If you have ever scraped a comb near your cat, then you will know that cats will sometimes gag when they hear it. in other cases, they may have other reactions to the sound. Have you ever wondered why this is? Well, that is something that we want to take a look at on this page.
A cat will sometimes gag when you run your fingers through a comb because they have incredibly sensitive hearing. When they hear the sound of a comb, it sort of sounds as if there is prey in the area. The gagging is a reflex that wild cats have to send a signal that prey is about and they need to catch it.
Let’s expand upon this idea a little bit. We are positive that you probably have a few burning questions about what the cat thinks the comb sounds like, and what other reactions they may have to hearing the sound of a comb.
Why Do Cats Gag at the Sound of a Comb?
The short answer is because cats have sensitive hearing. This is a trait that is a holdover from when the wild cats that domestic cats descended from. wild cats. The cats needed this sensitive hearing in order to pick up the sound of their prey scuttling about.
When you brush a comb, it is supposed to sound like the chattering teeth of a mouse. Because cats have incredibly sensitive hearing, it is going to sound incredibly loud to them. This activates their hunting instinct, and this basically means that they will start to gag. It really isn’t going to be a pleasant sound for the cat, especially if they can’t actually see any prey in the close vicinity. It may even make them angry at you if they see you making a sound.
It isn’t just the sound of the comb that you need to be worrying about either. You also need to worry about anything that sounds remotely like a comb. We will take more about those shortly.
In short, you should never be using a comb to make a sound around your cats. It is going to be incredibly irritating to them. As you will see later on, there is even a chance that it could end up having deadly consequences.
How Would a Cat React If It Heard the Sound of a Comb?
Most of the time, the cat is probably going to do nothing more than gag at the sound of the comb. This is going to be a reflex response and they have absolutely no control over it.
Some people have noted that their cats start to get aggressive whenever they hear the sound of the comb. This is to be expected. After all, the comb is really triggering the predator inside of the cat. Even the kindest of cats can be triggered into being aggressive due to the comb sound. Chances are they won’t attack you, but you may want to keep an eye out, just in case.
In other cases, you may see the cat start to hunt. This means they may crouch down, or try and ascertain where in the room the prey actually is. Obviously, they won’t be able to see anything, but this is just going to be making them more and more annoyed. This could lead to even more aggressive behavior.
If you have an older cat, then they may end up having a seizure. We aren’t quite sure why this is. There is a chance that their body is going into overdrive or something like that. In either case, with an older cat, the sound could potentially be quite dangerous for them and you will want to avoid it as much as you possibly can.
What Sounds Irritate Cats?
As we said, cats do have incredibly sensitive hearing. This means that anything that is going to be irritating you is probably going to be 100x worse for your cat. Think along the lines of nails on a chalkboard, scrunching up foil, loud machinery, etc.
Honestly, anything that gives of a whirring or high-pitched sound should probably be avoided. The same could be said for anything that is just too loud.
Remember, fireworks are going to be awful for cats. They can’t stand the banging, and if you are not there to reassure them, they are going to be terrified.
Luckily, it shouldn’t be that difficult to work out what your cat does and doesn’t like. Cats do tend to let you know when they do not like a sound. They could get overly aggressive, or they could run and hide. if you have ever pulled out a vacuum cleaner around your cat, watch their reaction. This is pretty much the reaction that they are going to end up having if they hear a sound that irritates them.
What Sounds Are Fine for Cats?
Cats should be fine with the vast majority of sounds. Obviously, they are not going to like those grating noises, but we spoke about that earlier.
What cats do like, however, is soft music. You can actually find music on places like Spotify that has been designed for cats. This helps to keep them nice and relaxed, and it works wonders.
As long as you are steering clear of those grating sounds, then you should probably be fine. Your cat isn’t going to get too frustrated. They will probably let you know if the sound is irritating them.
Why Do Cats Gag at the Sound Of A Comb Final Thoughts
Cats gag at the sound of comb because it is their natural reaction to the sound. It is playing into their sensitive hearing, and they really, really hate that sound. To them, it sounds like there is some prey on the loose. Or, at least that is the theory. It is important that you do pay attention to the sounds that your cat likes and doesn’t like. If you fail to do that, then you are going to end up with a very irritated cat. In fact, certain sounds could even cause your cat to die.
When you run your fingers through a comb does your cat gag? What is his or hers reaction? Tell us your story in the comment section below and be sure to checkout our other weird cat behavior articles!