Cats are strong-hearted yet friable creatures, but they do not get scared easily. The problem may be bigger than just bananas and cucumbers if you notice your cat exhibiting symptoms of fear and anxiety.
We are going to take a guess why you are here and let you know why your cat is scared of bananas, cucumbers, water, and whatnot.
Cats are usually scared of cucumbers, bananas, apples, and pineapples because they resemble predators in the wild, like snakes. Therefore, most of the time, it is nothing but a reflex by your furball due to its survival instincts.
Perhaps you should stop eating them when your cat is around? Well, no, don’t do that. Read this first!
As a proud cat lover, I own a lot of cats. Joe, one of my Scottish Fold Cats, was particularly scared of things like bananas, pineapples, and water.
It took me two months to figure out what was wrong and how I was going to make things right for Joe. Today, I am going to share that experience with you. Perhaps, it might help you more than it helped me.
A Cat’s Natural Instinct
Before we start plunging deep into the logic department, let’s hitch a ride through a cat’s instincts to be able to rationalize the reasons for a cat being scared of simple objects.
Have you ever been taught how to immediately remove your hand as soon as it touches a hot surface? – No, right?
The same can be said for your cat.
A cat is very careful “naturally” with objects that it might not have seen before. In this case, cucumbers and bananas can appear as strange objects to it.
Cucumbers: Cats are often caught off guard by this green vegetable because it may look like a snake to them, an animal known to attack cats. Cats are wired to leap in the air as a reflex. This mechanism is there to avoid getting bitten by anything that looks similar to a predator known for preying on them, like a snake.
Bananas: Bananas are also known to elicit the same kind of response from these agile felines. Bananas give off a strong odor of “acetone,” a chemical present in its peel, which has proven to be toxic to cats.
Apples: Apples can be equally scary as bananas and cucumbers to cats, which means that your cat might be highly suspicious of those beautiful red apples that have magically appeared on their bed and freaked out of their wits.
Pineapples: Pineapples are large, rectangular, and spiny. Of course, your cat is scared of them. Don’t place them near your cats, especially when they are focusing on their food, if you do not want them jumping in midair out of nowhere.
Water: Cats seem to do anything to avoid getting soaked. They hate nothing more than baths, and their ceaseless mewling while bathing tells you exactly how much they loathe it. Water can strip the cat’s fur of its natural oil, which can result in its skin acting up and irritating. Their body temperature can also fall dramatically when in direct contact with water because that could make them feel cold all of a sudden.
Subsequently, all these factors contribute to triggering your cat’s instincts, and so you end up with some fears of a cat.
How can I overcome my Cat’s Natural Instincts?
Admittedly, overcoming these instinctual factors can be easy and difficult. It all depends on how well you connect with your cat and how intelligently your cat views its surroundings.
So, you see, the problem with your solution is unique to your cat, and even if it worked for a person you know, it does not necessarily mean that it will work for you.
Let’s hope it does! In case it doesn’t, do you have a backup plan?
Well, that’s why we are here, aren’t we?
Why does my cat fear normal objects?
Let’s talk about what other things can make your cat scared, if not terrified, of ordinary objects.
1. Pranks
Pranking should be banned… Even for humans, pranks can sometimes have negative impacts on a person’s nerves.
That said, cats and dogs are often subjected to scare pranks by the owners or kids in their surroundings. While they have a good reason to call it a “joke,” you should understand that giving sudden scares to cats can not only seriously damage your cat’s ability to interact and explore but leave a permanent scar in its memory about that particular event.
As a result, whenever something like that situation appears in front of your cat, it will immediately trigger an old memory response.
In extreme cases, cats have died from scare pranks by none other than their owners. So, leave your cat out of these silly practices if you want her to improve.
Additionally, even if you are not doing it, you might still want to investigate if anyone in your surrounding is doing these things to your cat to rule out this possibility.
