Coat yourself in the warmest of woollies and you’ll see a proud member of the family meow right at your feet. But if dad has just left for work, that purr will quickly transform into a muted mewl as you dress your cat up in his favorite sweater. The question is why do cats do freeze when you put clothes on them?
Sometimes, cats appear to freeze when they’re dressed up because they’re overwhelmed with emotion: pride, fear, or anger more than likely. As for why he seems to enjoy being dressed up so much, it’s hard not to think food is involved.
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Why do cats freeze when you put clothes on them?
The answer is not as simple as it appears to be. If you want to dress up your kitty, let him wear his own clothes. You can buy a lot of things for your pets, but clothes are not among them. It’s not a good idea to put clothes on your cat for the following reasons:
- While some cats may feel okay with wearing certain clothes, others will freeze as a sign of stress and try to get out of it.
- There is nothing much to actually get out of. They will be in a garment they can’t really move in. They won’t like that. And they don’t really need anything that bad anyway.
- If your cat freezes when you put clothes on them, he may try to bite or scratch you. This can injure his paws and teeth.
- Dressing your cat up will only make your own life harder. It will be a hassle to make him wear clothes, to see him freeze again when you take it off, or to find him with his head stuck in a sweater. Just let us dress you up for a change!
- If your cat is an indoor cat, he does not really need clothes that can protect him from the cold. He can go inside anytime he wants to get warm. A shirt or even just a scarf won’t do much anyway.
- If you put your cat in clothes, he may be less aware of his surroundings. It’s like you’re giving him a blindfold. If he is running around, it will be difficult for him to move with much agility and it may also affect his senses.
Clothes can look good on a cat when they are just lying down but as soon as they see something or someone that interests them, they will try to escape and that can produce friction which can lead to injuries. It is better to let your cat wear what’s natural for him: fur.
And if you still want him to wear clothes, give him something he can wiggle in like the ones designed specifically for cats that some pet stores sell. They are soft but they don’t restrict his fur or movement.
If there is no point to putting clothes on your cat, then why do you put them on? Maybe it’s because you want him to be more relaxed which can help your relationship grow and become closer. Or maybe because you feel guilty for taking his clothes off. But if that’s the case, then don’t wear a sweater too of course.
If your cat freezes when you put clothes on him and he doesn’t seem to like the garment at all, try to take it off as soon as he is done with it. Sometimes, they enjoy the thrill of being dressed up but an extended period of wearing clothes will give them a panic attack.
Keep in mind that he might also freeze if you don’t take it off at all. And which is better: your cat freezing or his entire body being stuck in a pesky knit sweater?
How do cats feel about wearing clothes?
According to experts, most felines don’t like the idea of being clothed at all. But if you have a pet that doesn’t mind wearing fur coats and fancy bowties, it’s best not to restrain it in any way whatsoever.
As feline experts agree, most cats don’t like wearing clothes, even human clothes. If you have a pet that enjoys wearing fancy neckties and short shorts, it’s best to let it do its job and wear what the cat wants.
But if you have a cat that doesn’t mind being dressed up, then why not offer it a little extra? You can buy a lot of things for your pets but clothes are not among them. It’s not a good idea to restrain your cat in any way whatsoever.
The Internet is being filled with photos of cats and kittens wearing clothes, or at least what appear to be clothes. The reason it’s doing so is because there are a lot of things that you can buy for your pets today. They are also not cheap, of course.
Clothes are products that offer a lot of fun and enjoyment, but they do not give the felines what they really want–freedom. There have been collars that prevent animals from running away from home but these have been illegal in the US for years now since experts agree that these do more harm than good.
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Is it bad to put clothes on them?
To backtrack a little, you still have to ask yourself why do cats freeze when you put clothes on them? If your pet is experiencing anxiety because you decided to buy some for him, then it’s bad to put clothes on him. It does nothing but make him anxious and frustrated.
Cats are creatures of habit and change is not always good for the species. It’s not just the clothes, of course; it’s doing things differently from how you normally do them. If you want your cat to enjoy wearing clothes, then let him wear it for a very short period of time and take it off as soon as he is done with whatever task it is that he has in mind.
This should be in a situation where there is no danger or threat around him so he can feel safe and relaxed when dressed up. You may also want to put the garment on him yourself; a pet will only freeze if he receives help from someone else while wearing clothes. Don’t let your cat freeze.
But if he does freeze, then you should remove the garment and avoid putting it on him again. You don’t want to see your pet become more anxious every time you dress him up so save that for when you are alone. Don’t put clothes on them if they suffer anxiety just because they feel like they have no control over the situation.
How to get your cat to wear clothes
The best way to get your pet to wear clothes is to start from scratch. You may want him to wear clothes but he sure doesn’t, so instead of forcing the issue, think of ways on how you can get him interested in something that can be very beneficial in the long run.
Encouraging your cat to wear clothes will do no good if he is experiencing anxiety and stress. You may have seen your friends putting clothes on their pets but you have also seen them remove it just as soon as they are done with whatever it is that they need to do.
If you want your cat wearing a sweater more often than not, then you have no choice but to make it easy for him. There are a lot of things that you can buy for your pets today that will increase their lives and happiness.
But remember, it is not just any item that you can buy; it should be something they enjoy wearing and want to wear. If you don’t give your cat what he wants, then there’s no point in giving it to him at all.
And if there’s one thing that every pet owner wants is to have his cat in good health, then don’t wear clothes when he has a cold or fever or have an infection or injury. Take the time to get him to a vet for essential treatment.
You may be thinking why some pets like wearing t-shirts and others don’t. There are so many things that you can buy for your pet, but t-shirts are not among them. Buying clothes just because they look cute and nice on you is a waste of money and resources.
What a cat really wants is to be clothed the way he likes it, whether it’s a vest or bowtie or even shorts. Don’t put clothes on them if it has nothing to do with what you like or not; let him wear something he likes, whether you like it or not.
Conclusion
As a pet owner, it’s very important to get to know your cat and give it what he wants. After all, you are the one who bought them and took care of them. It is your duty to know their temperament and let them wear clothes that will not agitate them or make them feel uncomfortable.
As you saw in this article on “why cats do freeze when they’re on clothes”, some cats enjoy wearing clothes and some just don’t like it. You have to understand the reason behind why they don’t like it because a lot of times, people assume that felines don’t like clothes because they look funny when dressed up in human clothing. The real reason is because they are feeling anxious about the entire situation and just want to get out as soon as possible.
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