Why Do Some Cats Meow When Their Owner Sneezes?
Some cats can't help but meow a few times whenever they hear their owner sneeze. Many pet owners might imagine that their cat is saying "god bless you," but what is the real reason behind this behavior?
Cats domesticated by humans have learned to use their meows to seek help or attention from humans. Interestingly, when communicating with other cats, they more often rely on body language and scent to exchange information.
The reason why cats meow when they hear their owner sneeze may be due to four possible causes. Below are four explanations for this behavior in cats. Let's take a look together.
1. Why Cats Find Sneezing Annoying
Cats are very unique animals with strong personalities. If you pet them the wrong way, fail to feed them properly, or disturb their rest, they will immediately let you know they are unhappy by meowing loudly!
This shows that if you sneeze while a cat is sleeping soundly, they will definitely feel annoyed when abruptly woken up by this "loud noise." They might express their anger loudly, as if saying, "How dare you disturb my rest!"
2. Why Cats Are Startled by Sneezing
Cats tend to have stress reactions whenever they encounter unfamiliar objects or sounds. The sound of a human sneezing is one such noise that cats do not hear often in their daily lives. Because this sound is relatively rare and sudden, cats are easily startled when their owners sneeze.
When a cat hears a sneeze, it may become frightened and respond by making anxious meowing sounds. This reaction is simply due to their natural sensitivity to unusual noises and their instinctive caution toward new stimuli.
Understanding this behavior can help cat owners create a more comforting environment for their pets by minimizing sudden loud sounds when possible.
3. Cat Imitation of Sneezing
Cats are very intelligent animals, and many studies show that they have the ability to imitate humans. Therefore, when a cat meows after a person sneezes, some believe that the cat is learning to mimic the act of sneezing. Others speculate that since cats often hear people say "god bless you" when someone nearby sneezes, the cat might want to make some kind of verbal response too.
4. Understanding Why Cats React to Their Owner's Sneezes
Some people believe that the sound of a human sneeze is somewhat similar to the hissing sound cats make when they are angry. We all know that when a cat hisses, it is warning others to "stay away from me."
Therefore, when a cat hears its owner sneeze, it might mistakenly think that "the owner is angry with me" and may want to communicate with the owner to clarify what is really happening.