2. Unfamiliarity
Generally, just like people are afraid of things that they are unfamiliar with or do not understand, cats are about the same.
Cats are innately fearsome of unfamiliar objects and things. You might have seen videos of cats getting scared and interested at the same time on a single object, like an oddly shaped mug.
Two different instincts of cats come to play whenever they see an unknown object.
- Fear
- Curiosity
Both of these reactions are considered normal for cats. Thus, if it is the first time your cat is behaving himself like this after seeing an alien object in your house, you should probably let nature run its course, and things will get better as your cat finishes her exploration on her own.
3. Contest
The most common reason for a cat to feel feared is, simply put, because of other cats. If you have other cats in the house who happen to want the same things your cat is interested in, there is a bright chance that your feline may develop an inferiority complex.
This complex can further become fear, and your cat will hesitate to try and own new things. Oftentimes, neglecting this problem can result in a passive and fearsome cat.
4. Nervousness & Anxiety
Nervousness plays an important part in the overall ability of your cat to interact with its surroundings. An anxious cat will be scared, and a nervous cat will be fearsome.
That is not a choice of words; that’s a fact.
Therefore, while working out why your cat is afraid of cucumbers and bananas, do not miss the part about your cat’s psychological health. Try and spend more time with your cat and introduce new toys and activities to keep her engaged and healthy in every aspect.
What things are normal for my cat to be scared of?
There are a few household objects that are feared by most cats, but they are deemed normal by vets.
1. Cucumbers & Bananas
We saw this trend flare up in 2015 when people would purposely put cucumbers and bananas behind or in front of their cats and record their reactions as the felines jumped and ran in fear.
Cucumbers and Bananas, as stated earlier, resemble a lot to reptiles and snakes, which usually are not on good terms with cats.
As part of their primitive instincts, a cat’s reaction to reptiles and snakes is in line with what a mouse’s reaction is to a cat. Mostly, they jump and run.
My, my, how the turntables!
However, such pranks should never be pulled on cats as they affect a cat on a deeper level and damage its abilities.
2. Apples and Pineapples
Yes, that’s right. Apples and Pineapples can give scares a cat’s little heart. Of course, they will not be a problem unless you place them on your feline’s bed.
Cats may perceive the apples as curled-up snakes or something else. So, it would be advised to keep apples in the fruit basket.
I mean, anyone would be scared if they woke up to see a pair of apples sitting on their bed out of nowhere… cats are living things too… Geez!
Perhaps, you can fit a whole lot of vegetables and fruits in this category.
3. Water
Felines and the majority of pets have always stayed away from water. Cats are not a big fan of getting soaked in water.
Usually, this is because in the wild, soaking in water means being vulnerable to outside weather as it severely depletes the insulation ability of their fur. Additionally, rinsing a cat’s fur with water drains all the essential natural oil in it and makes it dry and irritating. For this reason, cats avoid getting wet.
Therefore, whenever you see your cat jumping, running, hiding, growling, or staring at the water, it does not mean that the cat is scared of it. It only means that the cat is keeping itself away for its good – instinctively –.
4. Some Toys
If your cat seems to be afraid of cucumbers, it would not dare come near a toy snake. Maybe it will act a bit more frantically and try to break it. Whatever the case may be, you need to understand that acting quickly is hard-wired in your cat’s DNA. In the wild, when they are eating or resting, they are the most vulnerable, and this primitive preparedness for something that might happen and hurt the cat keeps your feline with its guard up all the time.
Toys may or may not trigger these reflexes in your cat, and it might suddenly jump out as soon as it lays eyes on it.
5. Guests & Pets
Cats are highly protective of their territories. Feral Cats usually get into a lot of fights merely because another cat crossed their territory.
Therefore, out of instinct, some cats may not socialize with other pets or even people at the beginning. They might also get scared and be out of sight but give them some time. Eventually, cats do get familiarized with strangers and other pets after spending a little bit of time with them.
