Cats are often portrayed as aloof and independent creatures. Many cat owners joke that their feline companions appear indifferent to them or even harbor secret grudges against them. But is there any truth to the idea that cats hold grudges?
What is a grudge?
A grudge is generally defined as a persistent feeling of resentment or ill will that someone holds against another person or group. Grudges are the result of a perceived offense or injustice. The grudge holder nurtures the negative feelings rather than forgiving or moving past the original offense. Grudges often lead the grudge holder to avoid or act hostilely toward the target of their grudge.
Do cats have the cognitive capacity for grudges?
For a cat to hold a grudge, it would need to have certain cognitive abilities including:
- Memory – The cat would need to be able to remember specific people and events.
- Emotion – The cat would need to be able to associate emotional states like resentment with those memories.
- Executive control – The cat would need to be able to control its behavior toward a person based on its emotional state.
Research suggests that cats do have these cognitive capacities, but likely not at the same level as humans:
| Cognitive Ability | Cat Capacity |
|---|---|
| Memory | Cats have excellent long-term memories, especially for faces, voices, smells, and locations. Their short-term/working memory is more limited. |
| Emotion | Cats experience basic emotions like contentment, anxiety, fear, frustration, and aggression. More complex emotions are questionable. |
| Executive control | Cats can modify their behaviors based on learning, but have limited self-control compared to humans. |
So cats likely have the basic mental tools required to hold a grudge, even if their capacity is not as sophisticated as humans.
Do cats display grudge-like behaviors?
There are some common cat behaviors that owners often interpret as possible signs of grudges:
- Avoidance – Some cats seem to avoid or ignore owners who have recently annoyed or upset them.
- Aggression – Cats may act more aggressively like hissing, swatting, or biting towards owners in response to handling they don’t like.
- Marking behavior – Inappropriate urination/defecation outside the litter box is sometimes viewed as cats acting out against their owners.
- Excessive vocalization – Yowling, meowing, or other loud vocalizations are seen by some owners as attention-seeking behavior motivated by grudges.
However, while these behaviors may appear vengeful, they are typically motivated by things like fear, stress, territorial anxiety, or medical issues rather than premeditated grudge-holding.
Do cats forgive and let go of grudges?
Even if a cat seems to exhibit grudge-like behavior, they do not appear to hold onto resentments permanently:
- Cats usually resume normal relationships with owners after a period of avoidance or aggression. They do not permanently banish owners from their good graces.
- Marking and vocalization behaviors typically resolve on their own or with behavior modification training.
- Cats are highly food motivated. Most will readily accept treats, meals, and affection again from someone they previously seemed to hold a grudge against.
This suggests cats are capable of moving past offenses without the perpetual resentment that characterizes human grudge-holding.
Why might cats appear to hold grudges?
There are several explanations for why cats may temporarily behave in ways that appear like grudge-holding:
Stress and anxiety
Cats are highly sensitive to environmental stressors and changes in routine. Things like loud noises, construction projects, new people, furniture rearrangement, or changes in feeding/play patterns can causes cats anxiety. This may cause them to act out against their owners with avoidance or aggression.
Fear
Cats have long memories of scary or painful experiences like being stepped on or having their tail pulled. This can cause lasting fear of the person or situation associated with the negative experience. The cat may avoid or act defensively towards that person or situation long after the initial incident.
Medical issues
Marking behavior or vocalization can sometimes stem from medical problems like urinary tract infections, arthritis, dental disease, or cognitive dysfunction. The cat is not deliberately acting out of spite, but responding to pain or mental confusion.
Attention-seeking
Some behavior like destructive scratching, wake up calls in the middle of the night, and excessive vocalization may be a cat’s attempt to get more playtime, feeding, or cuddling from their owner. The behavior is motivated by their bond with their owner rather than a grudge.
Misinterpretation
Some supposed signs of grudges, like not immediately approaching their owner or avoiding contact after a scolding, are normal cat behaviors not indicative of any long-term resentments. Many grudge-like behaviors reflect the cat’s independent nature rather than sinister motivations.
How to reset relationships with cats exhibiting grudge behavior
If your cat seems to be holding a grudge, here are some tips for resetting your relationship:
- Give them space and don’t force interactions if they seem standoffish. Let them approach you at their own pace.
- Try rewarding positive behaviors with treats and catnip to motivate friendly interactions.
- Keep their routine consistent with regular, enriching playtime and positive reinforcement training.
- Address possible underlying stressors, medical issues, or insufficient stimulation that could be causing behaviors.
- Use calming pheromone diffusers/sprays oranti-anxiety medication if recommended by your vet.
- Gradually reintroduce handling/activities the cat previously disliked using positive reinforcement.
Conclusion
While the idea of cats holding grudges makes for funny memes, the evidence suggests cats do not actually bear long-term ill will or plot vengeance against their owners as the term “grudge” implies. Grudge-like behaviors in cats generally reflect fear, stress, lack of stimulation, or medical problems rather than premeditated malice. With time, patience, and care, owners can usually reset relationships with cats exhibiting grudge-like behaviors by identifying and addressing the root causes behind the behaviors.