animals are not comparable with us. The set of activities that you perceive of being indicative of hatred might not be even close to the expression of hatred from the perspective of your cat, rather it may doesn’t even understand what these emotions are.

Cats certainly are stubborn creatures and they might start acting out when their needs are not being met or if something else is troubling them and you may have taken those signs into believing that ‘my cat doesn’t like me’. There can be many possibilities why your cat is being unaffectionate or unresponsive towards you:

Your cat might not hate you because of the presence of the smell of any other cat or pet animal on you which indicates that you are petting some other cat. Felines are very possessive about their owners and won’t like their attention being given to any other cat.
The cat might be suffering from any illness or behavioral issues like stress, anxiety, or separation anxiety. Cats are very good at hiding their suffering and continue to do actions that help them feel a bit relieved which at the same time might not come out as very pleasant to you.
There might be insufficient stimulation available for the cat which means there can be a lack of interactive toys, games, activities, etc.
Your cat might have suffered any physical injury which is causing her immense pain.
Any change in the environment also causes the cat to become aloof like shifting houses, the introduction of new cats or other pets in the family, change of their diet, etc.
Boredom and lack of attention or company hit cats worst and subjects to them a lot of mental issues that simultaneously make them indifferent to everything in their surroundings including the owner.
Their diet might not be of their liking which renders them unhealthy.
Your cat might be any having traumatic experience in the past which is not letting it be close to you. Cats carry negative experiences in their heart and remain very alert throughout their lives.

A lot of other individual reasons remain that can cause any cat to be indifferent to its owner. Lastly, it is also possible that the personality of you and your cat is so different that they can’t match anyway.

Putting efforts to make the cat like you

Circumstances might be a little heartbreaking but it doesn’t mean that you can’t make your cat like you. The right efforts put in the right manner can go a long way in making your cat amicable towards you and we are going to give some relevant tips for that:

We already talked about how important it is to identify the problem. After having read the above-mentioned possibilities of ‘why my cat doesn’t like me’, you can clear the confusion by getting your cat checked by a vet or pet behaviorist and seek help.

Start spending more time with your cat including feeding them and playing with them personally and solely.
It’s also good to let your cat make the first move.
Keep a close eye on their body language all the time and do give them their space when they give signals of unhappiness or discomfort. This is especially important in the initial days of your cat’s arrival in the house.
You can try the application of synthetic pheromones to attract the cat towards adapting to their surroundings.
Always be gentle and balanced in the petting that you do. Never try to force them for cuddling, hugs, petting, or body rubs.
Understand and respect the personality and personal space of your cat.
Provide them with a richer environment that includes more stimulation, play sessions, activities, alternatives that meet their urges, etc.
Keep a check on their diet and ensure that they are well-fed. However, remember to not end up overfeeding or over-rewarding them in the quest to win their affection.
Being patient and calm is the key that you have to follow throughout the process as any single negative move can take you back to ground zero or damage your image in the cat’s mind altogether.

Last option of giving up on the cat

If you have done everything in your capacity to win the affection of your cat but every attempt failed, then you can go with giving away the cat. Here is what you can do after being sure that ‘my cat doesn’t like me’ and there is nothing that can be done about it:

Never ever leave the cat in the wild just like that.
Take the responsibility to make sure that it goes in the right hands and will be given the deserving care.
Ask your breeder to help with relocating the cat.
Check with rescue groups, friends, relatives, or any other interested person who would like to adopt your cat.
Desex the cat before putting it up for re-adoption.
Keep the option of shelter homes as the last resort.

Conclusion

We suggest you to not get overwhelmed about thinking ‘my cat doesn’t like me’ and start with a resolution approach rather than worrying. No matter what you choose to do with the cat, be kind to it, and act responsibly.

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Luna Tran

My name is Luna and I am a great cat lover and a cat owner of three lovely cats. I have owned many cats till now and have dedicated many years to nurturing and caring cats. Through this blog, I am here to share my knowledge and experience about cats.