How To Calm a Scared Cat
How to Calm a Scared Cat?
The answer to this question is easy; most people know how to “cool” their cats. However, if you have recently adopted a cat, try the following few things to calm your cat down.
1. Hold Your Cat
The best trick to calm a scared pet is by holding it and slowly massaging its back. It works well with cats and dogs. Holding your pet gives it a strong feeling that its owner is there to protect it and that the pet is not alone.
2. Divert Its Attention
If the fear of your cat is because of recent trauma, you might want to divert its attention to make it more comfortable. For example, you can use a toy or a light to catch its eye and make it forget what just happened.
3. Feed It
Some pets always want to be fed, and cats especially like to eat their fill after encountering an unpleasant experience. So, this can be the perfect situation to strengthen your bond and pet the cat.
4. Leave It Alone
Sometimes, however, you will have to pay no attention to your feline’s behavior for a while. Not because they should not be petted, but to train them and make them psychologically strong. A study shows that almost 42% of cats that were not petted regularly exhibited enhanced motor and intelligence skills compared to those which were regularly petted by their owners.
As they say, “Sometimes, you should let nature run its course.”
5. Take it Outside
If your cat is a fan of going on walks with you, you should take it out for a walk. Even if the cat is in a normal state, going for a walk and seeing the outside world can significantly increase a cat’s mood.
How to keep your cat from getting scared of simple Objects?
You can keep your cat from getting scared of these regular objects by using some simple techniques that I used with Joe. (My Scottish Fold Cat suffered the same problem)
Try these and see if they help – if you are wondering, they certainly helped me.
1. Familiarize Them With New Objects
Cats are all about learning and exploring. Develop a learning environment for them and get them new things to play with. This greatly nourishes their exploration skills and makes them less scared of new findings.
2. Train Them
Training a cat is one hell of a job to do, but those who do it right live their lives peacefully without having to worry about their cat all the time.
This is why vets tell people to regularly teach their pets to defecate, eat, play, and how to be able to feed on their boxes on their own.
Furthermore, training will make a cat less likely to be scared of seemingly normal things, like cucumbers.
3. Keep in touch with Vets
The above-mentioned methods are the only ones available to solve the scare issues in cats at home. However, like all the other things that may require expert evaluation, this should also be checked by a vet if the symptoms worsen and do not go away on their own.
Getting scared may trigger a great deal of anxiety, leading to further complications for your cat.
The following question may pop into your head,
· Why are cats scared?
Cats usually develop scares, shyness, and a depressed attitude due to negative associations with how it was brought up. Kittens who are subjected to harsh owners or environments usually end up being shy and fearful of normal things.
· Is it the same when a cat hates and fears something?
Usually, it is not true for feral or wild cats, as they only avoid those things. But most of the time, cats fear what they hate, like citrus food and water, cucumbers, apples, and even toys.
· Can cats get dangerous while scared?
Yes, cats can become extremely defensive and may attack anyone near them. So, beware.
· Does an Anxious Cat get neurological damage?
Yes, a cat that remains anxious all the time can start getting depressed and potentially get neurologically damaged if symptoms persist.
· Are cat scares curable?
Even though cat scares are not completely curable, they can still be controlled to some extent.
· Can cats forgive and forget?
While you can technically call it forgiving and forgetting, cats cannot know if they have forgiven or forgotten. However, they seem to let go of human transgressions and get along well for their well-being.
Conclusion
In the end, I would like to add that cats are really unique and, in some parts, just like humans. They need emotional training as well as respect for them to be able to lead a healthy and sound life.
Cats who are subjected to harsh environments, neglect by their owners, and extreme solitude can end up being fearsome. Admittedly, the solutions are spread wide apart, but they are there. All you need to do is to figure out which condition applies to you and what part of the solution works for you.
You may also need to give your cat a little time to get things right before trying anything else.
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Happy Cat-Keeping!
