Anyone who has ever raised a cat knows that cats can always knock things over on the table quietly when you are not paying attention.
Whether it's a glass of water or a precious vase, it will knock them over without mercy. In fact, this behavior of cats is not purely a prank. Here are summarized three main reasons to help owners better understand what cats are thinking.
1. Practice hunting skills
Cats knocking over objects may be honing their hunting skills. When there is no prey to hunt in life, anything that moves quickly within sight may become their prey. Whether it's the coffee cup in your hand, the pen on the table, or the jewelry you're about to wear, cats will instinctively push and slap, simulating hunting movements.
2. Attract the owner's attention
While no one likes to see a cat knock over a water glass, owners may be reinforcing this behavior without even realizing it. When the cat pushes the cup to the table, you immediately sound a reminder and approach it. The cat will soon find that this action can attract your attention, causing them to deliberately knock things over near you when they feel lonely or bored. Get your attention.
3. Just want to play
If there's a lack of stimulation around your cat, or if they can't find interesting toys, they may find their own entertainment, pushing things around to pass the time.
If you want to reduce the number of times your cat knocks things over, the best way is to stay calm and try to ignore the behavior. Wait until it's done with the game, then clean up the things it knocked down. If you find that your cat likes to push certain items, you can put these items out of reach of your cat. In addition, a variety of toys should be kept at home, especially interactive toys such as electric mice, to satisfy their hunting instinct. Finally, you can also consider fixing items that are easily pushed over on the shelf. The cat will give up this behavior when it finds that it cannot be pushed.