A behavior expert explains why cats may react like they are scared of cucumbers.
If you've ever stumbled across a certain section of TikTok, chances are you've watched your fair share of “cat vs. cucumber” videos. In these clips, people show how quickly their feline friend can turn into a scaredy cat, simply by introducing the green vegetable to them. But some folks claim that the videos aren't just good, clean fun, and instead, they could be traumatizing the cats.
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To find out if that's true, we looked to the pros to see why they say cats are afraid of cucumbers, and whether or not the reason has to do with genuine fear, or something else entirely.
Keep reading to learn more.
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Why are cats afraid of cucumbers?
To put it bluntly, nobody knows why cats have such strange reactions to cucumbers, but there are some good theories out there.
According to Cornell University's Feline Health Center, cats may not be reacting to the cucumber itself, but instead out of shock that there is suddenly a strange object next to them. That's good news for anyone who was worried that cats would jump and run when they saw these videos because they mistook the veggies for a snake.
In fact, Dr. Pamela Perry, a behaviorist specialist with the center, told the publication that she thinks that snake theory is highly unlikely, simply because many cats view snakes as prey, and therefore don't have a natural fear of them.
So, if nobody knows the real reason why cats act the way they do when they see cucumbers, then why is it such a common response that there's a whole corner of TikTok devoted to it?
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According to Dr. Perry, it's likely that it's a natural part of a cat's personality to react to new stimulus that way.
Of course, that begs the question: Is it okay to prank your cat with cucumbers? Unfortunately, that answer isn't going to get many laughs.
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What are the consequences of scaring your cat with a cucumber?
According to Dr. Perry, scaring your cat could actually have a lasting impact on their overall health. She says that cats can experience both behavioral and physiological stress responses, which can have negative effects.
For example, a cat that is normally timid may become more scared, and could end up associating the person, place, or thing involved in the prank with their fear, causing them to avoid it.
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Also, they could begin to associate their pet parent (you) with the source of their fear, which means you could end up alienating your cat from yourself without meaning to.
Instead of getting in on the viral prank, Dr. Perry says that pet parents should stick to activities that they know their animals will enjoy. This not only reduces the stress on them, but it also allows them to have a higher quality of life and better mental health.
If you've already tried the cucumber vs. cat trend and are worried that you may have inadvertently caused you cat to have health or behavioral issues, consider talking to your pet's healthcare provider about what's going on and to see if you need to do anything.
