Does your cat almost climb up the walls every time you try to use your dryer? Possibly your feline feels stressed for not having been properly introduced to this strange and curious being that, many times, he invades the sacred environment of his home without asking permission. Or connect this seemingly harmless device to some bad experience in your past.
But this does not mean that you need to get rid of your device or give up bathing your cat with the arrival of winter to provide comfort. With dedication, skill and a lot of patience to respect our felines' own time, we can help them overcome their fears and get used to the new elements of our home. And to find out what to do if your cat is afraid of the dryer, we invite you to continue reading this article on our site.
Why is my cat afraid of the dryer?
Before knowing what to do if your cat is afraid of the hair dryer, it is important to understand that fear is inherent in its nature and that It plays an essential role in your life. It is this feeling that keeps them alert to the possible dangers around them and also allows them not to expose themselves to unnecessary risks. And the same goes for us human beings.
Let's imagine that felines living in the wild were exposed, ignored or distracted by the various stimuli in their environment. Most likely, this “trusting” attitude would put the survival of their species at risk in the face of the challenges posed by nature itself and by the presence of other animals in their territory. Now, this situation would change radically if the organism itself had a mechanism to warn the animal about the possible dangers around it, among which would be a foreign object and noisy as the dryer is, which would allow him to prevent himself and prepare to defend himself or escape. Certain?
Well, this is how fear acts in the body of our cats (and also in ours). When recognizing itself in a context of risk, in an unknown environment or in front of a strange being or object, the feline brain sends an order so that its body is alert and be prepared to react if necessary. This brain command generates various physiological effects, some visible, such as alterations in their body language, fur, and behavior, and others internal, such as the release of certain hormones, such as adrenaline, in their blood.
This explains the tendency of cats to neophobic behavior, that is, they tend to have fear of the unknown Generally the animal is not afraid specifically to a certain object, but it is frightened when recognizing a strange and unknown presence in its environment. In any case, a certain dose of fear is natural and he althy for our cats. But if your cat is very fearful or skittish, it is essential to consult your trusted veterinarian.
What to do if my cat is afraid of the dryer?
Felines, just like people, need to feel comfortable and secure in order to recognize an environment as home. And to stick to a routine that ensures their well-being, they need to feel in control of their surroundings. If we impose the presence of a new object (and noisy!) in its territory, without respecting its adaptation time, we favor feelings of distrust, insecurity and fear.
In addition, you should already know that it is not positive to expose a cat to contexts of high stress by forcing him to do something that he does not like. His reaction can be dangerous for his own organism and for others in his environment. So, the first thing you should do if your cat is afraid of the hair dryer is introduce it correctly and respect its recognition time.
In this presentation we must not forget that cats have much more developed hearing than ours. And when we talk about appliances such as a dryer or a vacuum cleaner, what may seem like a soft noise to us, can be a real annoyance to them. That is why it is so important to work on adaptation to the physical object, but also to the noise it emits. How? Here we explain, step by step, how to dry a cat with the hair dryer.
How to blow-dry my cat?
The main objective of this procedure is to prevent the animal from associating the dryer with a traumatic experience or to break the association between the dryer and a negative situation that the animal has previously experienced. The steps to follow are:
- To begin with, we recommend leaving the dryer unplugged within your cat's reach in an environment where he feels comfortable and safe. It is essential to avoid making sudden movements, especially with the dryer cable, as your cat may associate them with a viper or any other strange animal. Little by little you will perceive how the natural curiosity of the feline character will lead your cat to want to discover this new element of its territory.
- Once your cat is comfortable in the presence of the new appliance, you can move on to the second step, which is introducing the dryer in actionto get used to the noise. The goal is for your cat to observe how you use the dryer safely and calmly, without fear or stress. To do this, you should use the dryer very slowly , for a short time and several times a day, and then leave it unplugged within reach of your cat when you finish.
- Next, we move on to the most delicate phase of the process: making the cat allow and get used to using the dryer in his own body. First, choose a quiet environment in the home, avoiding rooms with loud music, external noise and excessive light. Then, start using the dryer on your own body and hair, proving that the device is harmless.
- When you perceive that your feline is accustomed to noise, you can start giving him soft and short jets of warm air on his back, while you offer caresses in his favorite areas and talk or sing to him normally. Don't make sudden movements or move out of his field of vision and pay attention to the speed and temperature of the air so as not to scare or burn him.
- You can also recognize his good behaviorby offering him a prize, a treat or playing a good time with him. Little by little you will see that your cat begins to positively associate drying sessions with moments of relaxation and affection. It is worth remembering that each animal has its own adaptation time and it is essential to respect it.
How to dry a cat without a dryer?
If, despite following the advice we have explained step by step, it is completely impossible for us to use the dryer with our cat, surely you are wondering how to dry a cat without a dryer. We basically have a couple of options:
- Dry with towels: it is best to use one to remove water from the body well as soon as you take the cat out of the bath and, then another to remove as much moisture as possible. Keep in mind that with towels we are not going to get a complete dry. Moist skin could favor the appearance of dermatological problems.
- Dry in carrier: if the cat is afraid of you pointing the dryer at him, but tolerates the noise, you have the option of insert it into the container and aim the dryer's air jet inwards through one of the openings that the containers usually have on the sides or the top. You can distract him by offering treats through the door. Put the air on warm and turn off the dryer in a few minutes. It won't be as complete a dry, but it can come.
Considering these data we can choose to go to a feline hairdresser, where the cat can be sedated to bathe and dry without trauma, or, directly, do not bathe him. Remember that it is not always necessary to bathe a cat.
