Cats and guitars – sometimes they seem like the perfect harmony of internet memes and cute videos, but in reality, your feline friend might give your beloved six-stringed instrument a wide berth, or even a hiss. It’s not that your cat is a harsh critic of your musical talents; they simply might not understand what’s going on when you start strumming. To them, your guitar might be a strange, vibrating box making unfamiliar noises. They could even perceive the sounds as distressing or threatening, like you’re “torturing” some unseen creature trapped inside the instrument with those peculiar hums and melodies. Let’s explore why your cat might react this way and what you can do to create a more harmonious environment.
Think about other unfamiliar and potentially frightening household objects from a cat’s perspective. Many cats are famously terrified of vacuum cleaners. I remember when I first introduced a vacuum cleaner to my cat. She reacted as if it were a monster from another dimension! The fear wasn’t just during cleaning time; it lingered. She would stalk the inanimate object, hissing and swatting at it, almost as if trying to punish it for its noisy existence. It was actually quite amusing to watch her little vendetta against this household appliance.
To help her overcome this fear, I started a process of gradual desensitization. I would approach her calmly while gently touching the vacuum cleaner hose, petting her and offering reassurance. I’d move the hose a little, letting her investigate it while associating it with positive interaction – petting and calm energy from me. Initially, it was only partially effective. The fear would often return with the next cleaning session. So, I persisted, repeating the process, even when the vacuum was on a low setting. Slowly, she began to understand that this loud, rumbling thing wasn’t a threat. Eventually, I could even vacuum near her, and she tolerated it!
She never truly loved the vacuum, but she learned to accept it. The key was associating the vacuum cleaner with positive experiences and removing the element of fear. She realized that as long as I was nearby and acting calmly, the machine wasn’t going to hurt her. And, dare I say, she might have even started to enjoy the slight suction feeling like a massage! (Rest assured, no cats were harmed or traumatized in the making of this vacuum-tolerant feline).
This experience with the vacuum cleaner offers a valuable lesson for introducing your cat to the guitar. The principle is the same: reassurance and positive association are key. Your cat’s initial negative reaction isn’t a personal critique of your guitar playing or musical taste. It’s simply a lack of understanding and potentially a fear response to an unfamiliar stimulus.
So, how can you apply this to your guitar? Start by playing a few soft, gentle notes. Don’t launch into a full power chord riff right away! Let your cat’s natural curiosity take over. Hopefully, they will cautiously approach, sniffing around the guitar, investigating this strange object. The goal is for them to realize that the guitar is not a threat and that those sounds aren’t dangerous. With patience and positive interactions, you can help your cat become more comfortable around your guitar, maybe even to the point where they become your most dedicated (if not always appreciative) audience member. Who knows, with enough encouragement, you might even inspire them to try playing a few notes themselves… though perhaps sticking to purr-cussion for now is a safer bet!
