Cat Chat Feline Forum

I am sure most people have had a cat that HATES the hoover. But has anyone ever tried to train their cat not to hate it?

I ask because I hate seeing the look of fear on TC's face every few days when the hoover comes out. So I was wondering, maybe if I trapped him in the hallway for 10 minutes for a few days and then used the hoover around him, he might lose the fear once he sees it doesn't harm him? Would the end justify the means?

I wouldn't.. trapping a cat and giving it no means of escape is far more stressful than leaving him with his fear of the hoover. Most cats are fearful of the sound of the hoover but they avoid their fear by evacuating the vicinity and they cope just fine.
My cats also hate the sound of tinfoil and the sound of me changing the binliner in the kitchen bin but they get over it pretty quickly after the deed is done, as with the hoover.

I'd just leave him be, he has every right to be fearful of the hoover as it's very loud and big and he has sensitive hearing

I've had a few cats who have been mildly scared of the hoover i.e. not going frantic but have moved from the sofa seat to the back of the room and sat on top of the sofa. What I've found helps a lot has been to chat to the cat in a jovial way when I get the hoover out and whilst I've been hoovering, and as I pass with the hoover stroke the cat and given them some reassurance. It might sound a bit daft but it has taken some of the fear away. It's something I do all the time, if the cat ever looks fearful I always talk like that and sing sometimes lol.

Two of mine do a runner when the Hoover comes out, the other two are info different. I wouldn't say they like it, but they tend to sit it out.

I certainly wouldn't trap them anywhere when the Hoover is out. Their fright or flight reaction could have s long term impact when the Hoover is out in future.

AhmedUK wrote:So I was wondering, maybe if I trapped him in the hallway for 10 minutes for a few days and then used the hoover around him, he might lose the fear once he sees it doesn't harm him? Would the end justify the means?

You are kidding right? It most certainly IS NOT a good idea. No offence but if anyone did that to one of my cats then I wouldn't be responsible for my actions

My poor boy would wet himself with fear if you did that to him. If you want to experiment buy a chemistry set (and keep it well away from TC). He's not a research subject, he's a pet.

Camdengirl wrote:My poor boy would wet himself with fear if you did that to him. If you want to experiment buy a chemistry set (and keep it well away from TC). He's not a research subject, he's a pet.

Who said anything about experimenting? I asked because it is horrible seeing him so scared each time I hoover, and so I was wondering whether it might be best to let him suffer for a bit so he doesn't have to suffer in the future. I come from a Computer Science background, which is based on Logic - the logic here is that suffering for 10 minutes for a few weeks when trapped is better than suffering for 10 minutes every few days when someone hoovers for a lifetime.

But the advice sarie, Janey and walesgang gave was that it isn't appropriate to do so, which is fair enough.

Thank you.

sarie wrote:I'd just leave him be, he has every right to be fearful of the hoover as it's very loud and big and he has sensitive hearing

True!

Janey wrote:What I've found helps a lot has been to chat to the cat in a jovial way when I get the hoover out and whilst I've been hoovering, and as I pass with the hoover stroke the cat and given them some reassurance. It might sound a bit daft but it has taken some of the fear away. It's something I do all the time, if the cat ever looks fearful I always talk like that and sing sometimes lol.

Well I think my singing would do more harm than good, so that's out of the question lol.

But, yes, I do that too now, I keep talking to him and open the storeroom where the hoover is and leave it like that for a few minutes so he knows it is about to come out and has a chance to make his getaway to my landlady's bedroom, which is his safe place.

I get the hoover out and leave it in the lounge for a few minutes, giving them all time to decide what they want to do.

Gracie hates it, but most of the others don't mind the noise so much as it bumping into the seat they are on!

But I would never NEVER trap them in a room with no escape.

bobbys girl wrote:Gracie hates it, but most of the others don't mind the noise so much as it bumping into the seat they are on!

That made me laugh. Although mine flee the hoover, if I'm doing other cleaning/tidying and I accidentally bump the sofa or chair mine are sat on you see their body jerk a little as the seat bumps and then usually the head snaps up and you get that squinty scowl of "how dare you". Cracks me up every time.

bobbys girl wrote:I get the hoover out and leave it in the lounge for a few minutes, giving them all time to decide what they want to do.

That's right! At first I would make the mistake of just starting to hoover, but that would mean if he was in the lounge, he would go and hide behind the TV. And that would be way too stressful for him. As I don't hoover my landlady's room, and as that is where he can hide under the bed or behind the curtain, I thought how silly am I being. So now if he is in the lounge, I open the door of the storeroom, show him the hoover, and then move it to the side. He then sits there thinking for a minute what to do, then approached the hallway, looks at the hoover, and darts past it into my landlady's room.

I always find it cute when after I finish doing it, some ten minutes later he will slowly walk up to the storeroom, take a look inside (as the door is always slightly ajar) to make sure the hoover is back in there, before proceeding!

AhmedUK wrote:I always find it cute when after I finish doing it, some ten minutes later he will slowly walk up to the storeroom, take a look inside (as the door is always slightly ajar) to make sure the hoover is back in there, before proceeding!

Oh bless him!

bobbys girl wrote:

AhmedUK wrote:I always find it cute when after I finish doing it, some ten minutes later he will slowly walk up to the storeroom, take a look inside (as the door is always slightly ajar) to make sure the hoover is back in there, before proceeding!

Oh bless him!

That made me smile too!

My lot all hate the Hoover, I plug it in and turn it on for two seconds ...... then switch off and watch the room empty as they all slink out past it giving me THAT reproachful look!

I get the hoover out and Clive freezes, his eyes go massive and then he pegs it so fast he usually slips on the laminate like a cartoon cat.
Harvey is a little more reserved but he also freezes then scowls at it but does nothing until I switch it on. The moment I switch it on he gives me the filthiest look and slinks out of the room with his tummy nearly on the floor and his back dipped right down.

A good excuse to just not bother with the hoovering though right?